Sunday, August 14, 2011

week 35 - honeydew, PRIZE GIVEAWAY, and P90X gunshow!


Hazelnut now weighs approximately 5 1/4 lbs, and is ~18 inches long! His big thing now is fattening up (just like his mama). And if "he" really truly is a HE... then his testes have completed their descent. Exciting!

The listy-loo...

1. Wanna WIN WIN WIN?! A BIG JUICY prize??! it’s time to start taking wagers on birth date/time and sex of the babe! So, head right on over HERE and fill in your guesses for your chance to win $25 for Starbucks AND $25 for iTunes (yes, you read that correctly. By simply entering the contest, you could win $50 in prizes...no purchase necessary)!! Don't miss your chance because as soon as contractions start, the contest closes!

2. As of Wednesday, I have gained 36.2lbs (you know...approximately). Oy. I'd like to think that's mostly baby (and baby “stuff”), but I was also told that I'm measuring right on for my dates. I guess that leaves thighs, arms, and face… super.

3. LOWELL'S TURN FOR THE SPOTLIGHT! This summer, Lowell took on P90X (a 90-day intensive exercise and nutrition program). I do believe that his main motivation was to get smaller while I've been getting bigger (nice eh?). Generally, while he was busy working his butt off doing his exercises, I would be plopped on the couch very contentedly eating a popsicle while watching Ellen... and I didn't feel even a little bit guilty about it.

With summer being summer (with family reunions and vacays and such), he followed the exercise schedule about 90%, and the nutrition plan about 80%.... with rather impressive results if I do say so myself.

Here he is before...

(Funny... I always thought that he WAS strong and muscley, but I stand corrected apparently.)

Check out the hot gun show that is NOW my husband! (And the farmer's tan just makes it hotter right?)

AFTER....


Lowell is very excited about his new musclies (as is his wife)!

(Yes, Lowell did feel silly during this somewhat forced shoot).

The facts:

Weight: from 208.5 to 200.5 lbs
Body Fat %: 20.2 to 13.9%
Resting HR: 66bpm to 54bpm
VO2 MAX: 51.9 to 59.7 kg/L2
Flexibility: -16cm to +3cm
Push Ups (continual with perfect form touching chest to ground): 16 to 43
Sit Ups (max in 1 minute timeframe): 24 to 43

I'm so proud of my man!

4. I believe that back in April I shared with you that I made an offer on a bag-full of maternity clothes on kijiji. I'll recap for you. We totally low-balled the lady, but she accepted and Lowell planned a time and place to meet her with the goods. After waiting for over an hour- and trying in vein to contact her- she was considered a no-show. POOR FORM! I had SO been looking forward to coming home from work to a bag full of clothes (CHRISTMAS!), and my only consolation was to tell myself that she was ugly and had horrible taste in maternity clothes anyway.

Now to update the story. The other day I was ranting about my misfortune to Glen & Natalie, when Natalie (who’s due 3 weeks after me) said, "ummm… was the original price $100?" YES, YES IT WAS! After a little more investigation, we figured out that shortly after arranging to meet, Natalie offered the full price and SHE got the bag of clothes!! Small world (but still poor seller form).

I DID indeed forgive Natalie, and we concluded the evening with a pleasant little kayak with the hubbies.

5. GOOD HEAVENS I’VE SPOTTED MORE STRETCH MARKS! On my left lower back/side. They’d apparently like to keep the little guys on my upper thighs company. Shoot.

6. Hip update. The not-so-awesome news is that my right hip has decided to join the loosen-up-for-baby-and cause-mama-some-pain party. The TOTALLY AWESOME news is that there has been MUCH less pain and way fewer tears in general. I now waddle/shuffle more than limp. I fully credit the daily 30-60 minute massages that Lowell gives me (I know... I'm a lucky woman)!

7. Encouraging fact number one: so far, the only person to relay a non-horrifying story about her naval piercing post-pregnancy had a flattie while pregnant. Not an innie or an outie, but a flattie… just like me! FINGERS CROSSED!
Encouraging fact number two: my cousin (who’s currently pregnant with her fourth child) reported that she had acne with her FIRST pregnancy, and beautiful skin for the next three. Here’s to hopin!
Encouraging fact number three: my acne and bacne have greatly improved (knock on wood)!

Really, if I continue feeling the way I do right now, I could be pregnant for a LOT longer! I soooo hope to at least carry this baby to term... I think I'm going to miss being pregnant after he makes his grand entrance!

8. Epidural or no epidural?! I’m pretty determined to do this as naturally as possible. HOWEVER, I can be a bit of a wuss, so I’m still leaving the option on the table.

9. I AM eager to meet this child. I’m also trying my best to really cherish these last few weeks that I can call my boobs my own.

10. I have ONE MORE WEEK OF WORK (not that I’m counting down or anything).

7 comments :

Angela Carnegie said...

Ok I want to enter the contest! My guess is that you will have a boy on Sept 15th at 1:15 am. Congratulations! Hope you are ready...and no evil chuckle follows that, but seriously I hope you are ready for this next stage of your life, it is fun, fun, fun!

Erin said...

Ok I want to enter this awesome contest of yours! I am predicting a boy to be born September 19 at 7:45 am. :-)

Unknown said...

We want you to use the form that is linked on this post and not the comment.

Click here to make your predictions:
http://goo.gl/Fxd0J

There is more information and more questions inside the form as well.

Using the form will keep things easier to manage for us instead of having the predictions in the comments.

Keep the predictions coming! Two for boy already? Nice. =)

Have fun with it.

Bloggy Mama said...

Pretty stoked for you guys to meet your little line-backer ;) Will enter the contest for sure... I just have to think on it.

Jemma said...

Wow Lowell! You did the whole thing! I feel so lazy now...you weren't supposed to finish it...how on earth did you find the time to do it 6 days a week?? I'm very impressed. What did you use to measure body fat?

Shoot. I'm going to have to try to make it longer than 9 days:)

Julie you look awesome!

Jenna

m+K said...

nice work lowell! i'd buy tickets to that gunshow.

ps- my word verification was polarmag. i like that word.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure what the horror stories surrounding belly button piercing and pregnancy, but here's another glimmer of hope - I had a piercing, have a baby and have no story! You can hardly even see the scar from the piercing - and I actually had it done twice!

Ironically, all through high school, I never got a belly piercing for the very reason that I was worried what it would do when I was pregnant later in life.... good luck!