The Mission District

If you are in or around The Mission District there are 4 things you must do:

1. Go down Balmy St. and see the random murals

2. Eat an authentic Mission burrito

(this is where Chipotle got their inspiration)

3. Relax at Billy Goat Hill Park and if your lucky take a epic worthy profile pic on the tree swing with the city in the background. Unfortunately the swing often gets cut down.

4. Grab a number at Mitchell's Ice Cream. The line is worth it! They have a great mix of classic, unique and Filipino flavors in which are all handmade. 

This is us trying to take a 

"Oh, hey I didn't know you were taking my picture," paparazzi kind of thing. 

FAIL! 

Getting Back To It

Going through pregnancy, labor, then recovery from labor and sleep deprivation really took me out of working out physically and mentally. I know you can continue to work out while preggo but who really wants to when you have half the energy you normally did, working full time and an added big ball bouncing up and down at every step. Not the girls, the baby....well maybe the girls also. Then you hear the stories of other pregnant women running marathons and doing spin classes up until birth. Ya, I hate them...sorry Alyssa! I would go walking but I never felt like that was even a work out. I need to feel like I am about to collapse, dripping sweat and dying for water because then I know I worked my hardest. That is what running does for me.

This is my year of running!
I needed that extra push and motivation so I signed up for a half marathon (See Jane Run) and full marathon (The San Francisco Marathon). I am using the Hal Higdon's training schedule and I am so out of shape that I am training before my training schedule even starts. I previously ran the Women's Nike Run in SF and had the best time (minus the mistake of having Panda Express the day before and my stomach feeling queasy the whole race)! The atmosphere, adrenaline and being surrounded by other runners was the best experience and I can't wait to do more.

While researching training schedules, Hal Higdon's 

schedule had amazing reviews and is one of the best. 

This is my life until the end of July.

If you have any tips for running a marathon please send it my way!

Four Months

I swear I just took lil ducky's monthly picture!

This month she has hit her first big mile stone, she has learned to roll over! Now we just have the issue with her spitting up because of all the pressure on her tummy. I was way too excited about her new little trick. I was glad this happened in the evening and Patrick was able to be there for the first time. (Man we are such new parents!!)

       This past month we started to sleep train Avery. It started to become super hard to put her to sleep for naps or bedtime. It felt like we were just getting in the way of her going to sleep. I would spend anywhere from 5-20 minutes rocking her and then half the time she would wake up a few minutes later and be wide awake. She continued to wake up every 3 hours during the night and I would just nurse her back to sleep kicking the husband out on the couch. I was going crazy and something needed to change. 

      We did the Ferber method where you go in after a certain amount of time extending it each time you go in. Basically to just let baby know that we are still there and not neglecting her. First night she cried for two and half hours, second night hour and a half and third night she did not cry. We would do the same method with naps but only let her cry for a half hour and if she didn't fall asleep get her up and try for the next nap. By the second day she took all of her naps on her own with no tears. 

       This doesn't mean that Avery is a perfect sleeper now but it has helped her to be able to put herself to sleep especially when she wakes up in the middle of the night. For the most part she sleeps from 8:30-5. I am amazed that she falls asleep on her own and I have not rocked her since we started. I refuse to do it anymore so she doesn't get used to that.

During the process Patrick was the one almost in tears crying with her. I was the strong one having to keep reminding him why we are doing it. It's funny how much you begin to question yourself during the endless crying. Am I doing the right thing? Is she hungry or in pain? Maybe she isn't old enough yet? Should I swaddle her?

Most of the time it was me going in the room at our "check points" because Patrick couldn't handle to see her all upset, sweaty and covered in tears. At one point he had to leave the house and go for a quiet drive. He said it made his "whole body hurt" and asked if we could give her a break one of the nights ha ha I can already tell who is going to be the good cop bad cop.

Our chunky girl is a whomping 19 pounds and in the 99th percentile for both weight and height. I love her thunder thighs and millions of rolls that I have to make sure to get between during baths. I am not loving my receding hair line and the clumps of hair that come out in my brush. Since I don't want to blow dry or straighten my hair, it leaves me to only be able to throw my hair up in a bun since I literally have an afro. It is not a joke. Pregnancy is so tough on the body and I know this won't be the last time I go through it. It is definitely worth it.

Funny moments from this month:

-While sitting on the couch after church about to watch a movie, Patrick silently lifts his glass in the air and then takes a sip. I ask him what that was all about and he says, In my head I was saying, "To relaxing!" (and lifts up his glass in the air again). 

- Me: "I am on the floor serious"

Patrick: "Let's just be in the basement serious!"

-Patrick and I have bets on who Chris from the Bachelor is going to pick. Yes, Patrick might be a little bit more into the show than me. He gives me the run down and back grounds of the girls. I am totally rooting for Becca!

* I feel like I made my husband sound so wimpy and girly in this post so I need to say something manly about him. He is creating an art project for our walls? No wait...cooking excellent meals? Okay Okay, fixed his car!