31.5 weeks pregnant with Emma (left), and 34.5 weeks pregnant with Baby Boy (right). I am actually measuring smaller with him, but he is measuring bigger than Emma!

I hope you had a wonderful week! I am officially 34.5 weeks pregnant … 8.5 months along and in the homestretch! I delivered at 37 weeks with Emma, and would LOVE to deliver at 37 weeks with Baby Boy (fingers crossed).

Overall, I have enjoyed this pregnancy far more than my first one. Recently I have been sick with a bad cold and feeling rather puffy. Personally, I think my face looks swollen and my nose looks wider than usual. This happened at the very end of my pregnancy with Emma. I am trying to wear my hair slightly bigger than normal, wear cute clothes, put some lighter make-up down the middle of my nose, etc to compensate. Thankfully I have a very nice husband who has been trying to give me compliments whenever possible, and a few of my girlfriends who know I am very insecure about the puffiness have been extra sweet. I am also putting into practice the following tips to ensure that I do not retain too much water.

Here is my workout summary from this past week:

• Day 1: 3 hours of running and weight training with clients
• Day 2: 2 hours of cardio machines and track workout with clients
• Day 3: Rest
• Day 4: 3 hours of cardio machines and light weight training with clients
• Day 5: Rest and a few miles of walking with Emma
• Day 6: 2 hours of cardio machines and plyos with clients
• Day 7: 3 mile walk/run

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win this BMW Maclaren stroller!

So, onto the FUN stuff! BMW Maclaren has offered to send one of you (my lovely readers) a BMW Maclaren stroller like the one pictured here! This.Is.Huge! Emma has thoroughly enjoyed her BMW Maclaren stroller, and I feel soooo awesome pushing her around in a super nice stroller with the BWM logo (who wouldn’t?).

Read my blogs on the Top 5 Reasons to “Test-Drive” the BMW Maclaren Stroller, and BMW Maclaren Buggy — Riding in Style.

Please do one or more of the following to enter the giveaway. Each action is optional, but the more entries you have, the more likely you are to win. Leave a comment on this blog post for each action item that you complete. I will pick a winner on  Monday, May 27, 2013.

• Follow @MaclarenNA on Twitter
• Share the follow on Twitter: I’ve entered @fitparenting’s Maclaren #BMWbuggycomp. Enter the competition here http://wp.me/p1AVgY-uY.
• Answer the following question and comment on this post: “Which BMW Maclaren buggy color do you like best?” You can find the colors on the Maclaren Facebook page, website, or Facebook app.
• Follow Fit Pregnancy and Parenting on Instagram (@fitparenting)
• Follow Fit Pregnancy and Parenting on Facebook
• Follow @fitparenting on Twitter

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you wonderful mammas and mammas-to-be! I hope you are enjoying a wonderful day with your families reflecting on the blessings of life. My day started early with Baby Boy doing somersaults and reminding me of his presence from 3.30 a.m. to 6 a.m. Emma woke up at 6.30 a.m. and ran into my room yelling, “Mommy snuggle?” She crawled up into the bed and under the covers after throwing a small gift bag at me. Needless to say, I’m very tired today, but thankful

Yesterday we were able to do a quick family and fit pregnancy photo shoot with Erin from Lasting Snapshots Photography. Here is a quick preview (see photo on right). Emma was in a really good mood, so I think Erin got some cute photos of Emma and Brandon! I have a cold this weekend and was feeling swollen/puffy and large at 33.5 weeks, but I’m excited to see how the photos turned out!

Birds and Bees Teas

Over the past several weeks, I have been taste-testing Birds and Bees Teas. I received the teas when I got back from my last vacation, and I am absolutely in love with the packaging and branding. Check out how cute these little tins are!

There is a different tea specific for each phase of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. The teas purposes range from boosting the immune system, to helping produce more milk after delivery.

I have taste-tested several of the teas so far, and they are all delicious. I am currently drinking the “Ripe and Ready” tea faithfully, and hoping it helps to speed up my delivery process! It has red raspberry leaves (which I took at the end of my pregnancy with Emma). I got a cold this week, so I will likely start drinking the family immunity tea again this week.

Birds and Bees Teas has been kind enough to offer one of you a FREE tea of your choice!

Please do one or more of the following to enter the giveaway. Each action is optional, but the more entries you have, the more likely you are to win. Leave a comment on this blog post for each action item that you complete. I will pick a winner on  Monday, May 20, 2013.

• Like Birds and Bees Teas on Facebook
• Leave a comment about why you would like to win a Birds and Bees Tea
• Share this give-away on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest
• Follow Fit Pregnancy and Parenting on Pinterest
• Follow Fit Pregnancy and Parenting on Twitter
• Like Fit Pregnancy and Parenting on Facebook

How do you define beauty? We all know that “beauty is more than skin deep,” but do we truly believe it? Furthermore, are we helping to redefine the female [athlete] and fighting against what the media wants us women to praise as beautiful.

I have the privilege of partnering with both Under Armour and FitFluential in the “What’s Beautiful” campaign to redefine the female athlete. And I want YOU on my team! Are you up for the challenge?

What is the  Under Armour “What’s Beautiful” Campaign:

It’s an 8 week challenge to set a personal goal, partner up with other inspiring ladies on teams to motivate each other, and ultimately compete for Under Armour Swag and a trip to Costa Rica!

How do you sign up? 

Visit the following website and create a profile and set a goal for yourself. Then message me on Facebook (personal or Fit Pregnancy business page) to let me know that you’d like to be added to my Team — “Strong is the New Skinny” so we can motivate each other and keep one another accountable!

So, what goal are you considering for this 8 week campaign/challenge? Perhaps you want to commit to staying OFF the scale and only focusing on eating healthy and sticking to your workout plan. Or maybe you want to train for a specific event. My goal is to train hard through the end of my pregnancy and then train for a Tough Mudder with a couple of my clients after I deliver!

If you sign up for the campaign, be sure you use the #whatsbeautiful and #IWILL hashtags on Instagram and Twitter.

I hope you will join me in this awesome campaign! Let me know if you have any questions and how I can inspire you to reach your goals!

Running strong at mile 9 with Mallory! I treated Baby Boy to a donut after the race was over

This weekend I had the privilege of running the Cincinnati Flying Pig half-marathon with three of my gym clients (and friends). It was such a fun weekend, and completing the whole half-marathon was a huge accomplishment for each of us. Read below about some important lessons I learned running at 32.5 weeks pregnant.

On Saturday we left my house around noon so we could spend a good bit of time at the expo. Along for the trip were three of my female clients/friends (Mallory Susan, and Hannah), and Brandon, my hubs. I went to the expo last year as well (but deferred the race registration due to the heat and an injury). The expo this year was 10000 times better than last year! I had so much fun shopping around and getting TONS of free samples. We purchased a few items and then headed to our hotel in Cinci.

After the expo, we ate a Jeff Ruby’s Precinct. A-mazing!

After relaxing for an hour or so, we got ready to go to Jeff Ruby’s Precinct. This was BY FAR the nicest restaurant I have ever been to! I mean … NICE! The food was a-mazing. We had delicious sour dough bread, yummy crab cake, healthy salads, savory steak and lobster, and some molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream to top it all off. Talk about delish! I can’t wait to go back to the restaurant for a special occasion.

The Sunday morning start time came early. We had to be at the start line by 6 a.m. It was still dark when we were walking through the city. The race itself was sooooo fun! Mallory and I planned to stay together, and Hannah and Susan planned to keep the same pace. I kept my cell with me so we could text progress updates, and I ended up using it a lot to text Brandon and even post on Facebook and Twitter.

We finished the 13.1 miles strong!

Here are some important lessons that I learned about running a half-marathon while 32.5 weeks pregnant.

• If you are going to run a half-marathon in your third trimester — don’t pick the hilliest one in the state. Cinci is HILLY! We went up some hills that were about a mile long! Thankfully, after mile 10, it was mostly downhill, but that actually killed my knees and pelvis since it added even more pressure. Add the loosening effects of the relaxin hormone, plus a steep downhill grade — not pleasant!
• Definitely run with Mallory if you are going to do a half-marathon in your 32nd week of pregnancy. Mallory is a nurse and has delivered babies … just made me feel much more comfortable all around.
• Stay hydrated. Believe it or not, I don’t usually drink water during races. However, this time, I drank at EVERY water station. Sometimes two cups of water! Staying hydrated cuts down on Braxton Hicks and is especially important during pregnancy. I was probably drinking every 10 minutes or so.

The race crew!

• Find some potty break areas! Mallory and I ran straight until mile 9, and then at the end of a mile-long hill, I took a quick pit stop. Emptying your bladder will also cut down on Braxton Hicks.
• Tape your ankles and knees! This is something that I didn’t do, and I regretted by mile 10.
• Wear compression clothing. I wore a compression belly band and it was GREAT! SO glad I had it for added support.

Today I had an OB checkup scheduled and an ultrasound. My doctor was fully aware that I was planning to run the half-marathon, and the first question she asked me when she walked in the door was, “How did your half-marathon go, and how did your clients do?” So sweet! I had a great ultrasound and it turns out Baby Boy is measuring big … he’s already 4.5 pounds and in position!

Top 5 reasons we love our BMW Maclaren Stroller

I am officially half-way through my 31st week of pregnancy! Unfortunately, I got a bad stomach virus early this week, and was sicker than I’ve ever been in my life. I found out the hard way that the only thing worse than the having the flu, is having the flu while pregnant. I’ll write a post later on how to survive a stomach virus while pregnant. Thankfully I am feeling 100% back to normal and I have enjoyed a few days in a row of great workouts. I ran 6 miles with my gym clients yesterday, did some lifting late this week, and just got back from a 3.25 mile recovery run.

The BMW Maclaren stroller and accessories (see diaper bag pictured here) are stylish.

Now onto a more exciting topic … our new stroller! Before we had Emma, I tried my best to research good stroller companies. But, like many of you, I was overwhelmed by an overabundance of marketing and information, and left frustrated and confused. Let me make this easy for you and tell you about a new stroller that we are “test-driving” — the BMW Maclaren.

“A collaboration of form and functionality, the Maclaren BMW Buggy combines luxury, elegance, and sporty styling.”

Over the past few weeks, Brandon, Emma, and I have been using the BMW Maclaren stroller. I honestly cannot say enough about this stroller series. All three of us are in love with the BMW buggy and looking forward to many more adventures. While my compliments of the stroller are endless, here are some highlights.

The stroller is comfortable … both to push and for Emma to ride in.

1. The BMW Maclaren stroller is stylish: Hello … anything with the BMW logo is automatically stylish, but this stroller is sleek, elegant, and sporty. I absolutely love heading to the outdoor mall or park with our BMW Maclaren and always secretly hope that people notice the logo. We also have the BMW diaper bag and absolutely LOVE it! It is spacious and gives me the ability to store diapers, toys, wipes, and even my computer!

This buggy is lightweight and easy to transport.

2. The stroller is comfortable for Emma. When she turned 6 months old, we purchased a stroller to take her to the park, mall, or on one of our many vacations. Unfortunately, the stroller was not comfortable for Emma. It hit her legs in a weird place and did not provide much cushion, so she did not like to spend much time in the stroller. However, The BMW Maclaren is so comfy for her. She gets sooo excited when we get the stroller ready for a ride and enjoys sitting in it for longer periods of time.

3. The BMW Maclaren is lightweight and easy to transport. No longer will we I be struggling to lift a heavy stroller into the car trunk or having a hard time folding up the stroller for easy transport.

The BMW Maclaren is appropriate for all weather.

4. The stroller is appropriate for all weather. We live in Ohio. Ohio has a hard time making it’s mind up about the weather. One minute it could be gorgeous, and the next raining. Thankfully, the BMW Maclaren has a large, water-resistant hood with mesh viewing windows and UPF 50+ sun protection to shield Emma from the elements.

5. This stroller is safe. It has a 5 point harness buckle that is easy for me to secure, but not possible for Emma to escape out of. It also has rear reflectors in case we are out when it’s dark.

I hope you will check out the BMW Maclaren site to read more and purchase today!

Look for a post later this week about some great pregnancy teas that I am taste-testing. Also, please pray for me since my half-marathon is NEXT weekend. I am excited, but also nervous. I most certainly won’t be breaking any records, but it will be a lot of fun!

Special thanks to Holly and Steve Neal, and Lindsay and Chris Beals, for supplying our “family vehicles” and helping with our fun photo shoot.

The BMW Maclaren buggy arrived just in time for our worst snow of the year.

Emma and I are honored to be among the first in the US to try out the new BMW Maclaren stroller for toddlers. The buggy arrived two weeks ago, and Emma is thoroughly enjoying her new ride.

On the day the stroller arrived, we had our worst snow storm of the season — at the end of March! But that didn’t stop Emma and me from going to the park and trying out her new buggy. Emma absolutely loves to go outside and play — no matter how cold or hot it is. The Maclaren has a great canopy for all-weather.

Brandon’s parents visited last weekend for Easter, and we enjoyed some outings with the new stroller at the Greene (a great outdoor shopping center by our house).

The BMW Maclaren with us at the park and the Greene.

Emma’s stroller definitely stood out among the rest of the strollers at the Greene, and drew stares and compliments.

I have posted the photos a few times on my social media channels, and several moms have mentioned that their husbands absolutely must have the BMW stroller when their baby is a toddler.

This week we are on our last “Babymoon” before Baby Boy arrives. We brought the BMW Maclaren on the trip with us, and it is such a great addition to our vacation.

We’ve enjoyed having the BMW Maclaren with us on our last beach vacation before Baby Boy arrives.

The stroller is super easy to push and maneuver, and Emma can easily get in and out of the stroller without too much assistance. We have taken it on several walks to the park, to the beach a few times, and down the road to our favorite restaurant.

The stroller is easy to fold up and carry (which is a huge plus since we carry it/versus wheel it on the beach). It also fits nicely in our trunk.

Overall, we are absolutely loving the stroller and Emma is certainly riding in style. If you like the stroller as much as I do, visit the Maclaren US homepage or  the BMW Maclaren website for more information and to purchase. Stay tuned for more photos on the blog and a Maclaren photo journal of our life with the buggy.