Race Report: Shamrock Shuffle 8K

Natallie and I ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K again this year. It's such a great race to unofficially kick off the racing season. We left at 7am to meet up with my Oiselle Volee teammates for a pre-race photo at 7:30. We then had plenty of time to get into our corrals by the 8:20 cutoff time. We were in different corrals so we didn't run together.

I wasn't sure what to expect of myself for this race. I ran less than 14 miles total in the whole month of March and my longest training run was 4 miles (which was my longest run since last April's Crazylegs Classic). My runs had been feeling good so I decided to go out at a moderate pace and see if I could hold it steady. I honestly felt great the whole way, strong but pushing myself a little. I didn't feel like I was ready to be done until the last couple tenths of a mile so I think I paced myself pretty well!

The weather was really great. It was cloudy and in the mid to upper 40s. The sun came out for awhile after we finished. I was dressed a little too warm but was pretty cold before the start so wouldn't have changed anything (except maybe wearing gloves)! It was fun to wear my long sleeve singlet for the first time.

John and Ada met us at the post-race party. We didn't stay for long, just long enough for a couple of pictures and my free beer (which John drank most of).

Overall, I'm really happy with how this race went and looking forward to Crazylegs at the end of the month. I definitely need to get back to running more consistently though!

 

 

Distance: 8K
Time: 44:12
Cost: $45
Pros: Close to home, annual tradition, great course through the Loop, finisher's tech shirt and medal, great corral setup
Cons: Crowded course
Would I run it again?: Yes!

4 months

Our baby is four months old today! Time is flying! Ada started daycare on February 6th. It has been an adjustment for all of us but we're getting the hang of it. John and I both dropped her off the first day but since then John has been dropping her off and I've been picking her up. She was just bawling the first day that I picked her up but they were warming up her bottle so I fed it to her before we left. The second day was better but I could tell that she had recently stopped crying. But, since then, pickup has been good! Since I'm only working three days a week, Ada goes to daycare two days a week and stays with John one day. It's really a good balance for all of us!

My adorable little Valentine (2.14.17)

We only had a short visit from Grandma and Grandpa Lenz this month. They came for a night so John and I could go out to dinner and see The Bodyguard. They had fun playing with Ada since she's so much more interactive now.

We ventured out to friends' houses a couple of times. First, a Super Bowl party at Meg and Geoff's house. Ada loved when Allyson sang to her! Then last Sunday we had lunch at Karen, Matt, and Estelle's house in Hyde Park.

There were a couple of unseasonably nice days in February. Ada and I got outside and enjoyed them!

An absolutely gorgeous February day! (2.18.17)

This month Ada giggled for the first time. She's been a bit stingy with them but we got some on video today. She's also started babbling quite a bit the last few days. Ada is really starting to play with toys now and everything she grabs goes straight to her mouth. Her current favorites are a little lamb from Aubrey and Finley and a winkel from Estelle. She also still really enjoys her activity gym.

Ada's little lamb (2.20.17)

All the toys! (3.5.17)

Ada sits up really well when she's supported and loves to be on our laps while we eat dinner. I just ordered a high chair tonight so hopefully she'll be content in that! She rolls with help but hasn't intentionally rolled on her own yet. She lifts her head and chest up while on her tummy though.

Sleeping is going pretty well though definitely inconsistent. Some nights she won't sleep longer than a 3-4 hour stretch yet she has slept 8+ hours twice so we know it can be done! She's doing great with feedings though bottle feeding is inconsistent on the days I'm at work. She seems to be growing really well according to our measurements. We'll find out more at her 4 month checkup on Friday!

First time mom: Resources and my two cents for pregnancy and the first 3 months

I've been a mom for three whole months now! There are a few things I've found really helpful these last three months and wanted to write them down before I forget all about them.

Pregnancy

First of all, during pregnancy I really liked The Pregnancy Countdown Book. There's a page for each day of pregnancy. I would read the page for the next day at night before I went to bed. I borrowed this book from a friend but it looks like there's an updated version now.

Another book the same friend lent me was The Pregnancy Bible. (There's an updated version for this one too.) I did not read this one cover-to-cover but what I did read was very helpful!

In preparation for labor and delivery, I read most of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. It's a bit "crunchy" but I also found it really empowering. I also read parts of HypnoBirthing: The Mongan Method. John read The Birth Partner which I think was really helpful for him. He also researched breathing videos on YouTube which we watched as I was being induced...

I subscribed to a number of websites/email lists, some during pregnancy and others since Ada was born:

• Lucie's List - This is my favorite email list!
• The Bump - I have the app and get the emails as well. Pretty basic but helpful.
• Babycenter - Pretty similar to The Bump.
• Scary Mommy - I love the Scary Mommy weekly emails.
• The hospital I delivered at also has an email list that is really informative.

Baby

Since Ada's arrival, The Happiest Baby on the Block book has been our best resource by far! The 5 S's (swaddling, side/stomach, shushing, swinging and sucking) really and truly work! Swaddling is the trickiest of the 5 S's but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. We like Bambino Land swaddle blankets. The owner went to my high school! We also have a couple of fleece Halo SleepSack Swaddles for when it's really cold (and we have a cotton one for at daycare as they don't allow blankets). 

While we were in the hospital, John found the Feed Baby app. We paid $4.99 to have the full capabilities of the app. It is so helpful! From the beginning, we've used it to track feedings. If you're breastfeeding, it's an easy way to remind yourself which side you fed off last and how long the baby has been eating. For the first month or so, it was also really helpful for tracking output (pee and poop). At those first pediatrician appointments, they ask how many times the baby has peed and pooped since midnight. If you're anything like me, you won't have a clue. We don't track Ada's output anymore but we've started using the sleep tracking function. My favorite thing about this app is the variety of widgets available.

Breastfeeding
 
If you're breastfeeding, know that it can be a struggle. I thought I was doing OK at first but then Ada wasn't gaining weight. I was producing milk but she wasn't getting it. Breastfeeding hurt. A lot. There were a number of times where Ada was crying because she was hungry and I was crying because it hurt so much to feed her. At one point, I was dreading her waking up because I would have to feed her. It was bad.

Luckily, I have a friend who's a lactation consultant. She came over to help me twice. Ada's pediatrician office also has lactation consultants on staff. I talked to one of them on a Sunday morning while I was in tears and two others during Ada's appointments. I also had a ton of support from my husband, my mom, and other friends.

I was very close to giving up on breastfeeding but a friend told me that it took her a month to get the hang of breastfeeding with both of her children. That became my deadline for Ada. I told myself that if she wasn't breastfeeding well after one month, I could either pump exclusively or formula feed. It worked out for us. By one month, we both had the hang of it.

My cousins suggested coconut oil for nipple soreness. I tried that a couple times but my lactation consultant friend recommended Motherlove nipple cream. That worked really well for me. Ada damaged my left nipple quite a bit in the beginning so I also used all purpose nipple ointment, a prescription strength ointment that my midwife prescribed for me. It did the trick!

KellyMom.com is a fantastic resource for all things breastfeeding!

Room Sharing

The American Academy of Pediatrics announced in October 2016 that:

"Infants should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents – but on a separate surface, such as a crib or bassinet, and never on a couch, armchair or soft surface -- to decrease the risks of sleep-related deaths."

We only have a one bedroom apartment so we were already planning to share our room with Ada. Luckily our bedroom is huge and her crib fits perfectly in one corner. My mom (and probably many others) thought we were crazy to stay in a one bedroom apartment but it's honestly been great. We have a sound machine (part of the 5 S's) that I think helps us sleep as much as it helps Ada. And, now that we're used to her little noises, we know which ones means she needs us and which ones don't.

Partner

The most important thing for making these past three plus months manageable and enjoyable has been my husband. He's an amazing dad. Not all moms are as lucky as I am. I'm truly thankful!

3 months

Ada is 3 months old! She grew quite a bit in the last month. We don't have another pediatrician appointment until March 10th so we weighed and measured her ourselves this time.

It really hit me in the middle of this month that she's growing and changing so fast! Our parents always say that when they see her after a few weeks but this month I even noticed it. It's crazy!

Napping on Mommy after a rough night (1.10.17)

Ada definitely knows her mama and daddy now. She smiles at us and looks for us. She also smiles when other people talk to her. She moves her arms and legs all at the same time when she gets excited. Tummy time is going well. She even rolled over from front to back a couple of times. She does a great job of holding her head up when she's in a supported sitting position. She loves it when I lift her up into the air too!

Looking so big in "real" clothes (1.20.17)

Checking out the Women's March (1.21.17)

We've noticed that she sleeps a lot better when she gets some fresh air so this month we tried to get her outside for a walk every day. She mostly enjoys them but sometimes the wind seems to bother her. She definitely does not like being in the Moby Wrap or Baby Bjorn inside the apartment, as much as I wish she would!

Helping with the laundry (1.22.17)

Ada had visits from my coworkers, Grandma and Grandpa Lenz, Auntie Natalie, Geiner and Marcela, Geiner and Zulay, and Grandma Jul this month. Grandma Jul came for my first week back to work. It was so great to have her here!

Meeting Abuela Zulay (1.22.17)

All smiles for Daddy (1.24.17)

Trying out her Valentine's Day hat (1.25.17)

Minnie Mouse in the house! (1.26.17)

2 months

Ada is 2 months old! She's growing a lot, up to 9.5 pounds (9th percentile) and 22 inches long (28th percentile). She still mostly cries only when she needs something...but doesn't like when we don't get it right as soon as possible. She is doing great with breastfeeding now which is a relief!

She is doing a pretty good job of lifting her head these days. She is not a huge fan of tummy time but will tolerate it for a few minutes a few times a day. She would much rather be able to see the toys above her on her activity gym. She also really likes the music that the activity gym plays and will cry when it stops. Ada is also starting to smile though I'm still not 100% sure that she's smiling at us. She also laughs in her sleep but hasn't laughed while she's awake yet. She coos a little too.

Meeting Jamine (12.6.16)

Visiting the Christkindlmarket for the second time (12.10.16)

Listening to Grandma Lenz (12.10.16)

This month we took a couple outings to the Christkindlmarket and Macy's, annual Christmas traditions for the Lenz family. Ada did great both times! We also drove up to Wisconsin to celebrate the holidays. We weren't sure how Ada would do in the car since she had only been in taxis for about 10 minutes up to that point. She did great as long as we took breaks about every 2 hours. On the way to Cochrane we stopped in Janesville, then at Jamine and Brandon's house in Columbus, and then made a quick pit stop in Winona. On the way to Oshkosh from Cochrane we just stopped in Tomah. Then on the way back home from Oshkosh we stopped in Gurnee. Traffic slowed us down quite a bit once we neared Chicago so by the time we got home she was a bit of a mess. Sorry, baby girl!

Meeting Great-Grandma Rohrer (12.22.16)

Meeting Kayla and Aiden (12.22.16)

Ada met lots of people this month, both at home in Chicago and in Cochrane and Oshkosh. Everyone comments on how much hair she has and how alert she is.

Checking out Grandpa Lonnie (12.24.16)

Four generations of Rohrers (12.25.16)

Christmas Day

Grandma and Grandpa Lenz (12.29.16)

Auntie Natalie and Grandpa Lenz (12.29.16)

Cheering on the Packers! (1.1.2017)

John and I are getting the hang of this parenting thing. Though I definitely feel as though every time I get comfortable and confident, Ada throws a wrench into things. Currently it's sleep. She was sleeping about one 6 hour stretch for awhile but lately it's only been 4 hours. That two hour difference makes for a much more tired mama! Hopefully in the next 3 weeks before I go back to work, she will get back to the 6 hour stretch.

1 month

I'm planning to do a blog post about Ada every month. I'm a little behind with this first one but hopefully after this I'll be more timely!

Ada's first month was one of the hardest months of my life. We came home on Monday, November 7th. My mom stayed with us until that Friday and then we were on our own.

Our first day at home (11.07.16)

The hardest part of that first month was breastfeeding. Ada wasn't latching well and breastfeeding hurt. A lot. To the point where I dreaded her waking up and having to feed her. Ada also didn't gain much weight between her first pediatrician appointment on November 9th and her two week appointment on November 17th. So, we started supplementing with formula and eventually expressed breastmilk. I was producing plenty of milk, she just wasn't getting it. During this time, I was so thankful for my friend Karen, a lactation consultant. She came to visit twice and answered countless questions via text. I was also really thankful for my coworker Megan who told me that it took her and her daughter a good month to be comfortable with breastfeeding. The 1 month mark became my deadline for Ada. If she wasn't feeding well by then, I was going to reassess the situation. Luckily, we did turn things around.

Tiny little legs at 1 week old (11.12.16)

Besides the breastfeeding difficulties, the first month was pretty good. Ada slept fairly well. She only cried when she wanted to eat, have her diaper changed, or sleep. The weather was nice for the first couple weeks after she was born so we walked to a few of her many pediatrician appointments.

2 weeks old! (11.19.16)

Meeting Auntie Annie and Uncle Ben (11.19.16)

We ended up staying in Chicago for Thanksgiving. We had planned to go up to Oshkosh for a couple of nights but Ada still wasn't gaining weight well so we had an appointment on Wednesday morning and again on Friday morning. I was pretty bummed out about this (Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite) but it was definitely for the best.

Meeting Tía Marcela (11.26.16)

Meeting Tío Geiner (11.26.16)

John and I had our first date night since Ada was born on December 1st. Grandma and Grandpa Lenz came to baby-sit Ada. We went out to dinner at Rudy's and then saw the musical Fun Home. It was a great night out.

Date night! (12.01.16)

Our biggest outing of Ada's first month was doing the Santa Hustle 5K on December 3rd when she was 4 weeks old. She did great until halfway through our walk home after the race. It turned out she had a huge blowout. Poor thing!

Ada at the Santa Hustle 5K (12.03.16)

Our little family (12.03.16)

Lastly, I cannot say enough about how wonderful of a daddy John is. I wasn't sure how he would be as he has never willingly held a baby since I've known him. He's absolutely amazing. He's always very calm even when Ada (and/or I) is crying. To be honest, there were times when I was very jealous of him...I had to suffer through the pains of breastfeeding while he got to calmly give Ada a bottle and soothe her to sleep. He has also really picked up more tasks around the apartment: washing and sterilizing bottles and pump parts, cleaning, even doing a little laundry. It has been a godsend to have him working from home during this time. Ada and I are lucky girls.

Ada's birth story

Ada Jo Lenz was born November 5, 2016. This is the story of her birth as I remember it almost two months later...

As I mentioned in my 39 weeks post, I was induced at 39 weeks due to concerns about intrauterine growth restriction. We went from our 39 week appointment to lunch then back home to pack our bags and then to Prentice. We checked in at the triage desk and then were directed to take the regular elevators up to the 8th floor labor and delivery unit. We got into a room at approximately 3:30pm. I got into a gown, keeping my Oiselle Lesko bra, underwear, and Steph Bruce Dream Big Pro Compression socks on (I got so many compliments on my socks!). The nurses did my intake questionnaires, got my vitals, started an IV, and hooked me up to the monitors. The midwife, Lia, one of the few I had not previously met came in soon and discussed how the induction would go. The first step was to insert a CRIB (cervical ripening with balloon) which is a Foley catheter inserted into my cervix to help it start to "ripen." Lia said that sometimes the providers are able to insert the CRIB with their fingers but sometimes they need to use a speculum. She tried it with her fingers a couple of times but couldn't get it (I wasn't dilated at all). So, she asked a resident to come in to try it but the resident couldn't get it with her fingers either. This process was uncomfortable but not painful. Then, the resident apologized but said she would need to use the speculum. She was successful using the speculum and I hardly felt it! Lia later said that once she saw how well I tolerated the CRIB insertion she knew I would be able to get through labor without an epidural (which was my ideal).

Then we just sat and waited for Lia to come back and check the CRIB in 6 hours. We watched a few YouTube videos about breathing techniques for labor and discussed baby names. We came up with a new list: Ada, Raya/Reya, Kyla, and Keira. We put the names up on the whiteboard in my room and decided to wait until we saw her to name her. At some point, John went out to get food for supper. The worst part about the CRIB was that it was taped to my leg so any movement pulled it. It was also quite interesting to go to the bathroom as I couldn't sit all the way down without a lot of pulling. At one point, I peed all over the floor in front of the toilet.

Around 10pm, Lia came to check my progress. Unfortunately there wasn't much so she recommended keeping the CRIB in for 6 more hours. This was pretty disappointing as I wasn't able to rest very comfortably. This was in part because of the CRIB and in part because the L&D bed wasn't very comfortable. But, John and I both tried to get some rest.

Around 4am, Lia came back to check me and I was dilated to 5cm! It was time for the CRIB to come out and the Pitocin to begin. Lia told me to eat a little so I had a Picky Bar and the apple she brought me from her bag (she couldn't find any fruit on the unit). She also brought me a turkey sandwich but I wasn't really interested in that at 4am. The Pitocin started around 5am.

Johnna came in to check me around 9am, maybe, and I was still at 5cm but fully effaced so that was good (and typical of an induction). I was pretty bummed at this news though because I thought I would be further along. Things got real around 11am. The contractions were coming much stronger. I spent most of my time on the birthing ball. Johnna tied a sheet around my torso with a knot in my lower back and instructed John to pull it tight with each contraction to apply counter-pressure. This actually helped a lot. John diligently watched the monitors and sometimes knew that a contraction was coming before I did!

I think Johnna checked me again around 1:30pm. I can't remember exactly how dilated I was at this point but I know it wasn't enough. I stayed in bed for a little while after she checked me but it was harder for me to breathe through the contractions while I was in bed so I got up again pretty soon after. Also, this was when I started peeing with the contractions, I guess because I was bearing down (which I wasn't supposed to be doing yet). From this point until I started pushing around 3:30pm was the hardest.

Also, at some point before 1:30pm, my mom arrived. John and I had a pretty good system down so there wasn't much for her to do in the room. I think it was hard for her to see me like that but she made it through.

Around 3:30pm, Johnna checked me again and I was 9.5cm. It was almost time to push! Johnna and the nurses starting getting things ready for the birth. I was on my hands and knees in bed at that point, trying as hard as I could not to bear down. Then, it was finally time to push. John and one of the nurses held my legs. I pushed three times with each contraction. At this point, it was a relief to be able to push even though it hurt. Johnna and the nurses were really phenomenal during this part. I felt Ada's head as she was crowning which was pretty cool. John was right there holding my right leg so he was able to see everything. At one point the nurse asked him if he was OK and pulled up a chair just in case but he didn't need it. Mom also had a pretty great view.

Ada was born at 4:33pm! Right away, the nurses put her on my chest as they waited for her umbilical cord to stop pulsing. It was absolutely amazing! John cut the cord and then they took her to clean her up a little and get her weight, etc.

 

 

So much hair!

I delivered the placenta which I honestly don't even remember now. I also had to get a few stitches. I vaguely remember that part...

The nurses tried to help me breastfeed Ada but she wasn't too interested at that point. One of the nurses thought she might have a tongue tie so suggested having the pediatrician check for that.

A couple hours later we were on our way to the postpartum unit. There we got settled in, Mom went out to get supper for her and John, and I ordered a dinner tray...real food, finally! This part is kind of a blur too...feeding, sleeping, changing diapers. Ada got a bath and her first Hepatitis B vaccine the first night. She also had to have her heel stuck to get a blood glucose test because she hadn't eaten frequently enough. Keith and Allyson and Natallie came to visit on Sunday. John walked home to get the stroller and car seat as well as a fresh pair of socks for me. (An extra pair of socks was the only thing I forgot to pack in our 5 minute packing spree.) Then Monday morning we were discharged.

Proud Grandma

It was sunny and in the 50s the day we were discharged so John decided to walk home with Ada in the stroller. I wasn't quite up for that long of a walk though. We walked to Stan's Donuts about two blocks from the hospital to pick up some delicious donuts and then I hopped in a cab. Surprisingly, the cab driver was a former student of John's at UIC. As he was driving me home, I was thinking about giving him an extra tip but when we got home, he gave me a free ride instead. It really is a small world, even in a city as big as Chicago.

Overall, I think it was a really good birth. I didn't expect to be induced or to have continuous IV fluids and constant fetal monitoring. But, I did it without an epidural, just like I wanted. John was the best labor partner I could have imagined. He put on my Google Music Zac Brown Band station, got me water and Nuun and made sure I actually drank it, and never once mentioned the epidural option.

Side notes: I can't remember exactly when this happened but at some point after Ada was born, the nurse asked if she could cut off my Lesko bra. Are you kidding me?!? I think her intention was for easier skin-to-skin contact but she also mentioned that it would get "dirty." I just hiked it up and reassured her that it was washable. On a related note, multiple nurses suggested wearing pants that could be thrown away during recovery. What?!? Again, can't these things be washed? Maybe other women's postpartum recovery experiences are different than mine but wearing and washing my regular comfy pants worked just fine.

Goals for 2017

Family

• Continue to grow my relationship with John. Yup, this one is staying once again. I think it's even more important that we have a good relationship now that Ada is here. My goal for us is to have at least one date night per month. Once again, our Broadway in Chicago subscription should help with this.
• Become the mama Ada needs me to be. I know Ada's needs from me will change a lot over the course of this year. I want to continue learning to read her cues to know what she needs from me and to provide her with a loving and supportive environment.
• Read to Ada every day. I really want to instill Ada with a love of reading. This is hard right now as she doesn't really interact yet. I have been trying to read to her when she's calm but it definitely doesn't happen every day yet.

Exercise

• Get back into a running routine. I really want to get back into a running routine, hopefully 3 days/week. For January, my goal is to run twice a week. I'm signed up for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K on April 2nd and the Crazylegs Classic 8K on April 29th. I would love to do a half marathon in the fall as well.
• Do strength training twice a week. I need to keep up with my strength training too, especially core.

Home

• Keep it clean and organized. Yes, this again!

Personal Enrichment

• Take time for myself every day. I've already realized that I'm a better mama when I get at least a few minutes to myself during the day.

2016 goals revisited

Family

• Get pregnant. Yes! This finally happened! We had our IVF intake appointment on March 1st and then found out we were pregnant, without using IVF, on March 7th. Ada Jo Lenz was born on November 5, 2016.
• Continue to grow my relationship with John. I think I did a good job of this in 2016. Now that Ada is here it's more difficult but it's even more important.

Exercise

• Be active every day. I actually forgot about this goal. I did a pretty good job of this until April though. There were 3 weeks where I was active every day and 6 more weeks where I was active at least 5 days/week.
• Run three times a week. I really tried to keep up my running throughout my pregnancy. Eventually it turned into a run/walk and then towards the end, just walking. Looking back at my calendar, it looks like I actually hit my goal less than half of the weeks of the year.
• Do a pull up. Nope, this didn't happen.

Home

• Keep it clean and organized. I did this! Well, until Ada was born, anyway.

Personal Enrichment

• Read books. I read five books in 2016 plus parts of a number of childbirth and parenting books.
• Learn Spanish. I used Duolingo regularly for much of 2016. At one point, I even had a 100+ day streak.
• Start to sew. Nope.
• Play piano (well, keyboard). I played the keyboard almost daily until August, I think. I just didn't get back into it after we returned from our trip to Portland/Montana. The keyboard is currently under Ada's crib as we had to take it down to make room for our Christmas tree.

Race Report: Chi-Town Rise & Shine 5K

I got an email about this new race in early December. John and I thought about it but then decided against it. Then I won two free entries on Twitter so we were in!

The race village was in Millennium Park, just down the street from our apartment. We did same-day packet pickup so left home just after 8am to make it through by the time it closed at 8:30am. We had plenty of time.

The corral was divided by pace but everyone started at the same time. I was the only one with a stroller so I was a little worried that I would be last but there were plenty of other walkers. Within the first few blocks of the race, a woman asked if she could walk with me. It turned out that she was pregnant and also a nurse. We talked the whole way! It was great to have someone to walk with.

The weather was nice and the course was great. It utilized the Lakefront Trail for most of the race but it wasn't very crowded. Unfortunately, I only took pictures on Snapchat with the fancy Chi-Town Rise & Shine 5K filter and they didn't save on my phone.

Distance: 5K
Time: 49:21
Cost: Free for us but cost ranged from $20.17 to $45, depending on registration date
Pros: Close to home, small race, fun course through Maggie Daley and Millennium Parks, good way to start New Year's Eve, hats and gloves instead of a t-shirt
Cons: I can't think of any!
Would I run it again?: Yes!

Race Report: Santa Hustle 5K

John, Natallie, and I had signed up for the Santa Hustle 5K again before Ada was born. I wasn't 100% sure I'd be able to do it, depending on when Ada was born, how my recovery was going, and what the weather was like. But it worked out!

We took a cab to Soldier Field, where the race started. We had plenty of time to pick up our race packets, put on our race bibs, and get into the corrals. John and Natallie ran together and I walked, pushing 4-week-old Ada in the stroller. The Santa Hustle is a family and stroller-friendly race so there were lots of strollers in the back. Lots of people asked how old Ada was and were impressed that we were out there. It was a little lonely walking by myself but it felt so good to be out!

Natallie and Ada

The race course was the same as the last two years. I especially like the cookies and M&Ms they have on course. This year, we even got medals at the finish!

John modeling the race shirt, medal and our bibs!

Distance: 5K
Time: 51:36
Cost: $41.42
Pros: Fun holiday race, nice race shirt, stroller-friendly, cool medal (new this year)
Cons: Crowded course
Would I run it again?: Yes.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We hope this letter finds you well. 2016 has been quite a year for us.

Our Biggest News – Ada Jo Lenz was born on November 5, 2016. She weighed 6 lbs, 13 oz and was 20.5 inches long. The first 5+ weeks of Ada’s life have been sleep depriving and challenging but absolutely amazing. After 6 rounds of fertility treatments in 2015, I decided to take a little break at the beginning of 2016 before starting the more invasive IVF treatments. To our surprise, we found out we were pregnant before the IVF treatments began. My pregnancy was uneventful (no morning sickness, no weird cravings) until Friday, November 4th when my midwife determined that our little girl wasn’t growing as well as she should be. I was induced that day and Ada Jo was born a little over 24 hours later. Ada is already loved and adored by our families and friends.

Em – I continue working as a nurse practitioner at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Health Services 3 days/week. I’m also still volunteering with Chicago Scholars and thoroughly enjoying my new cohort of high school seniors. I was able to continue running until the 37th week of my pregnancy. Ada and I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8K, Crazylegs Classic 8K, Bucktown 5K, and International Chicago 5K before walking the Hot Chocolate 5K at 38 weeks pregnant. We’ve already walked our first 5K since Ada’s birth too, completing the Santa Hustle when Ada was 4 weeks old.

John – John is still trying to figure out what’s next in his career. We’re still considering relocating to Madison (and our families fully support this, especially now that Ada is here). John is still running and working out. He runs more regularly than I do these days! He also continues to enjoy playing video games, particularly Destiny, virtually with his friends.

Travels – We rang in 2016 in New Zealand. After a delayed flight out of Chicago and an unexpected overnight in LA, we made it just in time for our Stray Travel bus tour. New Zealand is absolutely stunning. I definitely want to go back. 10 days was not enough! I was a little nervous about the bus tour but our group was awesome. We now have friends in Australia and Europe and more friends in the US! Our other trips this year included skiing in Jackson Hole, a Lenz girls trip to Disney World for Em, San Francisco for the American College Health Association Annual Meeting, LA with the Matamoros Family including Universal Studios and Disneyland, the Portland area for John’s cousin’s wedding and then a Lenz Family roadtrip back via Montana, and our “babymoon” to Charleston/Hilton Head. Plus, we made quite a few trips up to Wisconsin to visit family and friends.

RIP – John’s Grandma Jo passed away in April and my Uncle Mark passed away in September.

2017 – We don’t have too many plans for 2017 yet (just our annual Crazylegs Classic race weekend in Madison in April) but we’re looking forward to all that the next year will bring. Our hopes for 2017 are that we’ll be the parents Ada needs us to be, we’ll figure out where we’re meant to be geographically, and that we’ll continue to enjoy each other, our families and our friends.