Splash N Dash

Yesterday a few girlfriends and I got up early and headed out to the East side of the island for a biathlon. It was out at Lanikai (the same area as Chris' race last weekend) but thankfully the weather was warm and without winds.
Chris had been hard at work on Sat and got home just as I was about to wake up for the race so needless to day the boys stayed home for some extra zzz's and some quality time together.

I have been showing for over a month, but had yet to take any of the nostalgic belly growth shots. Thankfully Jaime reminded me and grabbed a picture before we headed out to the starting line. The babe has been kicking vigorously and we both are doing great. We have our big ultra sound next Thursday and are looking forward to confirming he is a he as well as peaking in on his amazing growth. He is estimated to be as big as a cantaloupe already!

The race started with a short and hilly 3 mile loop around the beautiful homes in Kailua. I am starting to feel the pregnancy on my muscles now and felt like I was a running tree stump on the up hills and a runaway train wreck on the downs. Then we tossed off your shoes and shorts, put on goggles and a cap and swam 800 meters to the finish line. The ocean was more welcoming than the pavement as I got my rhythmical breathing down and passed many on my way to the finish.
This is the transitioning time for me actively. My body is not used to the weight or the increased blood flow so naturally it feels different and harder to race or do anything for that matter. My mind has only fast and easier race memories to pull from making it a challenge to keep my mental spirit up and the quiting oppression at bay. Pushing my body to go faster or work harder isn't an option at this point and the real test becomes making sure that my mental doubt doesn't win me over. Racing is mental.....the physical part just makes it easier, but really the mind is what can psych you up or shut you down so as long as that is in control then anyone can do things far surpassing their physical ability.

We dominated today with Amy (left) and I getting 1st and 2nd in our age group and Jaime (middle) being the 1st female!!! I somehow pulled off a 7:30 min mile pace on the run and a 13 min 800 meter swim (the currents were on my side :) ). We then treated ourselves to a delicious breakfast to wrap up our version of a great girls day!

The sweetest moment of my day was still to come when I got home from the race. It was nothing out of the norm in fact Jake does it everyday when Chris comes home and I smile in delight, but this time I was on the receiving end. Jake ran outside screaming "mommy mommy!" with the biggest grin and his arms held wide open. His excitement was so sweet and pure. I held him tight and cried with a smile on my face. Chris came over rubbed my back and said that that was his favorite part of his workday as well.

Lanikai Triathlon

One of our favorite races on the island is Lanikai. It is a race that sells out every year and takes the competitor on a beautiful and challenging course around the Eastern parts of the island.

My little egg head was off to to starting line. Good luck babe!

They just had to swim out and around that island and back.
Just kidding :) The choppy water course led them parallel to shore for about 600 meters in frigid 72 degree waters.

Dashing out of the water and up to the transition area.

The bike includes a serious climb up a hill on the marine corp base a few miles away. Chris said that he flew up the hill like a rocket and was feeling great.

Now time for a little jog up the hills of laniaki. It was great having Jake with me and rushing from position to position to get action shots of Chris. He was always happy to see us cheering him along and really enjoyed the race.

Finally we got to the sand and Jake couldn't have been more delighted. The sand on this side of the island is far different than what we are used to on the west side. This sand is more like a light powdered sugar, soft to the toes, but infiltrating in the gustly winds.

The 3.1 mile run course finishes up with a 600 meter sandy finish. Chris was feeling strong and looking good. Jake was so happy to see him and chased after him till the finish line.

Great job honey!!

Chris finished up his classes and will be graduating at the end of May. We found out that the ceremony will be held at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall (DAR) in Washishton DC. It is a historical landmark and home to unique genealogical societies. Chris' Grandmother is a Daughter of the American Revolution and has put in countless hours working with genealogical databases and research to prove her and her own daughters lineage. This was too good of a spur of the moment vacation incentive to pass up and we are so excited to go celebrate Chris' graduation with his Gma and Dad.

Here is a short video of Jake becoming an ipad pro.

Sprinkles in the Spring

Springtime sprinkles are upon us and last Thurs when I went to pick up Jake from Carol's it was a downpour. For a split second the rational option of taking the car down the block to get him creeped into my mind, but then the irrational (but far more fun) idea of taking his rain boots and umbrella overpowered all common sense.

He had so much fun and kept wanting to walk to Vinny's house or anywhere out under the pounding rain.


He really enjoyed the sound that the large raindrops made under the umbrella. A few times it would get loud and he would quickly put his hands into his ears, thus letting go of the umbrella....good thing he thought it was funny.
f

Peekaboo!

His imaginative play has really started to come out and he is always more than willing to try on the various outfits we always thought he would enjoy. We bought this firefighter rain jacket at Costco for $15 back home over the summer. I found these matching boots on clearance in Hawaii over the Holidays and even though he was huffing and puffing while walking around in this snow worthy get up, he had a blast.

Being curious with the camera and looking like the most handsome fire fighter I have ever seen.

The good thing about sprinkles is that they are usually followed up by beautiful sunny days and this weekend was just that.

After a Saturday stuck in the car in search for an iPad for Chris, Sunday was spent outdoors. We had a picnic in the backyard and a blast at the beach. The waves don't look too big in this picture, but in a instant they were crashing chest high on the beach. Jake kept wanting to ride his board like all the other 5+ year olds, so on a smaller wave I sent him in..... :) He did great and luckily held on as the white water consumed him and launched him up the beach. After that we all headed into the water and worked on kicking and just playing in the fun surf.

Yes Chris got an iPad. I really wanted to check it out and was planning on getting the 3G one when it releases later this month. But once Chris held it in his hands he couldn't dare to wait a few more weeks (or the thought of having to share:). I am no electronics expert, but my review is that it is great. Convenience is the key factor for me and although nothing about it really "Wows" me, I think that it is only because I have become accustomed to the simple efficiency and intuitiveness of apple products and their functionality.

Happy Easter

We kicked off Easter weekend by coloring and dying Easter eggs. Jake did really well and just wanted to scribble artwork on every egg he could find.

Once we were done he insisted on taking pictures with every single on individually. Very serious business as you can see.

Great job kids!

On Saturday I ran in the Ford Island 10k bridge run. We have been racing on this island for years, but have yet to run in this scenic and historic race. It is the largest 10k in the state and gives all competitors the opportunity to run around Ford Island and get an up close and unique view of pearl harbor, the sunken battleship graves, and run on the same ground that was bombarded by Japanese bombs nearly 60 years ago.

Many friends ask for advice on my strategy when racing, how do I pace, when do I sprint, what to concentrate on.... Honestly I don't have a strategy, I do what feels good in the moment and hope that I can hold on to a position until the end. I tend to be a sprinter or a rabbit of sorts, which is usually considered a bad thing as I am rarely consistent with my pace, but it is the only edge I have and take what I can get.

I was feeling really good at the start and decided to sprint as far as my body could take me, knowing that I would not be able to hold on for the entire race, but also knowing that taking a slower pace in the beginning would not give me sprinting energy in the end. I crossed the bridge, rounded the east side of the island and seemed to be flying by people. Then the course turned and at the 3mile mark we were greeted with 25mph head winds. The passing of people slowed and all competitors seamlessly formed a single file line while using the person in front of them as a wind breaker and distraction from the unrelenting winds. I have never seen this in a big race with this many competitors, but every single person was fighting to keep up. I held on with everything in my being for the next 3.2 miles and came in at 47min, winning 2nd place in my division and I love the wooden trophy!

Easter Sunday we had a simple and delicious brunch at our house. The rain put a damper on our egg hunt plans, but after a few hours the sun shined just long enough for a hunt at Vinny's house.

As I have mentioned before Jake is really into his cowboy act as of late and insisted on dressing in boots and hat on our way to the egg hunt.

Jake was so particular about the eggs he would put into his basket. He would also pick up an egg and immediately go put it into either Chloe or Vinny's basket, so thoughtful...at times.

Here is a pic for the Mom's. I am showing and being that it is a full month sooner than I did with Jake I was in denial and surprise at first. I know that it isn't the best picture, but it is the only one I have. Suddenly I woke up 3-4 days ago and there it was, a little growing belly greeting me a good morning. I have been able to feel little kicks every few days for the past week or so and can't wait to see how much weight I've gained at my apt next week! (Intentional sarcasm)

The gang on the hunt

Jake had no idea what to do with those colorful small rocks, until he saw adorable little Chloe put them into her mouth and smile in delicious heaven.

Chloe was by far the smartest one of the bunch. Vinny ran around like a rocket and gathered as many eggs as he could, Jake gave away the ones he picked out, but Chloe she was no fool. After the first few eggs she sat herself down and decided to check out if all this hunting effort was worth her time.

He looks like such a secret agent in this picture.

Vinny and his loot!

The liquid sunshine made for a great rainbow backdrop for about 3 minutes before the downpour resumed. All in all we had a great holiday weekend and hope you all did the same.