ING Half Marathon

I did it! I ran my first half marathon, ING. I was so proud of myself. There was a point, 7.5 miles in, that I thought there was no way I was going to finish, but I kept at it and managed to finish within my goal time of 2:30. I, quite honestly, had thoughts about just sitting on the sidelines waiting for the shuttle to drive me to the finish line and was cursing myself for signing up for four more half marathons this year. At mile 9 is when I started to regain my confidence and feel better. My mentality completely changed at mile 10, with 3.1 miles left: "this is a 5K, you can do it!"

The race was well executed and there was plenty of water and gatorade along the way. The course was beautiful. Never in my wild dreams did I think I would run down McArthur Causeway, Ocean Drive, and through downtown Miami. My biggest complaint is that I didn't know where the official start and finish lines where. I started tracking my run where I thought the start line was and I ran until the finish line and I clocked in almost 13.5 miles. It felt so good to cross that finish line and take my medal. So good, in fact, that all I could think about at that point was "when's the next race?" I hit the wall at 7.5 miles, I climbed over it, and trotted my happy self to the finish line.

Good old Garmin

Interestingly enough, I read that your wall is usually the longest run you have done in the previous 2-3 weeks. My last longest run before the race was 7.5 miles and it was supposed to be 10. Next time I know to make sure to (a) not do an obstacle run the day before your long run or (b) do the long run before an obstacle run. Either way, running the half marathon was such a great experience. There were so many runners and the festival they had after was full of lots of free drinks and food. Oh, and the expo before the race! It was a runner's paradise. We spent the whole day at the expo and Cati was still upset when we had to leave.

@ Expo

Our matching shirts

After stretching for a good 30 minutes I made my way home. Alex and the girls didn't make it out to the race so I was eager to get to my cheering squad. Cati was wearing her orange ING shirt and couldn't keep her hands off the medal. One of the best things about this race was the surprise of my aunt driving down from Orlando. This woman is made of some great stuff.

With my cheerleader

Lady loves

Next up, Disney's Princess February 24. I can't wait!

Fitness Updates

It's race week! I am so excited and nervous about my first half marathon. When I first decided to run the ING half marathon it seemed so far away. I wondered if I would be able to keep up with the training and if I would even be able to run 13.1 miles. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a five mile run is a short run. Now I know I can physically and mentally do a 13.1 run. Now I think a five mile run is a short run and a three mile run a joy run. The best part of all my running is seeing how it trickles down; Cati now loves to run and she gets upset when I go running without her. One day she even told me she had a race to go to and that she ran faster than me. This is what it's all about: running is something I do for me, but it is also something I am doing so my girls will grow up thinking of exercising as fun and a part of our everyday lives.

Since I began officially training in October, I have logged close to 170 miles. I have seen my mile go from a 12+ minute mile to a 9-minute mile. I owe it all to the awesomeness of the Miami Galloway running group. My goal for this weekend is simply to finish the race. I'll be happy with whatever time because it means I finished, but I would be lying if I said I didn't have a time in mind. From here on out until Sunday, I'll be carb loading, doing lots of stretching, and hydrating more than I did when I was pregnant.

But, before this weekend there was the Superhero Scramble. Superhero Scramble is a mud run/obstacle race. It was 5.7 miles plus 20 obstacles of good fun. I was so nervous because I was doing the event by myself but I met two great women who let me run and do all the obstacles with them. I was very close to not going because one of the obstacles terrified me (a wall climb does not fit well with someone with little upper body strength) but my great friend gave me a good talking to and I decided not to let fear get in the way of doing something fun. And the race was so much fun! I jumped into a lake, climbed rope, climbed walls, crawled through mud, and, of course, the wall that almost scared me out of the race. I had help with the wall but the point is that I did it. Everyone was so helpful and the camaraderie amazed me. The best part about the race really was seeing Alex and the girls waiting for me by the wall, cheering me on. As soon as Cati saw me she started yelling "go, Mami go!" There's no better motivation to reach the finish line than giving a big muddy kiss to your biggest cheerleader.

Here are pictures from Superhero Scramble:

Taking the Leap of Faith

Jumping over fire

Big slide

Getting muddy

With my girl

I can't say enough about how much fun this run was. I'm doing another one in next weekend (Foam Fest) and I can't wait. I think everyone should try an event like this. It's a great workout and you didn't even feel like you've been moving for as long as you have.

Herb-Parmesan Chicken

It has been so long since I last posted a recipe. School started two weeks ago and I am really struggling with balancing things and scheduling myself. Things feel a little overwhelming right now but I'm sure once I get into a steady groove, I will feel a little more in control. This chicken dish is the perfect dish for feeling out of control: it is a steady and consistent dish that will never let you down. I make this chicken at least twice a month because it is quick and easy and because it happens to be one of Cati's favorite chicken dishes. You really can't go wrong with this one.

Herb-Parmesan Chicken
Source: Progresso

2 Tbsp flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Progresso Italian panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/2-inch thickness)
2 Tbsp oil or melted butter

Place flour, egg, and bread crumbs on separate plates. Stir Parmesan cheese into bread crumbs.

Coat chicken with flour, dip in egg, then coat well with bread crumb mixture,

In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken 8-10 minutes, turning once, until thickest part of chicken is 165 degrees F and coating is golden brown.

Elina: Eleven Months

Dear Elina,

Happy 11 months sweet girl. For the first time in the past three years I feel at a loss for words. You are growing up, there’s no doubt about that and soon you will be a toddler. The closer you get to that special milestone of your first birthday, the more and more I find myself reflecting on your whole life. Because of this, it is hard for me to remember what you did this past month that made your eleventh month of life so special.  Was it the cruising, the standing unassisted for longer periods of time, the clapping, the waving? Those are all great accomplishments, but in the grand scheme of things and in consideration of all the changes you have brought and the love you have filled us with, it all seems so tiny. All these developments seem like tiny descriptors for someone so grand.

Perhaps, it’s just me being emotional or dramatic because your growth leaves a more bittersweet feeling in my heart. With your sister we knew there would be another baby and the opportunity to relive the whole baby stage, but with you there is a definitive end to each stage: no other baby will come after you. All these experiences have been lived through and they will be the last ones. There won’t be another pregnancy. There won’t be another baby. Your firsts will be the last firsts. I won’t see another child of mine roll over for the first time and the triumph on that child’s face or hear another child of mine utter “mama” for the first time. Have I done my best to remember all these moments? Have I cherished this experience of you as a baby enough? When the memories begin to lose their focus, will I have regrets?

The irony in all this is that I look at you and I still see a baby. I see the difference of two years between you and your sister and you are more baby than you are toddler. You still look like a baby. You still need and rely on me. There is still so much you cannot do. I know this will all change. Time will continue to pass and you will continue to grow. Slowly, the babyness will creep out of you and one day, you will look and act like a toddler. I will love you then more than I love you now, but I will still look at you and wonder why time has been so cruel so as to play this trick on me of living with you everyday and being blind to the subtleties of your growth.

So 11 months. What did you do this month? You grew. What made this month special? That smile on your face, those arms clinging to me in an embrace, the kisses that came when asked for, the sound of “mama” escaping your mouth, all these little things that are meant to remind me that, even though you will not be a baby forever, the things you will be able to do are worth letting go of baby-you.

Love always,

Mami

More on Elina: Birth Story, One Month, Two Months, Three Months, Four Months, Five Months, Six Months, Seven Months, Eight Months, Nine Months, Ten Months

Running Updates

Note: I'm going to take a break from posting about the girls for a bit and instead I'm going to try to get to blogging more about food and fitness events I'm participating in. 

December was a busy month for fitness. Running has become my new passion and I love more than anything being able to say "I'm a runner." I've been running consistently since August and it already feels like something I have been doing all along. I have three half marathons lined up for this year (ING, Disney's Princess, and Miami Beach), a few 5Ks, and a few mud runs/obstacle races. Let's just say I'm hooked on this whole being fit business.

Last month, I participated in two 5Ks. The first one was in Austin: Color Me Rad 5K. What made this event really special was that I did it with my sister and this was her fitness event (I'm trying to infect everyone with the fitness bug!). Because she had her baby two months ago at the time, we went at her pace and ended up finishing the 5K in 45 minutes. To be honest, the slower pace was awesome because it meant more color!!! I was colored from head to toe and felt like a walking rainbow. I really liked this run because I got more color, it was laid back (no long lines to wait in), and the swag bag was awesome (pink glasses and a super soft cotton v-neck tee). Did I mention all the color? The best part really was doing this run with my sister. I've missed her so much since she moved to Austin and it was great to bring her into something that I'm currently passionate about.

The second run I did was The Jingle 5k in the Bradenton/Sarasota area. The funny story with this race is that I didn't tell Alex that I was participating in it until the day before the race. Alex had an interview in the Tampa area and we had planned for me to go with him and then for us to go to Orlando for the weekend without the kids. Around the time we decided I would go with him to Tampa, Active Advantage was giving away an entry to the race and it just so happened the race was on the same day we were in Tampa. The best part was that it was a night race (I love night races). The bad part was that the run was a good 45 minutes in the opposite direction of Orlando. Thus, I didn't tell Alex about the run until the day before because I knew he wouldn't be too happy about having to drive extra after a long day of interviewing. Alex must in some way be used to my craziness because he went along with it, thanked me for not signing him up too, and waited for me at the finish line despite the cold temperatures. This was my bet 5K yet: I completed it in 30 minutes flat. Go me!

Last month I also ran my first unofficial half-marathon. More than actually physically doing it, I wanted to mentally do it; to wrap my mind around running that far and for that long. I did the run by myself with my favorite musicians singing in my ears and it felt great. The first hour of running is always the hardest for me, but after that I feel like I could keep running for days. After I stopped running, however, I felt like my legs were going to give out on me. The next day I felt better and I was up and running again two days later.

My next fitness event in The Superhero Scramble next weekend and I am nervous. I have never done an obstacle race and I am starting to worry I haven't done enough to prepare for it. In particular, I'm afraid of having to climb a wall with the little upper body strength I have. Oh well. I just hope I won't have to do too many spins or burpees!

Happy Merry

PS don't forget about the giveaway!

Protein Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm trying to combine the two things that I love to do for myself: fitness and baking. Now that I'm trying to be more fit and live a healthier life, I'm constantly on the search for recipes that taste good and sneak in extra goodness for the body. I guess this is a natural follow-up to the lactation-friendly recipes I used to make that loaded up on the flaxseed and Brewer's yeast. This particular recipe is great because it has protein and it actually tastes really good. So good in fact, that Alex didn't even realize there was protein in the cookies and Cati loved eating the cookies. I made my cookies thin and crispy because that's how the majority of people in my household like them, but if you want a denser cookie, you can simply add more oats. Next time I make these cookies I will be adding whole wheat flour just so I can get even more goodness in them.

Protein Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Slightly adapted from Dashing Dish

2 cups oats
1/4 cup protein powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbs unsalted butter, softened 
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place 1/2 of the oats (1 cup) in a food processor, and grind until oats are ground into a flour. Combine with the rest of the oats, protein powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for a minute. Add the vanilla and mix for another minute.

Mix in the dry ingredients just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Scoop out teaspoon-sized balls of cookie dough. Place on the cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart (these cookies spread quite a bit). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

PS don't forget about the giveaway!

Holiday Giveaway: Sew Sweet Peanut Boutique

Do you remember this adorable romper Elina wore for one of her portrait sessions?

It was made by my very talented and sweet friend Jamie of Sew Sweet Peanut Boutique. In the spirit of the holidays and because I think we all need a little dose of happiness, I will be giving away an item from Jamie's shop (up to $35). Jamie is great to work with and she has fabrics in every color and design you could possibly want. This is just a sample from her shop:

The giveaway will end the 25th at 8pm eastern time and a winner will be chosen using random.org. Here are the rules for the giveaway:

1. Visit Sew Sweet Peanut Boutique and leave a comment letting me know what you would like from the shop. 
2. One entry per person.
3. US entrants only.
4. Ends 8pm eastern time on Tuesday, December 25th, 2012. 
5. Winner will be announced that very night. 
6. The winner must contact me at confessionsofacityeater@gmail.com to coordinate the order.

Good luck everyone!

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have become a big fan of pumpkin. Aside from pumpkin pie, everything I have made with pumpkin I have really liked. Maybe it's just that my taste buds have changed and I can appreciate the flavor of pumpkin more. I have a few favorite pancake recipes and this one is my favorite pumpkin pancake recipe. Every time I eat it I feel like I'm eating a little bit of the fall season. Let's just say I am glad I have a pantry full of pumpkin puree cans so I can keep eating these pancakes whenever I want.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Source: How To: Simplify
Serves 3-4

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.

Whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter and egg in a separate bowl. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and cook approximately 3 minutes per side. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Elina: Ten Months

Dear Elina,

Happy ten months sweet girl. I think I am finally over the shock of how old you are becoming. All the other months have felt so bittersweet to me as I’ve seen my baby grow and grow with no regard to how small I want her to stay. Maybe I have just accepted that you will keep on growing and that the only way to stop time or go back in time is through the memories that have been planted in my heart. Or maybe it’s just that I am starting to get excited about the milestone that will be your first birthday. Perhaps it’s the excitement of planning a party to celebrate the beauty that is you and your first year of life, which has me looking forward instead of backward. Either way, today I am living in the moment of today, with one foot ready to step off the past, the other foot ready to step in the future, and my heart firmly in the present.

This past month has been the month of movement. There have been so many falls and bumps and, again, I am amazed at the fearlessness and perseverance of a child learning how to stand and walk. You are one fast crawler and are becoming a fast climber. You hate being restrained in any way (car rides have become so much fun!) and you love trying to climb up the many stairs in our house. Being mobile means you have learned new ways to get attention and I will admit that I love when you crawl over to me, pull yourself up using my jeans, and make your dinosaur noises so that I will look at you and pick you up.

This has been the month where we are really starting to see the relationship deepen between you and your sister. Cati makes you laugh like no one else. Her concern for you is so touching and the way you follow her around is so sweet. Sharing is an issue, but this is just another thing you two will have to learn how to manage. I just hope that you always love each other and enjoy one another’s company as you do now.

I call you Elina-bug, but the more appropriate name is Elina-saurus because you sound like a dinosaur with all your hissing and gurgling noises. One day Cati even said you sounded like you swallowed a crocodile. You do, however, have more sounds in your language and this month is when you started making the dada and mama sounds. You haven’t said your first word yet, but with all the movements you are making you are more focused on learning how to walk rather than learning how to talk. I’m almost expecting your first word to be something like “yogurt” because of all the yogurt you eat! As for eating, you are still a great eater. You drink four-5oz bottles a day and you will eat almost anything I put in front of you. The only thing you don’t seem to be too crazy about are fruits; it’s as if every fruit is too bitter or sour for you with the faces you make and how quickly you spit them out.

This month you got two new teeth and, at ten months old, you have seven teeth. Teething is the only time you are ever a “cranky” baby and, luckily for you, you don’t teeth for two long.

You flew on an airplane for the first time this past month and you were such a trooper. We spent six days away from home and, aside from hating the car seat, you went with all the changes. A trip away from home, whether it is to Texas or the grandparents’ house, is something that always makes me a little sad because you are doing certain things so much younger than I would have thought I would feel comfortable with because you have an older sister. I feel as if I am letting go a little faster with you.

Ten months have gone by my little one. Lots of letting go and seeing you grow and wanting the world to stop just so I can hold you just a little bit longer. While I curse Time at times, I also thank Time for not stop and propelling me forward. I know each future moment with you will be better than the moment now, but it’s hard to say goodbye to what was. It’s so easy to stay stuck in the what-was and what-is, but because of your sister I know that the what-will-be is worth this unstoppable movement forward.

I love you always and thank you for giving me these ten months with you. Being a mother has never felt so rewarding.

Love always,

Mami