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My Second Pregnancy: Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?

September 10, 2017

Surprise! I’m pregnant.

My bio says this blog will be raw, sweet and a little bit salty. This blog falls under the “raw” category. I am ball of mixed emotions! I’m excited and nervous all at the same time!

We found out right smack dab in the middle of the Oilers 2017 playoff run that I was pregnant. I was working a lot, and staying up late every second night to watch all the games so I was exhausted. We hadn’t exactly been trying but essentially were taking the “if it happens, it happens” approach. It happened a wee bit faster than I anticipated so it caught me a little off guard.

Over the years I’ve noticed a lot of my friends wanted (or had) their babies close together. I felt like a bit of an odd ball wanting to wait, as it seemed I was a bit of a minority. My son is so great but so very active and didn’t think I could handle another one until he was old enough to help me out a little bit. I am very blessed, as for the most part he’s such a good boy. But he has his toddler moments and these last few months have been a little tougher than I anticipated.

Why didn’t anyone tell me that the second pregnancy would be so much harder? Maybe they did, and I just didn’t listen. Or I just didn’t remember what it was like to be pregnant because it’s already been two and a half years. In any case, I don’t feel like I was prepared at all to feel the way I have lately. So I thought I’d write a few things about what to expect when you’re having your second child.

You’re Exhausted

I remember being tired when I was pregnant with Kendrick, but after work I could just go home and put my feet up until bed time. Now when I get home I need to entertain him, make dinner, spend time doing our bed time routine and putting him to bed, and clean up the hurricane that has taken over my living room. Needless to say some nights dinner is mac & cheese (at least it’s organic, right?) and the cleaning doesn’t get done. By the time he finally falls asleep, I’m ready for bed myself! I’m struggling at 2:00PM to stay awake at my desk too (it’s times like this where I wish I drank coffee).

Your Fuse is Short

So we all know pregnancy makes you hormonal. But holy smokes, this time I feel a lot more emotional than the last time! I find myself getting grumpy a lot quicker than before (and I’m not normally a very grumpy person). Things seem to bother me a lot quicker than normal, and I definitely have a short fuse. I then get frustrated with feeling that way and end up getting sad; the tears end up flowing more often than I’d like.

Your Belly Grows A Lot Faster

When I was pregnant with Kendrick, I didn’t have to wear maternity pants until I was about 7-8 months pregnant. I wore a belly band with my regular pants for quite awhile, so I didn’t end up investing a lot in maternity pants. This time, I’ve been wearing exclusively maternity pants since about 16-17 weeks. When we did our family trip to Disneyland in June I was only nine weeks pregnant at the time, but I was so bloated throughout my first trimester that I looked pregnant in a lot of the pictures we took.

You Stress

Things have gotten a little better now, but in the first half of my pregnancy I was worried about everything. Can we afford a family of four? Will I love this baby as much as I love our first? How will I manage caring for a toddler at the same time as a newborn? Will my toddler continue to learn as much as he is at daycare when he’s home with me and maybe not getting as much attention? So many questions! I have come to realize thought that things will work themselves out, and I’m trying not to stress as much as possible.

Baby Brain Comes Back in Full Force

I legitimately feel stupid sometimes. This week I was dialling a number and had to dial it five times to get it to go through. I kept looking at the sheet of paper and looking at the number on the phone and had no idea why I kept screwing it up because I couldn’t find the mistake. I also took a corner too close and scraped the side of my car on a pole, in a parking lot that I go into multiple times a week. Seriously!

Of course, keep in mind that all pregnancies are different, and these have just been a few of my experiences. In talking to others who’ve had another child, I was relieved to find out that a lot of them felt this way and it wasn’t just me! Note, this post isn’t meant to be a downer – children are so worth it and I know that when I have my little one I will forget all about these crazy moments. I am so grateful to be able to grow another human inside of me! I just didn’t realize the challenges that the pregnancy would bring me the second time around!

It’s a BOY! Special thanks to B and K Custom Cakes for making the adorable owl cake for our gender reveal!

The positive is my little guy has stopped napping on weekends which makes bed time super easy most nights, which means that I have more time to put my feet up and relax in the evenings before I go to bed. There is always a silver lining.

 

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Here We Go!

August 16, 2017

Welcome to my new adventure! My name is Dianne and I’m a 30-something working Mom from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Caramel is one of my weaknesses, and I found a love for running back in 2009 when I ran my first half marathon with my husband in Las Vegas! Thanks for following me on my new blogging adventure! I thought for my first post I thought I’d do a little introduction by presenting some random facts about me.

#1. I love to write, which is actually why I decided to start a blog. I loved to write novels when I was in elementary and junior high! I don’t think I actually finished any as I always had too many ideas! When I was in high school, I was planning on going into journalism and going to school in a different province. Unfortunately at the time I found media very negative and it turned me off, so my focus shifted to business. I spent two years at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) completing my Business Administration diploma and five years after I graduated I decided I wanted to complete my degree part time. As of December 2017, I will officially complete the program for my Bachelor of Management degree from the University of Lethbridge with a major in Marketing and a minor in Social Responsibility!

#2. I have a 2.5 year old son named Kendrick. He’s a very active boy & one smart cookie…and is quite handsome like his Daddy!

#3. The only reason I signed up for my first half marathon was because of my husband’s new year’s resolution. We crossed the finish line together at 2:58 and as soon as I crossed the finish line something clicked. I can’t even describe the sense of accomplishment I felt and from that moment on, I was hooked!

#4. My long term running goal is to complete a full marathon in under four hours before I’m 40!

#5. This is actually my second shot at a blog! My first blog is at 13point1tocheesecake.blogspot.com. I originally started it to blog about running, but then got pregnant shortly after I launched! I’ve been brainstorming some ideas for the past year to rebrand, and this lead to Running on Caramel being born!

#6. I LOVE grocery shopping. I will probably never make use of the new services at some stores where they pick your groceries for you. I want to do it myself!

#7. I HATE sweeping. I don’t mind vacuuming, doing laundry, and most other household chores but sweeping is something that I dread.

#8. I’m a planner. I like to plan things out rather than fly by the seat of my pants.

#9. I was a gymnast until I was 20. I competed in artistic gymnastics until I was 18, and participated in a trampoline and tumbling competition in university. I enjoyed it, but was involved in a car accident which forced me to stop for about six months due to back issues. I found it hard to get back on track and didn’t compete after that. I’ve taken some adult classes here and there, and still love the sport like no other!

#10. My two major career paths have been in professional sports and aviation, both involving customer service. I love both for different reasons and had a hard time choosing which one I wanted to continue full time. I haven’t been at the airport for about five years now but I frequently contemplate going back on a part time basis because I miss the atmosphere.

My motive for rebranding and starting this blog is to share my thoughts and experiences with others about trying to juggle parenting, working full time, and trying to keep fit! I’m just your average girl with the same every day struggles as other moms – and I want to let people know that if you want to go out and bust your butt each morning at 6AM fitness classes, you are awesome! But if some nights you want to chill and eat a cheeseburger you picked up in the drive thru instead of cooking because you have no energy, you are awesome too! Sometimes we need a reminder that we’re doing the best we can and we’re doing a great job! As much as parenting can be stressful, there is so much joy and laughter along the way that it makes it all worthwhile.

Photo credit: Cheri Shaw Design (http://cherishawdesign.ca/)

I hope you enjoy reading! Please feel free to let me know your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below if you feel so inclined!

PS: Thanks so much to my friend Cheri at Cheri Shaw Design for creating my logo and helping me rebrand! If you are looking for some graphic design work done – Cheri’s your girl!

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A Little About Me…

My name is Dianne and I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I’m a mom of 2, I love to run, I love my city and I have a weakness for caramel…

Follow me on my running journey to run my first marathon before I turn 40! Raw, sweet & a little salty!

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  • 3,317 Views <3

runningoncaramel

runningoncaramel
Sparkly eye makeup ✅ Buzz Lightyear shirt ✅ @l Sparkly eye makeup ✅ Buzz Lightyear shirt ✅ @lululemon aligns ✅ day with family ✅ ordered sparkly running tights with birthday money ✅ ordered in dinner ✅ had banana cheesecake for dessert ✅ watched an amazing video of some family & friends singing a COVID birthday song to the tune of “I Want It That Way” ✅ received a ton of birthday love ❤️ ✅ 
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This is 39. 🍒
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #momlife #mommyblogger #momsofinstagram #HappyBirthdayToMe
Every day is a second chance. . . I hung my inspir Every day is a second chance.
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I hung my inspiration board on the wall right inside the door of my bedroom, so I see it every single day. I called it an inspiration board rather than a vision board on purpose. The words, pictures, and quotes on this board inspire me.
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There has been no shortage of tough days in the last 11 months. Some days I feel like the weight of all the things that have changed this pandemic weighs me down. But seeing this board every day makes me smile.
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One of my options for running a marathon this year was a lottery for a race in the US. I opted not to sign up as I can’t be sure I’ll get vaccinated before I go (and that’s non-negotiable for me). The second option was right here in my home city this August - but because of all the uncertainty they have decided to go virtual. I have one more option in October. They have not made a decision on whether the race will go or not so I’m holding my breath. If that cancels - then what? I’m not sure I could get motivated or have the adrenaline to run 42.2 KM on my own. It won’t be the same without a real finish line. But I turn 40 in Feb 22... so I’m running out of time if I want to accomplish my first marathon before I turn 40!
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So many decisions... so much waiting... I guess we’ll see! In the meantime, I will continue to smile every time I walk by this board. ❤️
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If you were me, what would you do? Would love to hear your thoughts.
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #yegrun #momlife #mommyblogger #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #runningmom #runningmoms #inspiration #inspirationboard #myfirstmarathon #DianneRunsAMarathon #wednesdaymotivation #somanydecisions #rundisney #womenwhorun #castmember
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗱𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆.
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It’s a new week & the sun is shining! Let’s start this week on a positive note! What do you have planned for this week? I have some decluttering to do, would like to work on some crafting, fill out my journals, and do some meal planning! 🙌🏼
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #momlife #mommyblogger #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #workingmom #thisismotherhood #mondaymotivation #mondaymood #mondaymorning #starttheweekoffright
Today, I was supposed to be celebrating completing Today, I was supposed to be celebrating completing 42.2 glorious kilometers in @waltdisneyworld and finishing my first marathon! But instead, I am at home and ran 4.22 kilometers in -3 weather (which my asthma wasn’t appreciative of 😬)
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I’ve been grieving this loss since the in-person race was cancelled in late 2020, and I think I’m finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I lost my motivation for awhile but I can feel it coming back. I’m starting to feel inspired again and am energized to start training again for the @banffmarathon (1/2) in June, and a soon to be announced in-person marathon (hopefully 🤞🏼) in the late summer/fall. The 🔥 has returned and I’m here for it!
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The first picture is a throwback from 10 years ago when I ran the DisneyWorld 1/2 marathon. My husband was trying to get the perfect picture and I was like NO I’M ABOUT TO HIT A NEW PR and blew right by. 😬 Sorry hubby. 🤦🏻‍♀️ The second picture is the completion of my run today, on my new early birthday/valentines/anniversary present - an Apple Watch 6! 😍
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Onward and upward my friends! Cheers to a new year of running! 🏃🏻‍♀️💪🏼
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #yegrun #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #runningmom #runningmoms #disneymom #rundisney #secondhalfmarathonever #sundaymotivation
“𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲 𝗢𝗸𝗮𝘆.” - 𝗕𝘂𝘇𝘇 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗧𝗼𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝟰
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I was supposed to leave earlier today with my family to head to @waltdisneyworld for 9 days of magic! I had a Cars hotel suite picked out, I bought special suitcases for the boys two Christmas’s ago, and had a plan to surprise them with this trip. But alas, COVID had other plans.
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So I shall post this picture with my fave, Buzz Lightyear, from our trip 10 years ago this week when my now-husband and I went to Disneyworld. It was before kids, I was about 20 lbs lighter (😬) and it was a magical time! I miss it, and I’m having a sad moment today.
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Hope to see you real soon, Buzz - when it’s safe to do so! ✈️ 🏰 ❤️
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #RealLife #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #DisneyMom #Disneymoments #MissingDisney #fridayfeels
𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁! 🍒 (𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼)
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This lyric from the song “Closing Time” gets me every time. ❤️
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I hear it all the time - don’t make resolutions! You’re never going to keep them! You’re setting up false expectations!
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F that. I still make them. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I am the type of person who loves having something to work towards! When I run, I’m always training for my next race. I’m much more motivated when I’m training for a race than running “just because”. 
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Truth is, I haven’t figured out all my resolutions for this year quite yet, but I plan to within the next couple days. In my blog post, I provided some tips that help me every year when I’m laying out my goals for the following year - so I hope they help you too!
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After 2020, we need something to look forward to. My mental health definitely took a blow last year. But creating and aspiring to new goals excites me. 🔥 
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What are your goals/dreams/resolutions for 2021? I’d love to hear them! ❤️
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#2021 #2021goals #motivation #runninggoals #yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #yegrun #momlife #mommyblogger #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #runningmom #runningmoms #fridayfeeling
❄️ “𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼, 𝗹𝗲 ❄️ “𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼, 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘄𝗻...” - 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗚𝗼, 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗻 ❄️
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I ran 628 KM this year! My goal was 500 KM and I’ve never run more than 350 KM in a year, so this was a huge accomplishment! Even though I smashed my goal, something has been bothering me.
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My pace.
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For some reason, I could not get back to my normal pace this year. In January/February I did, but after March, it slowed down and I couldn’t come back. I did other workouts. I ran more consistently than ever before. I saw a nutritionist. I talked to my doctor. I lost some weight.  I used different apps to track my runs. It didn’t matter. Why could I get back there after two babies but not this year? Just another anomaly of 2020 I suppose.
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I think it’s time to let it go, like my good friend Elsa sings in her song. ❄️ I don’t know why this bothered me so much, but the year is almost over & I think it’s time to start over and start fresh. I won’t lie, it’s going to be difficult. I have a tough time letting things go sometimes. But in a few weeks 2021 will be begin and I will *hopefully* slowly begin marathon training again. And that’s something to look forward to. ♥️
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Onward & upward! 👊🏼
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#yeg #yegmoms #yegmom #igyeg #yeggers #yegblogger #yegrun #honestmotherhood #momsofinstagram #runningmom #runningmoms #thursdaymotivation #thursdaythoughts #runningmotivation #yegvirtualrunningclub #goaldigger
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