The Start of Summer

This time three years ago, Jim and I were in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, settling in and getting ready to race our first Ironman. We had spent six months training and were ready for race day. It's quite a different picture three years later, in 2011. Instead of being in the best shape of my life, I'm six months pregnant. Even though I'm one of those crazy people who loves being pregnant, it's certainly as far away from "Ironman Shape" as you can get. Well, actually, check in with me in 3 months--that's about as far away as I'll get. While I'm steadily gaining weight, Jim is in full Ironman training mode and is returning to his peak level of fitness. Come Ironman Wisconsin, Jim will be in as good a shape as he was for his first Ironman, if not better. While I certainly miss parts of our Ironman training together, I know what's in store for us in the next few months and am filled with more excitement than nostalgia.

Asking Jim about his rainy Saturday morning "bike moomie" (a less than exciting 3 hour ride over the Ironman Wisconsin course)

We have weddings of good friends, and trips to Boston, the Lake, DC, and Wisconsin. We have summer weather which means lots of time running around outside at parks, the pool and the beach.

And so far, even though June is flying by, it's been filled with fun. Mum came up for a weekend and looked after Lilly while Jim and I went to a wedding in NYC. I had not envisioned being quite so pregnant at my first black tie wedding but it ended up being a lot of fun.

24 weeks pregnant!

While Mum was here, Lilly was very excited to take her to a music class, where they sang "Hello to Gigi," and then "so long, farewell to Gigi" causing Mum and Lilly to giggle both times. Mum's visit also included a trip to the Big Apple Circus. This was the circus that produced the picture I've referred to a million times; the one where Lilly was amazed by a poodle walking on his hind legs:

This is as close as we got to that this year. Still amazed by the dogs, just a little bit older.

Lilly was laughing and clapping at the clown, the horses, the dogs and the goats. She's told just about everyone she sees that she went to the circus and saw "one clown, dogs, baby horses and goats, and a swing." Just like last year, she was most in awe at the animals, which put on an even better show this time. The goats and dogs rode around on the horses and the dogs seemed to be a step up from the poodles of last year.

Mum looking after Lilly and Stella during intermission

Stella enjoying her first swedish fish!

Lilly really wanted to pat the horses

She was not impressed with the acrobat below, and kept covering her eyes. Or maybe she just couldn't look in case he fell! Either way, it was the only act that caused this reaction!

We finished off the evening with pizza and playing at our place.

When I uploaded all the pictures so far from June, I decided it was too much to write about in one blog, so I'm saving our trip down to DC for next time. But I'll end with this picture from yesterday. It was storming outside so it was the perfect day for arts and crafts, while we skyped with Ells and Dad. Lilly made Jim a card using stamps, markers, stickers--Ariel stickers in particular, as we watched The Little Mermaid while we were in DC and Lilly currently adores Ariel. Lilly also had her first experience with glitter glue, hence the reason she's a "nuny nuny." Let's just say it was interesting...and there was glitter everywhere!