Fitting in training with two kids? How will we do it?
Whatever negative comments people make about having kids, don’t listen. Before our first daughter Charlee was born, Scott and I made the mistake of listening to everyone. People said that life would suck after kids, that we wouldn’t sleep again and that Scott’s waterskiing days at the lake would be numbered.
For the record, life has only been amazing since we had Charlee. I actually sleep a lot more since I had her then I did during my pregnancy. In fact, I was fully rested as a new mom. And Scott skied eight out of the 10 days after we got home from the hospital—and there were no complaints from me.
I think it’s natural to question how I’ll manage life with a baby and now of course I worry about how I will manage ANYTHING with two.
But as cheesy as it might seem, I think I’ve found the answer: Marry a great guy!
2013 Ironman
Before Scott and I had our first child I worried about my transition into parenthood. As much as I reminded myself that we’d always outnumber our daughter, I still worried how a baby would affect my activity level and the stress it might cause. Scott and I both have fulltime jobs that involve travel. Scott was and still is a competitive 3-event water skier and prior to both pregnancies, I was actively biking, running, lifting and skiing.
I intentionally waited until I was in my mid 30s to have children, hoping I wouldn’t feel as though I need more time for myself. I didn’t want to feel as though I’d left anything undone.
In June of 2011 I broke a bone in my back waterskiing and I figured since I was done with sports for a while, it might be a great time to make a baby. Besides, I knew Scott and I were both emotionally ready. Six weeks later, I was pregnant.
11 weeks into my pregnancy
But it really hasn’t been the uphill battle that so many people told us it would be. Scott and I have managed to live our lives and do the sports we love. I think this is because we’ve always had a full understanding of the other’s need and desire to be active. We get it!
Second, we team up to help each other in anyway possible. There are no gender specific roles in our household. We both cook, clean, take out the garbage and fold the laundry. If it needs to get done, someone just does it.
Does my alarm go off at 4 a.m. most days? Absolutely! And whenever I want to hit snooze, I remind myself that getting that workout in is the most important thing I could do for my family. It allows me to work towards being my healthiest, happiest self. A value that is very important to me.
With Scott’s help and commitment to teamwork, I completed a Half Ironman when Charlee was just over a year old. Meanwhile, Scott competed and placed fifth overall in the USA Waterski National Championship in 2012, just four months after we had Charlee.
Scott and Charlee on the Podium at USA Waterskiing Nationals in 2012
I married Scott because I loved him and I knew he would make a great father. I had no idea just how great of a partner he would be for me, both pre and post baby. Scott doesn’t view helping out around the house or playing with Charlee as a chore. He actually receives gratification from doing his part as a father, a husband and a fellow athlete.
Are we perfect? No way in hell! Do we want to claw each other’s eyes out at times, YES…. after all, it is marriage. However, marriage is the ultimate endurance race and Scott’s the best relay partner a girl could ask form. I am excited to see the same results from Team Bellefeuille as we enter race number two of life!
2013 Ironman