Baby Goodwin On The Way!!!

Welcome to the ‘Win Blog. With this we are announcing to the free world our biggest news yet!

Contrary to popular belief, the Goodwins actually are capable of contributing to the population of the Earth J. After almost six years, which is nearly an eternity in Southern time for having kids, we are finally going to have one of our own. Not to mislead everyone into thinking that we’re actually ready (quite frankly I don’t think anyone is really ready), we were not trying to conceive this little bundle. But as most of you know, our version of the plan for our lives is not paramount in God’s eyes. In fact it is probably laughable. So here we are, now 6 months away from having our blessed little surprise.

Yes, with simple arithmetic you can deduce that I am 3 months pregnant. Very good. We’ve now waited the requisite 3 months in silence, so we’ve decided to create this blog not only to announce our news, but also to keep anyone who is interested informed of our progress. So feel free to check in as often as you like, although we’re not promising daily entries or anything. I can almost guarantee, though, that entries will be similar to this one in random, stream-of-conscious format, so bear with us.

We continue to stay busy working in the City, and running, and caring for our two little pups, etc, etc. Andy has continued his strenuous marathon training (90 miles a week), competing in various half and full marathons; all of which he’s placed in at least the top 30. He continues to whittle down his times as he has approached the level of the local sub-elite runners. He will be competing in this year’s New York City marathon on November 2nd. I have continued to run as well, completing the Nike half marathon this past July, as well as a 10k in August and the 5th Avenue mile in September (PR’s for all three races, two of which I ran already pregnant!). I hope to be able to run throughout my pregnancy.

We still love New York, even now that we’ve lived here for two years. Everyone keeps saying that we will reach burn-out, but it hasn’t happened yet, so until then we are going to continue loving living here. Naturally it will be an adjustment to start a family in this city; our whole apartment is the size of most people’s nursery for one. But our situation is not so anomalous, I hear there over 8 million people in this city, so I’m quite sure a few of them have raised families here before.

Before “signing off”, I’d like to share a few things we’ve learned so far in preparation for baby Goodwin:

* Morning sickness is a misnomer!
(anyone who has been pregnant knows what I mean by this!)

* Early on, 9 months seems entirely too short to prepare for everything, although I have a hunch this view will rapidly change!

* Traveling to Spain (or anywhere for that matter) is not a good idea in the first trimester
(reference point 1 above; also reference laughable plan from above i.e. the trip was planned pre-baby news!)

* Having the best husband in the whole world is key to a manageable pregnancy (shameless plug, I know, but I have to give Andy credit for how wonderful he has been and continues to be!)

We have been truly blessed thus far in our lives and continue to seek the Lord’s protection and guidance. At the end of the day, all we can hope for is a happy, healthy pregnancy and baby. We don’t know the sex of the baby yet, obviously, but when we do we’ll be sure to share the news (but, Ssshhh, the name will be kept a secret until on or around May 17th, 2009). We’re pretty sure baby Goodwin will take after his or her parents and come along 1) running and 2) in full nerd form…unless, as in math, two negatives make a positive, and then we may not have a runner or brainiac after all… With that, I must retire to the nerdery because I do believe I have taken it too far!

Take care and we’ll be in touch!!

Love: Andy, Ashley, Laney & Tsali, and Baby Goodwin