Flying Balls and In-Laws

This weekend, The B and I spent time with his parents. We played tennis and golf. Unlike so many others, I actually love my in-laws and love hanging out with them. They are cool and hip and are the couple everyone likes to be around. They're funny, generous and are very athletic given that they are seniors! (Don't worry, it's not offensive, they always joke about it. Seriously though, they are in better shape than most people I know my age. In winters they ski everyday and in the summer they golf, play tennis, ride bikes and go for walks. And they tell us that out of their circle of friends they, apparently, are the most inactive ones!)

It was time well spent and I'm fortunate to have someone, like my father-in-law, Gerry (who our girl will be named after in her middle name, Geraldine) who can teach my child how to golf, play tennis and build a tee-pee. All this, while my mother-in-law, Judy, will teach Baby Dubya to ski. After all, she is a former ski patroller and ski instructor. She's already started to teach my three-year old niece, Lily, about the joys of winter sports.

This was the first time I have done either sport, with child. Golf felt okay. At first I was a bit nervous with the twisting motion in the swing. But I happily realized that my growing belly didn't get in the way. I know that soon...very soon, I will be a life-sized Big Bertha. (The B's driver is actually called "Big Bertha" and I laugh now because we will soon have a lot in common - a big, wide, hitting surface!) Other than my sad short game (which I vow to improve) I hit pretty well. And though I find golf one of the most frustrating, yet wonderful of sports, it is something that I'll actually be able to do all the way through my pregnancy. Like running, there is something quite peaceful, yet challenging, being on the fairways and greens. I love it.

Despite all the warnings that preggos should not play tennis (sudden change in movements can cause an upset in balance) I hit quite well and after the first few, errant serves, got a lot of them in. And I quite enjoyed it. The only difference I felt compared to pre-pregancy, was that now I had an excuse not to run all the balls down! The B took pictures of me playing and I'm quite surprised to see how big the belly is getting. Some people say I will be one of those women who look like they're carrying a basketball. Umm, I don't know. It's only four months and I'm afraid that my belly is starting to look more like a beach ball...a very large one. Oh balls. (Oh, and I didn't miss my runs either. I managed a 5K on Saturday and a 13K on Sunday.)