Bumpdate!

Wow - so much to write about today I don't even know where to begin. I guess I have to start with the huge milestone that Baby D hit today. Baby D is now 16 weeks old!! Can you believe it!?! And s/he had a wonderful check-up today. The doctor found the heartbeat quickly and it was beating loud, strong, and fast at 155 beats per minute. As usual, the beautiful sound brought tears to my eyes. What made today's appointment even more special than usual was that my mom came along. My parents have been in town for the holidays, so it was really special being able to share the magical sound of the heartbeat with her. I also finally put some weight on. Since my first appointment two months ago I've put on 2 1/2 pounds! 

So many amazing things are happening to the baby now as s/he develops. The baby is now about the size of an avocado! Adam and I have to start watching what we say because amazingly Baby D is now able to pick up the sound of our voices! I also need to quit poking my stomach so much, because I guess now the baby can feel it and it causes him/her to squirm. :) I should start to feel the first movements from Baby D in the next few weeks.

Another amazing thing that has happened in the past week is the growth of my baby bump! It seems to be getting bigger every day, and I'm finally starting to look pregnant instead of like I ate too many tacos. Also, I know it's not tacos because of how hard the bump is. Adam and I can't stop touching it!

On January 25th at 8am, Adam and I will FINALLY be finding out the gender of our precious child. Less than a month! Time to start taking bets - boy or girl?

Baby D had a great first Christmas, so I have to show off some of the presents from our amazing families! And yes, I'm also going to show pictures of "the bump" taken first thing this morning. Please notice how I said "first thing this morning" when you see my outfit choice. I think I'm at the point where I should start having Adam take nice, weekly belly progression photos. We'll start those next week now that I actually have a bump to show off.

Christmas present from GG (Great Grandma), Aunt Holly, and Aunt Katherine

Video camera from Great Grandpa George, Diaper Bag from GG, and book from Grandma and Grandpa Donat

I've officially "popped" at 16 weeks cooked!

Beer Gut or Baby Bump?

Well, something seriously happened over night. Generally by morning I have just a small pooch, but I think I actually have some semblance of a baby bump finally!!! I still think it looks like a gut, but Adam's promising me it doesn't. He's such a good husband. :)

What do you think it looks like? Beer gut or baby bump? (Oh, just so there's not any confusion, I am not actually drinking beer...)

This is at 14 weeks, 2 days. 

It's Official!

There is a lot of debate as to whether the second trimester begins at the start of the 13th week or 14th week. Regardless, everyone will  now agree that I have finally made it to the second trimester!! Baby D officially turned 14 weeks old today! Less than 6 months to go until this precious child enters the world. I made it through the first trimester without throwing up once! I really felt great and only experienced a few symptoms. I was definitely one of the lucky ones. 

Baby D is already the size of a lemon and is busy sucking his/her thumbs, wiggling all wee little toes, and has even started making urine. Okay, that urine part isn't necessarily adorable, but totally amazing. 

I still feel great. I am still able to exercise regularly and have pretty high energy for the most part. I do find myself getting a little more tired at night than I used to, and I'm not ashamed to say that 8:30pm has become a fairly regular bedtime for me. I weighed myself at the gym yesterday and I still haven't put on weight since my first doctor's appointment. Weight gain really varies in pregnancies, so I don't think it's anything to be concerned about yet. I'll see my doctor in less than two weeks and I'll ask her about it. The major weight gain comes in the second trimester, so I'm sure I'll have some weight gain to share sooner rather than later.  I am definitely noticing a bit of a pooch in my stomach that gets progressively larger throughout the day. My jeans are still fitting...albeit tightly, but I still don't have the belly for maternity clothes yet. If I'm feeling brave this weekend, I might update with a new baby bump photo. Be prepared, the bump looks more like a beer gut. 

Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts this year, Adam and I decided to invest in a glider that we will be able to use with Baby D. We found what we liked at Babies-R-Us, but ended up purchasing through Amazon. It finally showed up today. I think we'll go ahead and put it together this weekend so we can break it in for Baby D. 

Baby bump photos coming soon.... 

199 Days to Go

Can you believe it!? Less than 200 days left to go in my pregnancy. I will be 12 weeks pregnant on Thursday. It's amazing to know I am already a 1/4 of the way through.

I had a perfect appointment today. I saw a midwife instead of my doctor because the office was so busy. She was fantastic! I'm probably just saying that because she said if I was going to be graded on my pregnancy so far I would receive an A+! She started the appointment by going over all of my blood work from my previous appointment. All my levels came back great and most importantly my iron levels were perfect. It's not unheard of for vegans/vegetarians to have low iron levels and be anemic, but mine were right where they needed to be. She said it seems like I'm doing everything right with my diet and to keep up the good work. I've only put on 1/2 a pound since my last appointment, but she didn't seem concerned with that. When you're active and eating well, it's okay not to put too much weight on during the first trimester.

Next was my favorite part of the appointment and I've been giddy ever since. With a small handheld Doppler machine I was able to hear Baby D's heartbeat again! No pictures, but I got to hear the heart, and boy did it sound good. Just writing about it brings tears to my eyes. I have had such a seamless pregnancy so far that I often wonder if there is actually a little person growing inside of me. Hearing that beautiful sound was so reassuring.

My next appointment is on 28 December. It will be a basic exam where my vitals are taken and I will be able to hear Baby D's heartbeat again. Also, the midwife told me that because of my size we should be able to schedule our gender scan a week early (at 19 weeks)! When I see my doctor next month (at 16 weeks), she'll make the final determination on when to schedule the scan. It's so exciting to know that in possibly less than 2 months Adam and I will know if we're going to have a baby girl or baby boy.

Not a day has gone by since my positive pregnancy test where I haven't felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Thus far, I have had an incredibly happy, and healthy pregnancy. I feel great, my baby is thriving, and I am married to a man that will be the perfect father. Life is good... 

Our Little Duke Dog

Sharing the news of Baby D with Adam's family yesterday was more joyous than I could have imagined. Everyone was so happy and excited. Grandma and Grandpa Donat even brought Dom Perignon and sparkling grape juice to toast the good news! If that wasn't enough of a surprise, they also surprised us with some wonderful baby gifts. We now have our first baby picture frame and probably one of the greatest onesies and pair of booties ever!

Duke Dog in the making

My next doctor's appointment is on Monday! Hopefully I'll have more updates then! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

While everyone else is busy cooking a Thanksgiving feast today, I'm busy cooking something else! Officially 11 weeks cooked today, and I think I might have some sort of baby bump starting...or else I just ate too much at dinner last night. 

11 weeks

Today we will tell Adam's extended family about our little bundle of joy! It's going to be an amazing moment when we share the news with his grandparents. 


I have never been more thankful for my life than I am this year. I have an amazing husband, a great new  job, a supportive and wonderful family, great friends, and I am already in love with my child.


Happy Thanksgiving!!! 

My Vegan Pregnancy

When Adam and I first began trying to conceive, I immediately purchased the only two vegan pregnancy books on the market. I also started countless hours of internet research on both the pros and cons of a vegan pregnancy. Anyone that knows me knows how seriously I take my vegan diet. I always knew I wanted to remain a vegan throughout my pregnancy if it would be healthy to the baby, but knew that if I was going to do it, I needed to have my facts straight.
I have read nothing but positive things about vegan pregnancies done the right way. Doing it right is the key. Since becoming pregnant I've started thinking more about the foods I’m putting in my mouth every day. Instead of having rice cakes for breakfast, I eat a bowl of oatmeal. I snack on fresh fruit and nuts throughout the day. I always eat a large portion of raw vegetables with my Tofurky sandwich at lunch, and I am eating lots of veggies and protein at dinnertime. I’ve even switched my nighttime sweet treat for a glass of chocolate soy milk fortified with tons of vitamins for the baby and me. Full disclosure – there is a pint of vegan chocolate coconut ice cream in my freezer and I’ll totally eat it soon I’m sure . I have to cheat sometimes and eat the unhealthy stuff!  I am currently taking a vegan prenatal vitamin that has been approved by my OB and she has also blessed my diet which made both Adam and me feel completely comfortable about the way ahead.
A lot of pregnant woman use pregnancy as an excuse to eat anything they want and "eat for two." They will eat ice cream, pizza, and French fries to extremes. Ok, full disclosure again – I’m totally going to eat the heck out of some French fries during this pregnancy…but in moderation. Because I have to be so cautious to ensure I'm getting enough protein, calcium, and certain vitamins, I believe I will have a better chance of having a healthy, happy, and normal-weight-gain pregnancy than that of many of my omnivore counterparts. I realize this is a sweeping generalization, but I’m saying it anyway.
I am also convinced that my 17+ years of vegetarianism and 5+ years of veganism are allowing my body to kick this pregnancy’s butt. True, I’m only nine weeks cooked, and the morning sickness still has a possibility of coming on, but to this point I have probably had a total of 8 hours of queasiness and have not thrown up once.  Most research I’ve done says the morning sickness hits around the 6-7 week mark, so there is a good chance I am in the clear. I could just be one of those super lucky ladies that doesn’t experience morning sickness, but because this is my blog, I’m attributing my throw-up free pregnancy to my vegan diet. :) 

Here is a great article on super foods for vegan pregnancy that I’ve found very helpful: http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-pregnancy/super-foods-pregnancy-lactation.htm . This article came from this superb resource: http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-pregnancy/index.htm.
Also, in keeping with the theme of this post, I have to post the coolest little onesie that my sister bought for the baby.

We are no’t planning on raising the baby vegan (I will save this discussion for another post), but because this is for a newborn, the message holds true for the first few months of Baby D’s life anyway. 

7 Weeks, 1 Day Cooked

Today could have been one of the most amazing days of my life.  Adam and I went in for our first ultrasound and it was FANTASTIC! Right away we could see Baby D and the heartbeat was located immediately. The heartbeat was fast and strong and measured at 151. Not gonna lie - the tears started coming as soon as I heard that noise. Most beautiful sound I've ever heard. The baby was measured at 7 weeks, 1 day old. This is two days older than Adam and I had estimated, so our new due date is 14 June 2012. The doctor said everything looked great. I will go to the doctor every month for the next few months. After that we will move to once every two weeks, and then in the final countdown we'll move to once a week. I don't think we'll get other ultrasound until the 20 week mark at which point we will be able to find out the gender.

The doctor told me to continue my workouts, but just keep an eye on my heart rate, and she said I should probably think about taking spin class out of my weekly schedule. That will be a tough rule to follow, but I'm going to do whatever it takes for this little gummy bear. She said I should be gaining about half a pound a week right now, but once we move into the second trimester, it'll amp up to about a pound a week.

My next appointment is on 2 December, but that will mainly be to measure my belly and take my vitals.

Below is the first picture of Baby D. You'll quickly learn why Adam and I are  calling him/her a gummy bear! (The top of the image shows Baby D's head and the black shading on the top is the brain - looks pretty big to me!!!)

Baby D's First Picture

Baby D is 6 Weeks Old!

Baby D is 6 weeks old today! According to a weekly baby email I get:

Baby's now the size of a sweet pea! Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, and chin. Those little hands and feet -- still webbed like paddles -- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate. 

Wow!!

Still feeling great and loving life. Adam and I have been busy starting to cram on how to raise a baby! Last weekend we bought the double pack, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and What to Expect: The First Year.  Adam also got a special book on becoming a father and the baby's first three years. My eyes well up when I see him reading that book and marking it up with a highlighter! No doubt in my mind, Adam is going to be a top-notch daddy.

After our trip to the bookstore last week, we took a quick stroll down the baby aisle at Target and decided we had to buy just one pack of ceremonial newborn onesies! As my mother pointed out, it was hopeful of me to buy those, because if this baby is anything like me, she/he will need to go straight into 3 month old clothes... I weighed in at a whopping 10 pounds, 10 ounces! So we're going to hold off buying anymore newborn clothes until I get closer to the end of term when we'll have a better idea at the size of our little bean.

Will update again after our first ultrasound on Friday!

Baby Journal my parents sent

Adorable footie pajamas from my dear friend Chrissy

The ceremonial pack of onesies Adam and I bought. Soooo little!! :) 

Shhhh!!

One more thing - this blog is currently only for close family and friends. Adam and I aren't planning on announcing my pregnancy to the "world" until early December. So please, nothing on Facebook...yet. 

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!

On October 6, 2011 my life changed forever. I found out around 5:45 in the morning that I was going to be a mother. Adam and I always knew we wanted a family and when we moved into our new apartment this summer, we both decided it was time to start trying. After only three months of trying, we were able to conceive. The morning I took that fateful pregnancy test, Adam was still in bed. Like the couple months before, I figured this one would be negative too. Nonetheless, my heart was pounding and my hands were shaking watching the hour glass flash on the digital screen. In less than a minute the one word that has changed the rest of my life flashed on the screen…”Pregnant.”

My heartbeat grew faster and tears of pure joy started streaming down my face. I ran into our bedroom and woke Adam up in a frenzy saying, “I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!” We shared a beautiful couple of minutes together while Adam was still wiping the sleepy from his eyes. Somehow I was able to get in the shower and get myself to work that day. 
Fast forward a couple weeks and I am still in utter disbelief. I’ve never been happier and more excited in my life, but it still just hasn’t completely sunk in yet.

I’ve been to the doctor twice so far to get my HcG levels taken: 
The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (better known as hCG) is produced during pregnancy. It is made by cells that form the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall. Levels can first be detected by a blood test about 11 days after conception and about 12 - 14 days after conception by a urine test. In general the hCG levels will double every 72 hours. The level will reach its peak in the first 8 - 11 weeks of pregnancy and then will decline and level off for the remainder of the pregnancy.

My numbers came out beautifully! At 4 weeks, 2 days my number was 936. Just three days later it was 2792! They are increasing beautifully and I couldn't be more thrilled. 
My next appointment is on 28 October, the day before my birthday. At that point I will be one day shy of seven weeks pregnant. At this appointment I will be receiving my first ultrasound and Adam and I will be able to hear the heartbeat of our precious baby for the first time. I don't think I could have ever asked for a better birthday present.

I plan to document Adam's and my journey to parenthood to the best of my ability in the next 8 months.

A few questions you all may be wondering: 
1. What are you calling the baby? Right now we're calling the baby, Baby D. D is for Donat. :) 
2. When are you due? Our estimated due date is 16 June 2012!!! 
3. Will you find out the gender? Yes, Adam and I have decided that we will find out the gender of Baby D. We will know when I am between 20-28 weeks pregnant. We will let you all know! 
4. How are you feeling? I feel GREAT right now. No morning sickness or anything. I heard that all starts around 6 weeks, though, so I'm enjoying as much tasty food as I can right now. 
Here's to a healthy and happy 8 more months!!