Week 7...

Your Size: Blueberry… starting to get bigger!

Your Due Date: It’s Official- November 12th

Maternity clothes? Still window shopping… and the pants are starting to get tighter for me!

Sleep: off and on due to having a cold

This Week’s Adventures: We got to not only see but also hear you heartbeat this week- It was amazing. Though this week I’ve had a truly horrible stomach bug and not been able to keep food down at all.

Miss anything? Lots of small things

Movement: not yet

Your Favorite Foods: Still the same- cheese and bread. Lots and Lots of cheese.

Anything making you queasy or sick: anything that I can smell. But hopefully the new anti-nausea medicine will change that.

 Gender: Still guessing a boy

 Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: New symptom this week- BIG Boobs!

Belly button in or out?  Button in, but belly out!

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: Most definitely Moody, a lot of crying. 

 Looking forward to: Our next ultrasound in 4 weeks! I should have taken the doctor up on letting me come in for another one again sooner than that!

Advice to my soon-to-be Baby:  Travel! I think everyone should travel the world and see exciting new places. And as much as I will never want my baby to leave home you need to live in different cities, and experience different cultures. Eventually you will find a place that will truly feel like home… though always know you will always have a place in our home!

 

 

Introducing Baby Poppy!

 

7 Weeks Young!

 

 

This week we were able to get the first glimps of Baby Poppy... now as much as every mom thinks her child is the cutests, I can totally admit that Poppy looks like a Gummy Bear about now! And Dan even thinks that it looks like there is a puppy dog hiding in our ultrasound. But that is our little Gummy Bear!!!! Everything is going great with Poppy, growing nice and strong. Measured at almost exactly what we thought, minus 2 days- 7 weeks and 5 days. We were able to here the heart beat for the first time during this visit too- which was amazing. It's one thing to be able to see the little organ pumping but it's another to actually be able to listen to it. Both Mommy and Daddy were amazed at our little one. Next appointment is schedule for 4 weeks from now, I don't know how we are going to wait ANOTHER 4 weeks to get our 2nd glimps of the little guy!

 

Week 6...

Your Size: Lentil
Your Due Date: November 12th

Maternity clothes? Nope

Sleep: off and on due to insane allergies. 

This Week’s Adventure: Early Early baby-moon at Terrenea in Palos Verdes. We did some hiking (really walking along the cliffs), ate lots of yummy food (hence the 5 pound weight jump this week), laid by the pool even though it was a tad chilly out but basically just a typical romantic stay-cation.

Miss anything? My waist, though technically not really the little guys fault.

Movement: none

Your favorite foods: Still the same- lots of fruit &n smoothies, cheese and bread

Anything making you queasy or sick: anything that I can smell, so see, or eat. Apparently this myth of “morning” sickness doesn’t really tell the truth- It’s all day and all night sickness!

 Gender: Still guessing a boy

 Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Unbelievable exhaustion, loss of appetite, morning queasiness that last all day, and an unreal rollercoaster of emotions.

Belly button in or out?  Button in, but belly out!

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: Still very very mood… your poor Daddy!

 Looking forward to: Your first ultrasound on April 1^st!

Advice to My Soon-To-Be Baby: Move somewhere warm. Winter is horrible! And we only live in Southern California where it’s still a pretty mild winter, but I miss the sun! And seeing as you are thriving with my daily walks I’m gonna guess that you will be a sun baby just like your Mommy.

   

Week 5...

Your Size: Sesame Seed... still so tiny tiny!

Your Due Date: November 12th

Maternity clothes? Not yet... but I have started some online window shopping. Summer Maternity clothes are actually cute!

Sleep: better since the dreams are a tad less crazy! 

This week’s adventure: The start of morning sickness- I’m taking that as a sign that you are healthy. Also this week’s misadventure- I’m miserable already!

Miss anything? I’ve been craving a beer all week

Movement: none

Your favorite foods: fruit, cheese and bread. Those are the only 3 things that I can keep down without being sick.

Anything making you queasy or sick: anything that I can smell

Gender: I’m guessing boy!

Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Unbelievable exhaustion, loss of appetite, morning queasiness, heartburn… all kinds of fun stuff- but all of that means you are growing nice and strong.

Belly button in or out?  Button in, but belly out!

Wedding rings on or off? on

Happy or moody most of the time: Most definitely Moody, a lot of crying. 

Looking forward to: Your first ultrasound on April 1^st!

Advice to my soon-to-be baby: No matter how old you are try to always keep the wonder of a child… spend your life enjoying all the little moments in time. It’s those little moments that are the best. For your Dad and I it’s the times when it’s just the 2 (and now 3!) of us and we can just relax and be silly and tune out the world. Sure big moments sure are important but it’s the little ones that keep you going!

 

 

Week 4...

 Your Size: Poppy Seed

Your Due Date: November 12th

Maternity clothes? Thankfully not yet!

Sleep: Very fitful due to crazy dreams & getting up at least 4 times a night to bee

This week’s adventure: Finding out that you are growing strong and fast right now! Your hormone levels are off the charts… apparently you are going to be one strong baby! Only downside is just the feeling of being nervous.

Miss anything? nope

Movement: not yet

Your favorite foods: Still nothing yet

Anything making you queasy or sick: not really yet, my appetite is down (YAY!)

Gender: Sadly won’t know for a long time…

Labor signs: No.

Symptoms: Insane Thirst, way too many trips to the restroom to count, vivid dreams

Belly button in or out? In!

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Mix between happy, moody and stressed.

Looking forward to: Your first ultrasound on April 1^st!

Advice to My Soon-To-Be Baby: Never give up hope. I read a quote a few months ago that really stuck with me “No matter how long the rain last, there will be a rainbow in the end. No matter how sad you may be, believe that happiness is waiting.” You are my rainbow baby, my happiness after the storm and proof that no matter how low you feel, you need to have hope that it will all get better. And sometimes you realize that you needed to have that low first in order to truly get your happy ending!!!!

 

 

Dear Poppy

 

Hello my growing boy or girl! Right now you are the size of a poppy seed so we have decided to nickname you Poppy. We are unbelievable excited but also really nervous and scared at the same time. This week we found out that our little family is going to grow by 1 little person in November. It was a bit of a shock! Although you were completely planned we only had the go-ahead last month that we could start trying again. And apparently 2 weeks after the doctor said we were good, we conceived you.  So quick! Apparently you were incredibly excited to meet us… so far everything is going very good. Your first hormone tests were off the charts. Such a different experience than last time, this time there is so much happiness involved. I’m gonna try and write to you each week to tell you all about what’s going on with us, though I’m sure that life will get in the way so it may not be every week but hopefully it will be more weeks than not. I do promise to take a million pictures to document this exciting next 9 months. Already I’m starting to feel some of the effects of having you growing inside me. I also promise to sing you lots of songs (many of them will be made up I’m sure) so that you have something to listen to while you are just hanging out waiting to meet us. But most of all I promise to always love you… even when you are a teenager trying my patience! This is going to be an exciting adventure, and I’m so happy you will be by my side experiencing it with me.

 

 

Gluten Free Coconutty Pecan Pie Muffins

 

Over the weekend I decided to play around with coconut flour, but in typical Nicole fashion I couldn't decide on one recipe so I mixed a couple together, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. What came out was actually amazing. And even more amazing it's completely grain, gluten and dairy free. In fact the only non-vegan part of it is the 3 eggs! So here is a moderately healthy take on morning muffins...

 

Makes 10-12 Muffins (depending on what size you want!)

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs

3 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed

9 Tbsp. Water
¼ Cup Coconut Oil or Applesauce
½ Cup Lite Coconut Milk
½ Cup Coconut Flour

¼ Cup Agave Syrup

½ Cup Chopped Pecans

½ Tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ Tsp. Almond Extract

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

¼ Tsp. Baking Powder
¼ Tsp. salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

-         Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-         In a small mixing bowl, mix together 9 tbsp. water and 3 tbsp. flaxseed. Let it sit for about 5 min, it should get a thick consistency.

-        Whisk eggs, flaxseed mixture, coconut milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, agave syrup and melted coconut oil or applesauce together.

-        In separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients (except for pecans): coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder & salt until blended. Once blended slowly mix into the wet mixture. Coconut flour has a tendency to clump so make sure it’s completely smooth.

-        Once smooth add in the chopped pecans.

-        Fill muffin tins about halfway. Coconut flour will stick onto paper muffin cups so I recommend using silicone ones- the muffin will pop out very easily!

-        Optional topping onto the muffins- sprinkle just a bit of brown sugar & additional chopped pecans on the top.

-        Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick into it without batter coming out on it.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS:

Per Muffin- If Using Coconut Oil:

Fat: 15.3 (13%), Calories: 183 (9%), Protein: 3.6 (7%), Carbs: 10.1 (3%)

Per Muffin- If Using Applesauce:

Fat: 7 (7%), Calories: 110 (6%), Protein 3.3 (6%), Carbs: 10 (3%)