Well, you guys have blown me away. The comments on this post literally brought tears to my eyes…I felt so much love. I want to say thank you to every single one of you who wished us congratulations (and I will get to it…). Obviously Kyle and I are beyond thrilled and it’s been sooo hard to keep this a secret (I’m shocked nobody was on to me earlier!). I will probably blog more about the earlier pregnancy stuff in time, but for now back to regular posting…
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Since we were away this weekend (upon which our true anniversary falls), we celebrated our two year milestone a weekend early.
We spent the day together doing errands, so romantic. The main task was getting me a new wardrobe. I’ve been slowly inching my way out of my old clothes and whining about it every step of the way. Kyle’s been a saint about listening to me, but I finally had to consent. The time had come…for maternity clothes. I’ve been resisting this step for a few weeks now.
Anyway, before I get into all that (there are so many emotions it’s impossible to know where to start), I’m just going to show my breakfast(s).
Iced tea with almond milk and watermelon. On the side, my constant morning duo of folic acid and DHA. [I do those in the morning because they are easier on my stomach…my prenatals are way worse and so I suffer through them with whatever my biggest meal of the day is. I hate hate hate taking them and basically dread the arrival of dinner time all day long.]
Breakfast number two came a while later. Vegan cinnamon roll with Earth Balance melted on top and two fried eggs.
A few people have commented on the [huge] increase in egg consumption. It was never a conscious decision in terms of adding protein into my pregnancy diet or anything like that. The answer is far more basic. I’ve become a savory morning person. It’s the one real food thing that has totally flip-flopped since becoming pregnant. I used to crave sweet breakfasts every morning – oats, toast with nut butter, anything in the pastry family – but eggs seem to be one of the only things that keeps my nausea at bay and satisfies my appetite.
Yes, I did have quite a bit of morning sickness during my first trimester. But that’s for another post (or not).
Anyway. On this particular day I woke up hungry, but not as starving as I usually do (which is why I was able to have watermelon as a first course and wait to have a more substantial meal later on). Most days I don’t have that luxury. I wake up haaaangry and I need to get food in me asap or I feel like I will seriously pass out. I get shaky and sweaty and dizzy almost instantaneously nowadays (realllllly annoying when I’m at work).
After breakfast we decided to hit up the brand new Target (city store) in Westwood. Their maternity selection was minimal, but I did find some stuff in the women’s section that could still work. Kyle was so patient as I tried one thing on after another…unable to recognize my own reflection in the mirror.
Whole Foods lunch break! Kyle got two different vegetarian pizzas. I got a vegan slice and green beans.
I had about half of each and saved the rest for my next mini meal. I get full so quickly, but I get hungry again very soon after. I’m basically a grazing cow (FYI, I’m the only person allowed to say things like that about myself).
After lunch we went to the Century City mall…for Macy’s, Gap, H&M, Bloomingdale’s, etc. Macy’s was the only success story. I’m almost embarrassed by my first reaction to seeing the maternity jeans (it was a look of disgust and horror), but I was definitely singing a different tune once I tried them on. Wow. For looking so funky hideous, they really were pretty awesome. They almost made me believe I was actually pregnant (I keep having periods where I am in disbelief about this whole thing). I got a few shirts too…I feel like they all make me look WAY more pregnant than I actually am, but whatever. I’m almost half way!
On the way home, Kyle got a cold coffee mocha whipped something or other from Peet’s (I looked on in longing withdrawal). I made a decaf iced coffee back at our place.
For dinner, we had a reservation at Fig & Olive. We’d been to the NYC location before and loved it, so for our first wedding anniversary Kyle’s parents gave us a giftcard for the new (at the time) Melrose location. The only problem was it became insanely popular after Obama went there during one of his LA visits. So we had a hard time getting in…until now, almost a year later, for our second year anniversary.
It is very big and spacious. And although it looks empty in this photo, it filled up pretty quickly.
We were seated in the back outside(ish) area. It had so many sky-lights I felt like we were outside, but I think we were actually technically indoors. Kyle went alcohol free with me.
After we had ordered, they brought us a selection of three olive oils with rosemary bread. This made us very very happy since there was no sampler to order on the menu (we were looking because the walls are covered in bottles of olive oil…what they are known for!). I can’t remember the specifics (we got a very detailed explanation on what notes of what are in each), but the closest was from Spain and the middle was from Greece. I liked them all. As well as the bread.
Crab cakes with a spicy mayo on the side.
I squeezed lemon over it. So fresh and crispy and well seasoned.
Kyle got a risotto with black truffles.
I got a salad plus three vegetable sides.
From front to back:
Sautéed spinach with figs and marcona almonds.
Grilled asparagus.
Mashed potatoes with chives.
All with the most delicious olive oil!
Unfortunately, the service was really horrible and these sides didn’t arrive until WAY after we got our main plates. Kyle was already done with his risotto. I felt bad for our waitress because she was seriously overworked, but we couldn’t even flag someone down to ask about the other dishes for a long time. Then, when they finally did arrive they were wrong (I wanted the roasted fingerling potatoes not the mashed potatoes). At this point, I was already full though, and didn’t want to wait another [however long] for the correct potato dish.
As you can see, the salad was not exactly a small portion (the dressing had dairy so I got it on the side and asked for olive oil as a dressing instead, which I never got). It was still delicious, but the poor service definitely took away from the meal.
Even though we never did mention the potato dish was wrong, the waitress was already so far behind that she gave us a dessert on the house to make up for the slow service.
It was a marzipan with olive oil ice cream and olive oil emulsion poured on top. It had orange slices and candied pieces of almond brittle on the side.
Considering this was a dessert I never would have ordered on my own, I was so pleased with it. Kyle pulled the ice cream portion to the side for him, and I ate the un-dairy-ified part of the marzipan. Wow. It was chewy and soft and sugary and wonderful. And the olive oil emulsion on top was really good too – lemony and light. I really love how everything you can do with butter, they do instead with olive oil. It’s great for lactose free people.
We got the delayed dishes boxed up to go and headed home to snooze. Spending all day with Kyle just makes me so happy…I could retire and do this every day.
I hear ya on so many things! I get full super quick so have to eat little and often. I think my torso and hips are small so everything’s getting squashed already!
It’s really weird seeing your body change isn’t it. I’ve been moaning about it, espesh as I’m in the I-look-fat-rather-than-pregnant stage. I’m still wearing my old, more roomy clothes for the most part. However, I have bought a pair of maternity jeans which aren’t too bad and have worn a couple of times. And I’ve been wearing maternity leggings (super comfy!) with my old dresses. It’s so difficult being in the inbetween pregnant stage as loads of the maternity clothes just look ridiculous on me right now.
I hate taking my prenatal vits, they make me feel so rough. My midwife said I can stop taking them for now and just take my folic acid, vit d and vit c. However, I think I may need to restart them soon 🙁
How I miss proper coffee…
Happy anniversary!
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I was nauseated throughout my entire pregnancy. I took a prenatal vitamin that had a separate DHA pill. What my OBGYN recommended was not to take the DHA pill and just the prenatal vitamin, which really worked for me and made me feel a ton better. Hopefully, your doctor has a recommendation that works for you.
In regards to maternity clothing, I found a lot of mine at JC Penneys and Motherhood Maternity. The jeans I purchased from Motherhood Maternity had a high-waisted pannel (sounds weird but it was so comfortable because they stretch with you as you grow) and I was able to wear them from 4 – 8 months pregnant.
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!! HOW DID I MISS THE NEWS?
CONGRATS HONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
🙂
what? no cute pregnant elise photo yet? hmph.
what a great guy Kyle is to go shopping with you:) I’m sorry to hear about the upset tummy troubles – hopefully it clears up soon! I’ve been to the Fig & Olive in NYC and the service was just the opposite! It was too fast! We felt they were rushing us through the meal to turn over the table. Oh well:) It looks like you had a delicious salad though!! 🙂 So so excited for you and Kyle! Have a great Monday!
GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i remember when you and kyle freaking got engaged! haha that is creepy i know but still i’m THRILLED yayy! CONGRATULATIONS MAMA!!!!!!!
Shouldn’t popular restaurants like this have better service?! Ahh so frustrating. But I always sympathize with the servers because I am one myself. And I know when you have a bajillion tables, it’s SOO hard to give adequate service, I always feel so bad! Anywho, at least the food was good?
Congratulations! I’ve only commented once before, but I read your blog everyday, and am so happy for you.
I have two kids (6 and 16 months) and can completely sympathize with the vitamin thing. With my first I tired every kind of pre-natal vitamin I could find, and could not keep one of them down. I ended up giving up after 5 months, since not one of them stayed in me long enough to do any good anyways.
I’m very excited to watch how your diet and meals are with a kiddo in tow. Our family has switched from full of meat eaters (with a large dose of vegetables) to pretty much vegan with in the last two years. It’s hard with kids. Especially when they start school and their lunches are “weird”.
I am so excited to keep reading your posts as they are so inspirational and encouraging. Thanks so much for taking time out of your (I’m sure exhausting) days to post for all of us to enjoy.
What a fun day! (those vegan cinnamon rolls are calling my name, btw) 🙂
Funny! My pregnancy cravings also moved from sweet to savory – I couldn’t get enough tomatoes!
Although… maternity jeans are awesome! My butt never looked better than in a pair of those. No idea why… but as you get bigger, that elastic belly is gonna feel sooooooo good. 🙂
Enjoy this time! And afterward, check out this blog by my good friend: http://dianaibclc.com/
thanks for the breastfeeding link! im taking all recs i can get so i really appreciate it.
i did find the maternity jeans to be quite flattering too actually…but im trying to stay in my old clothes (the bigger ones) as long as i can manage. 🙂
hi hollie! thanks for reading and saying hello. i have managed to trick myself into taking the prenatals with yogurt/hummus/oats/etc. basically anything soft that i dont have to chew and can swallow easily enough with pills hidden inside. i ditched the massive horse pills after i couldt possibly gag them down anymore (now i have petites which are small and i take three).
i have the same concerns about raising kids meat-less, but i am a long way away from that. dreena burtons posts have been helpful for me in that area. i guess only time will tell…
thanks julie!!!! 🙂
i definitely liked the nyc location more, but i went for lunch. we werent looking to hang around forever, so it was perfect. ah well.
ok ok its coming soon. hint: theres not much to show.
thanks suzanne!!! 🙂
thats so interesting. the DHA definitely doesnt bother me. nor does my folate. but i do want to make sure im getting all the b12 and iron and stuff in the prenatals so im just sucking it up. i figure it is one of several hundred sacrifices that goes with having kids…haha.
i got the maternity jeans with the really high stretchy fabric that goes over your whole belly. so far i dont really need it, but it was so comfortable when i tried it on, i can tell its gonna be awesome once i am rocking a big bump. ill have to check out motherhood maternity too.
the in between stage is the worst!!! i feel so big, but nobody believes me. and i definitely dont have enough of a bump yet to war maternity clothes…but at least i have them now for when i do. the jeans arent as bad as i thought theyd be since i found skinny ones. the certainly look bizarre on the hanger though.
i ordered leggings and maxi dresses that should arrive this week so those will also help get me though the second trimester.
in the meantime im definitely holding on in my bigger old clothes as long as possible…
coffee still repulses me 😛
I didn’t comment on the last post so congrats!!! Also, I have to say I was kind of suspicious about a month ago (I’m going to give my CNM student self credit for that), but then you hadn’t said anything so I decided maybe I was being crazy 🙂
Also, I had a baby in June and I feel your pain with feeling nauseous and tried at work. I was in nursing school during my entire pregnancy, and 12 hour + days on the floor were rough!
Kyle looks more studly now that I know he’s going to be a Papa Haha Before he just looked like a fun, good guy. And he looks very happy. Content. You, my friend, look gorgeous as always. I’m not seeing the glow just yet, but I’m sure its coming soon.
I guess we’re all about to find out if the baby has any weirdo 2am vegan cravings Haha Good luck finding vegan snacks in the middle of the morning
I had a love/hate relationship with maternity clothes with my first child. I was in that weird in between stage where nothing really fit and I just felt frumpy. I went to Motherhood and bought some really cute clothes that fit pretty well and I felt so much better. So for my next pregnancies I made sure to get some rockin maternity clothes, it’s worth the money if it makes you feel better. I found some cute capri pants from old navy maternity and they actually fit under your belly instead of going completely over your belly, I really liked them.
I totally forgot to say on the last post–Happy Anniversary!
congratulations to you- wishing you a happy healthy pregnancy. love your blog and happy you’ve shared your joyful news!! as a midwife i am especially pleased to learn from pregnant women on plant based diets. i live in a remote area and love sharing vegan food with my coworkers, especially the pregnant ones!!
best,
doe mora
Holy crap!!!!
Congratulations!!! I am so beyond excited for you and kyle!!
I’m thinking you may need to update the name of your blog now tho…. To hungry hungry hippiES now that kyle is veg and you’ve got one on the way 🙂
Is there such a thing as a liquid prenatal vitamin? I got an rx for liquid iron supplement from my dr cuz the pills made me yack no matter what and tho the liquid was funky i kept it down!
Out of curiousity, what do you mean when you say that the prenatals are “way worse” on your stomach? Does it make you feel nauseated/chest pain/stomach pains etc?
nauseated. its the iron. it does a number on me if i dont have enough food in my stomach. if i eat them with a decent sized meal its fine though. my biggest complaint is that they smell/taste like ass so i basically gag each time i take them.
but im pretty sure this is only a small sacrifice compared to the millions ill be making for the kid in the future 😉
hmmm…i never looked into liquid prenatals. i know there are gummies but they dont have iron, so i have to take that separately if i take them. also they dont feel “real” or as effective.
do you take floradix?
Anytime! I’m a huge proponent of breastfeeding – and very willing to talk about anything. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate. I come from a place of knowing that not everyone does it, but those who do need someone to talk to. I did it for 16 months despite a lot of resistance from friends & family, but I found a great community and even landed myself in the pages of a nursing clothing catalogue!
It took me a long time to show (I was well into month 6 before I had to expand the wardrobe) but I seriously loved those jeans!!
thank you!!!
thats so cool that youre sharing the vegan love…it always makes me happy when i hear about people in health care supporting patients with plant based diets.
thanks!
i just got a bunch of super cute maxi dresses in the mail today!!! so excited. the skinny maternity jeans i got are gonna be great once im ready for them….still not quite big enough for it, but ill happily wait until i am.
haha…youre hilarious. i just read kyle your comment 🙂
thanks so much katie! what clued you in back then? i was so surprised others werent onto me, but i did edit quite a bit out.
and holy crap! congrats to you! is this your first? how is everything going? did you have a boy or girl? have you decided what youre doing with nursing (the RN kind) yet? i cant even imagine doing nursing school while pregnant…that was an INSANELY busy time in my life.
i definitely 100% plan on doing it…ive heard its harder for some, but im determined. i am surprised you got so much resistance from those around you. but hey, now youre a model too!! ill be calling on you in february. 🙂
6 months?!?! oh man…i guess i have a while…
It shocked me too (the resistance), but I think it’s a generational thing.
Not to sound creepy, but I’m right around the corner, and will be SO happy to give all the support you need!
you are so awesome. i will totally reach out when the time comes 🙂 thank you!!!!
Anytime! I’ll be picking your brain about FODMAPs soon enough. 🙂
I have a feeling I’m going to be the exact same way when it comes to maternity clothes- I’ll put it off for as long as possible. haha. I’m glad you were able to find a few things that worked though. I’m sure you look adorable!
I don’t know much about pregnancy (seeing that I’ve never experienced it) but a lot of my friends had the same issues with food. They would get full after a few bites but were eating constantly throughout the day. So weird! At least your morning sickness has settled down some. (:
Gah- I’m just so excited for you two!
What a sweet hubby you have. I am just so happy and thrilled for the two of you. Sounds like y’all had such a wonderful and happy weekend together ((minus your dinner experience.. can’t win em all huh lol)).
Congratulations to the two of you!
And the picture of the three vegetable dishes made me soooo hungry – I would combine it with the crab cakes and call it a day… oh man. Btw – I hate bad service and totally get that this could ruin a meal even if the food tastes perfect.
i hope you continue to blog throughout your pregnancy! i can’t wait to follow your baby journey with you and kyle, so exciting! 🙂
I just did a quick google-ing and came up with one non rx by “natures made” And they listed a few others that are rx, so i think you should totally chat with your dr about which one has best mix of vitamins and iron that you need. I had to take the liquid iron a while back to correct my anemia but dont anymore. You just need a juice shot “chaser” 🙂
Congrats! 🙂
2 things:
1. are you prenatals whole foods based?
2. is the iron in them the “predigested” kind? I take Iron (from amino acid chelate), this type of iron is already a bit broken down, so it doesn’t do a number on your stomach and you can take way less of it. I’m anemic and my GI doc suggested I look for this type because I also have GI issues and basically couldn’t tolerate the regular iron. I take it in the Nature’s Way Women’s Multi (the one a day doesn’t offer this type of iron), I’m not sure that particular multi would fulfill all your prenatal needs, but it’s certainly worth looking into the iron.
Good luck!
I wasn’t totally sure, but your food seemed to change a bit and I always feel like you can tell a little bit when bloggers aren’t writing the whole story 🙂 Also you had that pregnant glow!
I have a boy and yup, he’s my first. My husband and I were told I couldn’t get pregnant (without IVF anyway), so I started an accelerated RN/NP program similar to what you did, and of course i got pregnant after my first quarter of the RN year. It was craaaazy. I actually had him my last week of classes and one of my professors made me go back for the last day of class three days postpartum. I had this summer off and then I start my masters in Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health NP in September.
ill do my best kayla 🙂
its such a bummer…totally ruins the thrill of going out 🙁 oh well…
thanks for the congrats!!
hes literally THE best. thanks jessie 🙂
it’s funny. reading this post actually made your pregnancy seem so much more real. we’ve been texting about it for weeks, but reading this really hit home for me. i get how you’re freaking out. i’m freaking out and I’M NOT EVEN THE PREGNANT ONE.
i can’t wait to come see you and your baby belly!!!
miss you. love you. xoxo
i still go into denial mode every once in a while…it just seems like i should see more evidence on the outside. but man, those ultrasounds BLOW MY MIND. that shit is REAL.
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