Her Tasty Life

I’m sitting here with the biggest smile on my face while writing this blog post… literally, it’s ear-to-ear. I think I’m more excited about sharing our pregnancy news than I am discussing food and shoes — and that’s saying a lot! But jokes aside, the past few months have been quite the interesting ones and, in case you missed it on social media, yes, we’re expecting!

We announced our pregnancy on New Year’s Day to such excitement and positivity, and it has been overwhelmingly heartwarming. So many of you are just as excited as we are. We were so worried about the accuracy of the drug test that we used to see whether I was pregnant, that we forgot to appreciate how truly special the moment would be. And it was. The test was positive, (like I secretly knew it would be), and I don’t think we’ve ever been happier. We were flooded with questions, well wishes, and advice, which during the height of my nausea and fatigue couldn’t have come at a better time. Seriously, you guys kept me going, and in a high frame of mind, and for that, a million thank you’s. It has meant so much!

We’re finally out of the dreaded first trimester – hallelujah! – and looking back, I’m quite proud I got through it without succumbing to too much preggo mama drama. I wanted to share some of the ups and downs based on the questions I was asked most frequently. For anyone who has been there before, I’m sure you can relate… and for any of you curious future moms-to-be, here is it told to you from 100% real point of view.

How far along are you? When are you due?

As I’m writing this, I’m 14 weeks in, and we’re due July 22nd (holler to any Cancer’s out there). I’m really excited to be a mom to a summer baby. As you know, our winters can be super brutal here in Chicago and being able to get outside with baby is going to be crucial to my state of mind. Going on walks in the neighborhood and hanging with the “cool moms” at the park is high on my priority list.

How have you been feeling? Any tips for sick moms-to-be?

Well, luckily, I’m (finally) feeling better now, but for two solid months I was feeling pretty damn bad. I got really nauseous and super tired, both at odd times of day. I’m still perplexed by the term ‘morning sickness’ because all of my nausea presented itself in the afternoon and evenings. From lunchtime on, I would feel like I was in the hull of ship, swaying back and forth. Ugh. It makes me sick just thinking of it. Lemons and sour things would help quell the nausea a bit – I was sucking on lemons by the truckload and also was a big fan of these sour fruit Preggie Pops. A lot of gals get on Diclegis, a morning sickness pill that your doctor can prescribe, but I’m weird about taking pills and just kept hydrated and stayed in the sour lane. LOL. No shame in going the medication route, it just wasn’t for me.

In the end, I wore my nausea like a badge of honor. I kept telling myself it was my body’s way of reminding me that huge things were happening inside and that baby was taking from me exactly what it needed. It gave me the strength to feel like I was giving something of myself to ensure baby was growing healthy and strong.

Any strange cravings? What are you eating?

Yes! Cravings aplenty, and mostly for fruit. Cold fruit! I was sticking strawberries in the freezer and apples in the fridge, I couldn’t get enough fresh fruit. Veggies (mostly avocados) and fresh salads were super appealing as well, I was eating lots of sliced cucumbers with apple cider vinegar and sesame seeds. Basically, I turned into a vegetarian. The thought of meat, chicken and fish was a huge turn off, so I would eat an apple and peanut butter for dinner and be totally A-OK with it. You have to listen to your body and eat what you can. If you thinks it’s going to make you feel better, anything in moderation is acceptable during this first trimester stage.

Are you still exercising?

I am. I’m working with a personal trainer twice weekly, and I’ve continued to frequent my spin studio, Flywheel, as the doctor said it was perfectly fine as long as I was listening to my body and not over-exerting myself. Since I’ve gone to Flywheel for years, my body is accustomed to it and exercise all the way through month nine is encouraged — it’s just important to stay at a consistent level. If you’ve always been a runner, go run! However, starting a new workout program or class that you’ve never done before during your first tri isn’t a great idea – talk to your doctor before going nuts on Zumba or group exercise if that has never been your thing.

Is Eric excited? How has hubby reacted?

Eric is beyond thrilled (and maybe a little freaked out — well, we both are) and has been a really helpful husband thus far! He is attending all of my doctor’s appointments with me and never throws me any side-eye when I ask him to grab me another apple out of the fridge or when I can’t stay awake for anything we do together. Our typical hectic life pace has slowed considerably lately and Eric has been right by my side to encourage me and assure me this new phase is wonderful, magical and just as it should be. I worry sometimes that this feels boring or “not fun” for him and he’s been awesome about finding cute activities for us to do together at home (like attempting to complete a 2,000 piece puzzle which I also mostly slept through – LOL). A solid partner is so helpful during the first tri, I couldn’t have survived it without my guy.

Do you know what you’re having?

Ah, huge question! And yes, we do! You’re all getting the exclusive here… we are having a BOY! I was able to find out fairly early via a blood test (it’s called the informed pregnancy screen for those of you wanting to know) and we’re over the moon to be having a little man. There were other ways we were considering finding out the gender of our little boy, such as the prenatal gender DNA test Australia offer. They use this special DNA testing technology to determine the gender in as little as seven weeks’ time! No blood testing required either, however, this wasn’t necessarily something that bothered me so instead of waiting for this home testing kit, I went to our local clinic. Mini Eric! I just can’t wait to meet our little gentleman this summer.

How do you think the blog will change now that you’re a mom-to-be?

Honestly, not too much. When you have a primarily lifestyle-focused blog, the goal is always to chat with you about everything! Food, fashion, travel, décor, and now how to balance it all and be a mom. The staple topics will all still be here and will continue as my main focus — I’m not turning into a ‘mommy blogger’, promise! I still do hope this new journey will be interesting to you. Dressing a burgeoning bump will certainly pose some hilarious challenges, I’m sure. And will I still be in those Louboutins at 30 weeks? Stay tuned to see.

I think that wraps up all of the questions for now. If I didn’t cover anything, hit me up in the comments below, I love sharing with you and am so excited for what’s to come!

Pregnancy announcement photography courtesy of: Erik Marthaler @erikmarthaler