Are you ready for 2013?

Have you watched the documentary film on Netflix called Vegucated? If you haven't I definitely encourage you to watch it. It may just give you a whole new look into your diet habits and where you get your food, meat namely. I personally have grown up eating most meats but prefer leaner meats like chicken and the occasional salmon dinner. After watching this film though, I have definitely taken a step back and am now thinking twice before I bring my fork and knife together to take a good solid bite of animal. Not to say that eating meat is wrong or anything...I do still eat it, however I think in general most people would say that they like to know where their food comes from. Most would say that they would like to eat healthier at the start of every new year. So here's my challenge for myself and my family and I hope you join in with yours.

Whether you are just looking to eat better or add a few more veggies onto your plate- I'm going vegan for 31 days, starting January 1rst. Please join us. Support is key in success, we can all vouch for that.
Many frown upon the idea of going meatless due to the fact that they have been raised eating meat. Meat that takes up more then half their plate. Many think that becoming a vegetarian or vegan is too restrictive and the food won't taste good. Heck I thought that. Well, my in-laws went vegan almost a year ago and opened my eyes to a world of GOOD plant based foods that I never dreamed would be satisfying and possible on one plate. Although I tasted many good dishes from them, I haven't made any real moves towards changing my personal eating habits. 1- being because I have always viewed myself as a "healthy" eater. 2-I am not over weight (my belly and thighs scream differently- but I'm pregnant...I have a GREAT excuse for now) (The ultra sound tech says, "You are very easy to scan, YOU are what normal is supposed to look like. *She got brownie points that day. Ha!) Okay back on topic- 3 I just didn't know if vegan was for me. Well after watching this documentary film about three people who are your ultimate MEAT eaters that all took on the challenge for the movie to explore becoming vegan and see the reality of the food system that the GIANTS control, shedding light on the twisted games they play knowing that those choices could cost us and our families in the end. Food should be protected and handled properly, before & after the slaughtering begins. So in conclusion to my "lesson of thought" today, watch the movie if you can and join me in the forces to eating more veggies and trying out the vegan lifestyle for 31 days. I will post meal menus for my week if that helps so that it takes the work out for you to search for those good meals. Most of which I have already tried and can say, "They are divine! and soo filling!". If you'd like more support  in this try checking out a good friend of mine who has also decided to take on the challenge (We chatted about this movie after I freaked out and told her to watch it..lol Then we decided to try the challenge) you can find Brittany by clicking on the link and see what she is up to in the vegan way.  (check out many other thought provoking docs on netflix too..."Forks over knives", "Pregnant in america","The beautiful truth", "The vaccine war", "Bag it", & "Chemercial: Redefining clean for a new generation".    

So I also wanted to take a moment and say something else and share some baby buys.
Can you believe 2013 is just days away? I feel like in a sense this year has taken forever. Dragging on for every painstaking second but looking back, its really gone fast. Here I sit pregnant with my rainbow who now only has 58 days til full term and has no longer that the first week of march to cook! I can't believe that the time is arriving to meet my sweet lil Joshua. I also look at this time and mourn a little bit...TanaLee isn't here. There is that gaping hole staring me back in the face. Time that has moved forward even when she isn't here. Time I can never get back. But I refuse to allow her to be forgotten. Joshua will grow up knowing that his big sister was here and made the hubs and I change for the better. We have drawn closer together as a unit and grown up as individuals for the purpose of the greater good, teaching others to LOVE stronger. Holding out hope that one day, loss will be unheard of and people will appreciate the life they have and those they share it with. Joshua now has two outfits that show that he is NOT our first baby...these outfits beg for Tanalee's name and life to be brought up. Not something to shy away from or be burdened to talk about. She was and is and always will be my daughter and first lovely child.

***If your interested in Cloth Diapering please feel free to ask me or refer to these three sites for info, coupons ect. Brittany's Vlog or Thanksmama or lastly Kelly's closet. ***

Yes, we are cloth diapering! Here's my stash so far.
Three sets of lil joey's All in 1 and four KaWaii baby with inserts.  

My Breast pump! Joshua's first suit, dino onesies, some footwear, cute bibs,
 Dr. Suess's, "Do you like green eggs & ham?" (the book is just some of the inspiration for my baby shower coming up!) 

Little Brother onesies to tell the world that Joshua is our precious second born. :)
The grey one is the outfit we plan to have him sport after leaving the hospital. The owl blanket is just an awesome buy I got last night at Babies-R-Us...cute huh?

What will 2013 bring? Time will only tell. Let's Blog on shall we?

Uncharted territory -breast pump- latest update

*written on 12/13/12, please excuse the fact that these pictures were taken today 12/17/12 and not back on 12/13/12 when this post was written but my camera needed new batteries...lol oh and yeah your looking at a just woke up photo op b/c I needed to update the blog with recent belly shots! So excuse the no makeup still in pj's look....just be happy my hair is some what fixed. :) *

Weeks in the nest: 26, 3 days (74 days to go til term!)

Pictures from 12/17/12 @ 27 weeks

Maternity clothes: Basically the only clothes I can wear at this point. Even some of my non-maternity tops show skin now- just long waist shirts still work. :)  *Grow Joshua, grow!*

Stretch marks: None yet, I have been using a great lotion from a local natural store- who knows if its really played a role. People tell me for being so far along I'm "small" or just gaining all baby. Ha! They haven't seen my mirror here at home that reveals so much fat ect growing around my legs ect. Plus Joshua is ahead on the growth chart. :)

Sleep: Hmm...a hard one to comment on. I get up at least twice in my night to have a potty break and usually by the second time up I struggle to get back to sleep. I need a pregnancy pillow but they are so darn expensive and in the next few weeks I probably wouldn't get much help from one anyway. ;p

Best moment this week: I'd say yesterdays Dr. Appointment was an all time great one. One for the books.
I will comment on why in a minute.

Food cravings: Its been sugary things lately...funny since most of this pregnancy sugar made me want to gag. I have been loving starbursts candy, Ghirardelli- milk chocolate peppermint bark, apple sauce, anything Italian...this one isn't new since I have always loved Italian cuisine.

Belly button: Flat? Its not in or out. Crazy thing is, if i'm in a flat position and then try sitting up on my own my middle belly (belly button area) will almost go cone shaped...lol freaks me out every time. blah.

Looking forward to: Getting my breast pump- Getting to 30 weeks so that my family feels safe enough to start planning Joshua's baby shower (details on that party will come once the real planning begins).

Okay so I promised I would talk about why yesterdays appointment was so fab!

So just a second ago I mentioned the breast pump...okay. Did you know that you may be able to get a breast pump for free or little cost to you through your health insurance? I didn't. I was reading a random forum and some women mentioned this...saying that all she had to do was get a Dr's prescription and bam she got one through her insurance. I decided to ask my Dr about this and come to find out, its TRUE. Plus I didn't have to wait until delivery day to place my order. So I called my insurance before leaving the clinic to see if I had this benefit. Come to find out, it wasn't covered through my maternity portion of insurance but was if I did what they call "Medical equipment claim" *usually used for things like a wheel chair ect*. My insurance says that as long as the hospital clinic puts in the order from the doctor, they could order it, and my insurance would pay 80% of the cost!!!! (That being because I had met my deductible) Thank you expensive medical cost to see a OB! Oh and its not just a crappy cheap end pump either...because its ordered from the hospital clinic it comes from where they get their medical equipment so its just under the hospital grade pumps. (Hospital grade pumps can't be sold to women like you and I apparently). I am getting a nice Medela brand pump with lots of extras...I only have to pay something like $40 out of pocket. Fantastic, right? Pumps are upwards of $300+ depending on brand and where you go. So those of you who don't have a breast pump and want one or are looking to breast feed, I encourage you to call your insurance you may find out its covered. :) If it's not there is still hope. You can go to the lactation department in the hospital that you plan to deliver ect and they can sell you one and set up payment plans...I believe they can even give you a discount in some areas because its not covered my your insurance. :) Happy pumping! lol

The other reason yesterdays appointment was so grand was because my urine dip was still clear of signs of preeclampsia and my blood pressure was even better then it had been in a while...lower...not that my BP and been out of the norm or anything but just lower. My Dr. believes my eating and exercising habits are really playing a key role in why things are looking so well at this point.  I am beaming because of such great reports. :) My next appointment is scheduled  to do the dreaded glucose screening (yucky sugar drink) and a growth ultrasound. Any guesses to how much Joshua will approx. weigh? Last time he was measured if you'll recall he was in the 60% and weighed nearly 2 lbs! Let's see how much he's changed huh?

Lastly,
I got a sweet new set of outfits (onsies) for my lil guy to sport.

til next time-