Our Vegan Pregnancy

The Fountain Effect...

2012-01-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

Lucas taught Astral and Defy to toast! Cheers to the kale juice!!!

January has been a month of many new adventures in the lives of Astral and Defy, our 22 month old big boys. With the promise of a new year we expected many changes, but not this fast. Within the past month our guys have started making sentences and communicating more clearly. We have always been conscious of our behavior and actions in front of them, but now we realize that even little things that we say are being totally absorbed. For instance, whenever the boys eat a meal Star and Sunny, our canine companions, wait to gobble up any food that is dropped. We have no problem with that, we love them being instant little vacuum cleaners. Sometimes they get overly excited and jump up on the chairs and scratch at the boys’ legs and feet to try to get a hard-to-reach morsel of delight. I have found myself saying “go away” on occasion and had never thought anything of it. Well…until a couple of weeks ago when Astral and Defy started saying “go awaaaaay”. Where the hell did they learn that? They don’t watch television, go to daycare or a babysitter. After thinking about it, I realized it was me! They picked it up from the mealtime chaos of two toddlers and two doggies! I now try to choose my words even more carefully,no matter what the situation.

Along with clearer speech and an extensive toddler vocabulary Astral and Defy absolutely love to sing! They are seriously entertaining and really feel the music. They try so hard to carry the tune. I think we might have two little singers on our hands! They also love to dance and have the best and most randomly creative moves ever. They just need one more member to form their own little punk band…

Potty trainings is going very well. We introduced the potty early on to make them feel comfortable and to ease the transition. Astral and Defy currently wear diapers during naptime, bedtime and when they go outside. They use their potties the rest of the time. We have a bunch of organic training pants, but realized that they posed a problem, a problem we’ve coined as the “fountain effect”. Astral and Defy pee standing up and daddy taught them how to pull down their training pants to go to the potty, but sometimes they have a problem with pulling them down properly, so we end up with pee going straight up in the air. Not a fun clean up but worth a chuckle or two after the fact…

The cutest thing happened two nights ago. Lucas went in to check on the boys during the night. He didn’t see Astral in his bed and after looking around for him in the dark, he found him cuddled up in Defy’s bed. It was super adorable. We knew this would eventually happen. We’ve read and heard many stories from other twin parents about their sets sleeping together. We wonder if they will choose to sleep together often; they haven’t since that first time.

Over the past month we have had our fair share of the usual bumps and bruises that come along with twin toddlers. Astral scraped his back after falling from the handlebars of our treadmill. They are always scaling something and I always tell them when they are at the top of a rock climbing wall at the park or any appropriate climbing apparatus that they are “AMAZING”. I turned my back for like one second while in our bedroom and I hear “AMAZING” in the sweetest little voice and then a big CRASH! Again…they are such sponges! Thankfully he was okay and there was no permanent or severe damage. They are such stealth little danger twins. Lucas and I need another pair of eyes in the back of our heads and an extra hand or two each. EVOLUTION…

Lucas took the guys to their first stay-at-home dads’ play group yesterday. There were around 30 dads and many children. It was such a great opportunity for Lucas to mingle with other dads that understand and can relate to his lifestyle. He’s come along with me to a couple of the mommy playgroups I belong to, but I rarely get to attend since I work outside of the home fulltime. He had been hesitant to go to them without me because he just wasn't sure if the moms would feel comfortable with some dude hanging around, cramping their all-mommy style! We are very fortunate to live in an area with plenty stay-at-home daddy support. Now if only we could find a vegan stay-at-home dad playgroup. Ahhh vegan parents can dream, can’t they…

all photos are Astral Defiance and Defy Aster at 22

The Writing Is On The Wall...

2011-12-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

21 Months

We are moving toward a new year and our future as parents of two, two year olds. Our little guys are quite expressive artistically and love drawing and coloring…especially on walls and other surfaces not quite meant to showcase the work of a toddler! We always redirect their creativity to paper (to their joint disappointment), but they always try a sneak a scribble or two on a wall, cabinet, or piece of furniture. Maybe they are just budding graffiti artists!

Their language skills are developing rapidly. They try to repeat what people say much more and have eased up a little on the baby talk. Recently, we pulled out the camera to take a picture of them and asked them to smile, and they both kept saying “my-allll”. They say it all the time now, usually coupled with an over-the-top, tooth-filled smile. They are now calling out for one another by name, especially if they are in separate rooms and often when one wakes up from sleep and the other is still snoozing. So sweet!

Every once in a while, when the weather is not suitable for outside play and when daddy can stomach it, he takes the boys to an indoor play area in a huge nearby shopping mall. Daddy is usually a little grumpy when he has to venture into a church of hyper-consumerism, but this play area gives the boys a chance to meet other children and expend some energy, so he tries his best. Recently, there have been live musical events for the holidays so daddy has taken them a little more frequently. On previous occasions Astral and Defy have refused to dance in public, but those days are long gone and they’ve been thoroughly enjoying showing off all their amazing dance moves. Clearly vegan babies are the best dancers!

Astral and Defy are eating really well and growing strong. They still love their green juices and smoothies, especially ones with avocado. Last week I made my first batch of homemade granola with oats, buckwheat flour, walnuts, raisins, coconut flakes, and maple syrup, and it was a big hit! They (daddy included) ravenously devoured the first batch and whined for more.

granola made with vegan love

We wanted to get one more post in for 2011! Short and sweet! I can’t believe it is going to be 2012 in a few hours. Having children seems to make the time fly by faster than ever. Hopefully the new year has great things in store and more people will be inspired to end animal exploitation and become vegan!!! Happy New Year...

The Perfect Circles…

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

The so called “terrible twos” are fast approaching, though at times it seems like this stage already started a while ago! Astral and Defy will be 21 months in a couple of days and they are constantly entertaining and terrifying us at the same time. They are super funny and already show promise of great senses of humor. They are also little dare-devils and seem destined for a future of professional skateboarding (daddy would love this) or stuntmen! There is no holding these two little guys down. They know how to get out of anything that confines them, including tightened car seat straps and booster seats. One minute they’ll be eating at the table and the next they will be standing on top of the table dancing. Super cute, but super dangerous as well!

We have two budding artist who proudly know how to say and indentify all of their basic colors and shapes. They've recently moved on to drawing perfect little circles and they’re working on hearts and straight lines! We have some pretty strong "artist genes" in the family so maybe they will inherit the talent.

They continue their love for books and can sit and listen intently, completely engrossed by a story. Their attention spans are great for their age. They enjoy going to the library, and as soon as we walk in the doors they are so excited they can’t help but scream, “BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!” while running toward the shelves. They don’t even wait to get to the kiddie section, sometimes they choose the most ridiculous non-children books! So cute!!!

The weather has been really nice and has allowed lots of playtime outside with just hoodies and not big bulky coats. I am sure that will be ending soon, but we are thankful while it lasts. Astral and Defy have been having so much fun playing with leaves this season. They love to roll around, bury themselves, gather and throw all the beautiful fallen leaves. Snowsuits are ready to be broken in with the first big snow, which will be a new adventure for our little boys.

Potty training is going great at full speed ahead! We are researching organic training pants right now for the next phase. We are so ready to retire their cloth diapers because cleaning them is every bit as pleasant as it sounds. Astral peed standing up last week, which they both have been doing for a while, but this time (GASP) he didn’t get any pee on the floor, it all went right into the potty. Totally perfecting his aim! LOVE IT!

The boys continue to eat pretty well and are still devouring their green juices and smoothies. Their favorite snack right now is nori (seaweed). They can’t get enough of the stuff. We love pulling out their healthy snacks at the parks and play dates and telling people about our vegan family.

The 20th month of Astral and Defy’s life, like every other, has passed by in what seems like a blink of an eye. Every time we meet another twin mom or dad, they always say the same thing: “it gets easier”. Just last week a mom was jogging by at the park and she yells out without stopping, “It gets easier…I have 7 year old twins”. Raising twins hasn’t been easy, but it isn’t as hard as people make it seem. Maybe because we had twins in the first round and we don’t know how easier the experience would be with a singleton. I think it gets easier for all parents as children grow and mature. Having twins may actually be easier at times because they have a fulltime partner to play and laugh with. They can entertain one another while lunch is being whipped up or while the floor is being swept. Even if it does get easier, I don’t really care, I’m all about relishing the now. Even when there is a tantrum and bodies fall dramatically to the ground, I cherish every second. I know one day Astral and Defy will be grown up and I will wish I had just one more love-filled toddler cuddle or high-pitched, squealing tantrum. When we decided to have children the last thing we thought was that it would be easy…

All photos are of Astral and Defy at 20 months old

Our Happy Little Helpers...

2011-10-31T17:52:00.000-07:00

riders...

watching the planes take off from National airport at Gravelly Point

We are entering the 20th month of Astral and Defy’s lives full speed ahead (in only 3 days)! Our shining twin stars are becoming quite the little helpers. They follow direction so well (when they want to) and really enjoy helping with little chores around the house. They love stuffing the laundry into the washing machine or drawers, sweeping, loading the dishwasher, wiping things down with a cloth and picking up their toys/books. We sing them a little clean up song for motivation, which they're totally in to. They often put all their books back on the shelf and all their toys where they belong only to throw them all back on the floor upon completion. They seem to get more joy out of destroying a room than cleaning it and I’m sure that will continue for some time...

Astral and Defy do occasionally fight over a book or toy but mostly they cooperate with one another and help each other out. If one guy has a toy or book he wants to make sure the other one has a toy or book too. If one of them is upset then the other one will often try to make him laugh. I mentioned in the last post that they were sitting on booster seats at the dining room table and that they could already unlatch themselves and get down. Now when one gets down he will unlatch the other guy so that he can "escape" too! Talk about brotherly love...

Astral Defiance

Defy Aster

Observing their evolution into little people is just indescribable. I could call it amazing, astonishing, remarkable, but none of those words do it justice. Watching their development is a lesson in humanity and reinforces our choice to live a vegan life and share this vegan life with them. Human children are so compassionate, empathetic, and seem to naturally love animals. Most parents nurture that love even as they set a piece of nonhuman animal flesh or a cup of stolen mammary secretions on their children’s highchair trays, beginning their lives as unwitting animal exploiters. Astral and Defy really do love animals. They absolutely adore our companions Star and Sunny, although we are not sure the feeling is always mutual. They also love all the animals and insects they see in nature and are so interested yet gentle when they come across them. They thoroughly enjoy matching animal noises to pictures of animals in their favorite books. I just can’t imagine them making cute piggy noises then letting them shove “hot dogs” down their throats at lunchtime. So many people claim that it is, or would be, “hard” to raise vegan children, but to us it would be so much harder to outright lie to them and break their trust after encouraging them to “love” animals.

The fall weather has been extremely beautiful, but is quickly becoming quite cold and crisp. We had our first snow this past weekend. It wasn't much, but it marked the beginning of brisk and cold bundle-up weather. Astral and Defy are still getting used to their winter coats and aren’t quite fans yet. Virginia is so beautiful in the fall and we’ve been taking advantage of the spectacular scenery. I’m so excited for them to play in the snow this year! They are going to love it!

Great Falls

They are doing quite well with potty training and they are “going” in their potties a couple times a day and sometimes more (and sometimes less). They are still sleeping in their rooms alone for the most part. Their speech is getting clearer and they are adding more words every day. They are learning their colors and shapes and surprise us every day with what they know.

kamut and corn puffs with bananas, kiwi and raspberries

Astral and Defy’s hair is really growing in now. It’s so curly and cute; they might actually need a little taming trim soon. Astral’s hemangioma on the back of his neck is going down (involuting) a lot, which we were told would probably start to happen around 18 months. Their appetites and bodies are growing like weeds, their favorite shoes are getting too small and they are wearing 24months-2T clothing.

Astral and Defy have taken us on quite the adventure for the past 20 months. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been wonderful despite the lack of sleep and endless responsibilities that come with the territory of parenting twins (and parenting in general). Hopefully they will continue to have a desire to help out in life. Each day we try to ensure that they will continue to be creative, imaginative, and intelligent little people. Our lives have changed so much, but we have yet to experience anything as rewarding as being their parents. We used to be on our own time and could be completely selfish if we chose to be. We now know the true meaning of being self-less…

after nap fist bumping

LOVE

Protein, Potties and Peaceful Sleep...

2011-09-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

18 month photos

Another whirlwind month in the journey of raising vegan toddlers! The boys are 18 months old for another couple of days, and there have been many exciting transitions during this pivotal month.

Astral and Defy had their 18 month well baby check up (their first visit to the Dr. for any reason since they were 12 months). Their pediatrician said they were doing EXCELLENT! I had been worried because they had not been eating as much as usual, but the doctor said they were both really healthy weights and there was no reason to be anxious. Pediatricians aren’t nutritionists, and as supportive as our doctor has always been of raising the boys on a vegan diet, she never ceases to amaze us with her questions and concerns. While discussing all the nutritious foods the boys eat she asked, "so what are their protein sources?" Lucas and I just paused a second, shot each other a quick look, and continued slowly naming all the foods they eat. It seems like most people just automatically assume you can only get sufficient protein from animals and their bodily functions, and doctors are no exception. I mean seriously, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, BEANS, NUTS, LEGUMES, SEEDS, GRAINS (virtually all plant foods) are all sources of protein, people!!!!!

What Astral and Defy ate for dinner one night this week:

adzuki bean cutlets

mashed red skin potatoes

kale, bok choy, romaine hearts, flax seed oil smoothie

coconut milk yogurt with fresh strawberries

banana slices with peanut butter

Does this meal lack sufficient protein??? I think not!!!

And every visit she brings up concerns about B12 although we tell her every time that the boys receive a weekly oral methylcobalamin spray supplement in addition to all the fortified coconut milk and nutritional yeast they consume daily. She seems to think that just by being vegan they are at risk of B12 deficiency. Nope, they're no more at risk than anyone else, thank you! We're happy she's concerned but it is getting rather annoying.

Astral weighed 27 lbs 13 oz and Defy weighed 26 lbs 11 oz, they were both in the 50-75th percentile for weight (not that we give a flying crap about those statistics, but just to give people out there an idea they might be able to relate to). As for height I don’t remember off hand how many inches they were, but the pediatrician said they were very tall and the exact same height, coming in at the 90-95th percentile. They’ve come a long way from those delicate little infants that we could hold in the palms of our hands. We don’t go back to the doctor for another check up until they are 2 years old.

I have been so excited to announce that DnA officially sleep alone in their rooms in their own toddler beds!!!! We started by weaning them off of night nursing (so emotional for me) with Lucas going back to being the one that comforts them during the night if they wake. Once my boobs and I were taken out of the equation the boys started sleeping better and for longer stretches of time. It has been about 2 weeks, and every night gets better. If they happen to cry out during the night Lucas goes into their room and rubs their backs until they go back to sleep. At times he still ends up falling asleep in there with them for a little while, but mostly they are on their own. They sleep at night from around 9:30pm until about 8:30am. Nice!

So now that we have our room and bed back Astral and Defy have decided that their nice afternoon naps of about 2.5 to 3 hours should be slashed to a short 30-45 minute nap. Lucas would use that time to get things done around the house, wash the cloth diapers, exercise, read, prepare food, and on the rare occasion relax, but now he basically has no time to do anything. Hopefully, this is just a phase. These kids just have so much powerful energy.

As far as nursing goes, I am down to nursing the boys once a day during the week and twice a day on the weekends. I usually nurse them right when I get home from the office. I still cherish that mommy/baby time with them. I don’t know when I will completely wean them, but I am pretty sure I will just let them naturally lose interest as they are already beginning to do.

They are doing so awesome with potty training and already try to pee standing up! They have a new thing they do where they refuse to keep their diapers or pants on. We let them run around naked when it is time to try to use the potty, but they want to be naked all the time. I wouldn’t have a problem with nakedness, but it equals pee and sometimes even poop on the floor and that just gets to be a big stressful mess! I don’t know what other people have done about their own diaper bandits, but any advice is appreciated. We’ve tried the backwards diaper thing and keeping pants on them, but they still know how to rip off the diapers and the pants! One day this past weekend I think I put their diapers back on almost 15 times in like 5 minutes. Talk about DRAINING!!!

Another messy but less annoying change for the boys is that they are now sitting at the dining table with us. We are so thankful that their appetites seem to be back on track. They joined us at the “big kid table” only a few days ago and they seem to really love it. Their highchairs have been retired as highchairs. Not only are they made of recycled materials but they also transition into little toddler desk/chair sets, so they will still be of use. Astral and Defy have already figured out how to break free by unstrapping themselves from their booster seats, so keeping them distracted during meals is very important. They are still the most dangerous tiny twosome around. Sometimes we feel like we are watching a toddler version of the show Jackass with the gnarly stunts they pull, only Astral and Defy are actually interesting and fun to watch. They play off of one another jumping, rolling and swinging off of anything and everything.

Our guys are continuing to add more words to their vocabulary, this week they both said Tofu in their adorably angelic little voices! They are learning to indentify objects by their colors and to point out the numbers 1-5 in pictures. They are perfecting their fine motor skills and really try hard to use their fingers to represent the numbers, but so far have only mastered 1, 4, and 5, though 2 is right coming along.

We continue to be thankful every day to have the opportunity to witness these two phenomenal beings grow into the people they will become. We learn so much from them and for them every day. Being a parent can be the most challenging and the most beautifully rewarding part of life at the same time. We still think back to when we thought that we were having one child. We had no clue what the future had in store for us at that time, and the same is still true…

Natural Disasters, Kisses and Fist Bumps...

2011-08-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

17 months old
Wow…that was fast! It’s almost September which marks the half birthday of our teeny-tiny twosome Astral and Defy! The boys will be 18 months old in a couple of days! That’s a year and a half and also only 6 more short months until they are 2…

This has been quite an exciting month. We’ve had family visit from the Midwest, an earthquake and a hurricane of sorts. Astral and Defy would have slept through the earthquake if it wasn’t for daddy yelling an expletive when the house started shaking. They went right back to sleep though and had no clue what was going on. Fortunately everyone was fine and only a few things were broken from falling off of shelves, etc. I was at lunch with a colleague in Arlington, and it actually took a while before we realized it was a natural disaster rather than a man-made one. People in the DC Metro area are somewhat paranoid…talk about PANIC. When we got back to the office, the building had been evacuated and people were just beginning to roll back in.

This past weekend hurricane Irene made her debut, but didn’t really hit our area badly (yeah…no coast here), but since the media hyped it up people were running around, frantically clearing grocery store shelves, and preparing for the apocalypse. We had a lot of rain, some high winds but thankfully no power outages in our neighborhood. Tree branches were everywhere, but besides that no other sign of a hurricane.

Cafe Green - Duk Bok Gi, Jobche , Quinoa Burger, Chocolate Shake and Spicy Green Juice w/ Organic Vodka

Lucas and I have been together for almost 10 years and this month celebrated our 5^th year of marriage! We worked together when I was an undergraduate and our first date was a keg party the day after Valentine’s Day. After that one night we were inseparable! We celebrated a nice dinner out with just us for the first time since I was hospitalized for strict bed rest at 28 weeks pregnant. It was so weird not having the boys with us, since we’ve chosen to do a more attachment style of parenting. Lucas' family was in town and took care of the boys while we were out. We dined at this great 100% vegan restaurant in DC, Café Green. The food was ridiculously delicious!

Astral and Defy aren’t eating as much as usual right now. We’ve been assured that this is a normal phase that many toddlers go through. They will eat all the fruit you can put in front of them, but are pretty picky with their other usual favorites. Thankfully they still love their smoothies and green juice, so we pack them full of green veggies, legumes, seeds, flax oil and other fats like olive oil or avocado. I am still nursing, and they also drink about 20 plus ounces of enriched coconut milk a day. Star and Sunny are enjoying this phase because they get all the rejected food that Astral and Defy throw on the floor, but mommy and daddy aren’t quite as happy about it!

the tofu scrambles they took a few bites of and then fed to the pups

They are talking so much more now; they basically mimic whatever we say (if they are in the mood) in their baby talk language of course. It is so cute to hear their little vocal cords at work. They are starting to say the names of people which is totally heart melting.

They’ve recently mastered the fist bump. A few weeks ago a cousin tried to give them a fist bump instead of a high-five. No one had tried it before and ever since they’ve been fist bumping. Defy just holds his fist out to everyone he meets. It is super freaking adorable. I am sure there’ll be many secret handshakes in their future.

Astral is our stubborn boy and really won’t do anything by request right now; they’ve traded personalities yet again. He will look just look at us like, "yea right", and continue doing whatever he was doing (so like mommy). Defy will shower us with kisses, but a kiss from Astral is a rare and beautiful little treat. Defy actually kisses everything from the phone while talking to one grandma or another to illustrations in his books. Speaking of books, they are such little book worms! Sometimes when you walk into the room they will just be sitting right next to one another, each with a book on their lap. They’ll be side by side, intensely eyeing the pages like they are reading about some complicated theory, then all of a sudden they’ll switch books and continue "their studies". It’s just too much!

They also love to draw, color, throw balls, run from one end of the room to the other (sometimes high-stepping), and ride their tricycles. Their feet can almost reach the pedals on their tricycles. The packaging said they were made for 3 years and up, but I think they’re almost tall enough to get cruising on their own.

Timing is always a challenge with multiples when there is one parent on duty, but today everything ran smoothly and Lucas was able to take them to their first baby concert this morning. They love music and dancing so we thought they might enjoy it. They weren’t at all thrilled with it; Lucas enjoyed it way more than they did. They didn’t dance as expected and Astral only clapped once. Yes, just one single clap. Defy cried a bit and they hung really close to daddy the entire time. They are off and on when it comes to large crowds. They each seem to prefer their brother over any other playmate, which is normal with identical twins.

Astral had his first splinter on Sunday and we had to remove it with tweezers. It was a two person job and was just awful. Astral is also the same little guy that a couple of weeks ago took a spill down some concrete steps out in the neighborhood and scraped his little nose and upper lip area. It was so terrible! It bled a little and then looked raw for a week or so. It is healing up nicely, but is still pinkish. This happened while I was at the office, but if I was there at the time I’m sure I would have panicked and unnecessarily rushed him to the ER (another reason Lucas is a great choice for the stay at home parent). This little injury happened as a result of a new found independence. He wanted to hold the handrail on his own and walk down the steps like a big boy. It is super hard to know that letting go may equal falling down at times, but we realize that we just might have to let go in order for them to go for IT…

16 months old

1,2,3 JUMP...

2011-07-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

16 months old

15 months old

Yes, the neglecting blog guilt has set in and I am racing the clock to get a July post done. The boys just settled off to sleep after a wilder than usual bedtime routine of dancing and jumping off of beds like the little daredevils they've come to be. Needless to say their bedtime seems to be getting later and later with the sudden burst of joyful energy that happen in the evenings. They wear us out, but we enjoy every second of life with Astral and Defy. Thankfully I have a few moments to spare to catch you up on our lives, with the hopes of more time in the next week.

So Astral and Defy are now 16 months, though in just 3 days they will be 17 months old. Since our last blog we flew out to the midwest for a visit with Lucas' side of the family, when the boys were still 15 months. It was a wonderful trip and it is always great to spend time with our loved ones that we don't get to see as often as we'd like. The flights there and back were quite awful to say the least.

Everything started out well on the way there, until we were in the air for a while and both boys started to cry hysterically at the same time for what seemed like the longest 15-20 minutes of our lives. The guy sitting next to me got up and walked to the front of the plane while rubbing his temples. Nothing worked to soothe them, holding them together or apart, snacks, toys....NOTHING! We had totally become "those people" times 2!! Then suddenly they just stopped and were happy little guys the rest of the trip.

On the way back the entire trip was horrendous. We got stuck in a longer than usual security line and DnA cried the entire time. Lucas and I were both sweating and almost in tears by the time we finally got through. They didn't fuss much on the plane, but of course the unthinkable happened upon arrival back home. THE AIRLINE LOST OUR FREAKIN' LUGGAGE. Of course we didn't know they lost it at first, we waited forever at the baggage claim and as the minutes passed Astral and Defy became more and more agitated. Who could blame them, we were all exhausted and ready to be home!!! Once I realized it was never going to come around on that damn carousel we went to make a report . Of course, they had no explanation as to why our luggage hadn't arrived and promised to have it delivered within 24 hours. That 24 hours turned out to be more like 48 hours, but oh well at least we were home. Traveling with twin babies or toddlers in no easy feat and we hope to avoid it for a while. While we planned to travel to Europe with the boys before they turn 2 to visit family, that plan has been totally scrapped for a couple of years AT LEAST! We need to keep our sanity...

Lucas assembled the boys' cribs into toddler beds a couple of weeks ago and we are transitioning them slowly but surely from co-sleeping. We are currently sleeping in their room with them while they get used to sleeping on their own. They are so cute in their big boys beds.

Astral and Defy have a new skill: JUMPING. They love to jump off of things, especially their toddler beds. It is so scary how dangerous they are, but they will stand on just about anything and jump off. While amazing to watch, with each landing bump I think I lose a year off my life.

Their communications skills are fabulous and improve every day. They can say many words new words, the newest being airplane and bunny rabbit. While we are cherishing every stage of their life, this has to be the most exciting. Being able to communicate through language will bring our fun to a whole new level!

The boys are eating everything now. If it's vegan, organic and a whole food they've probably tried it! Their most recent favorites are cherries and nectarines.

The summer is in full effect here and days have been filled with parks, pools and play dates. Some days are so hot that Lucas has to find indoor activities to keep the boys busy. They've been enjoying the library, though last week when Lucas took them to their first story-time (children's book reading) they absolutely hated it. Perhaps it was the non-vegan story about cooking eggs. You just never know with toddlers...

Happy 15 Months to Astral and Defy…

2011-06-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

Today Astral Defiance and Defy Aster turn 15 months old. They’ve come a long way since they were born at 5lbs 13oz (D) and 6lbs 8oz (A). We have their big 15 month check up next week. We can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown in the past 3 months.

After reading my last post I started remembering things that I failed to mention about the guys, so I thought I’d do an additional quick post. Wow…I know, 2 posts in 1 week!!!!!

I stopped pumping about 2 weeks ago. I started it off with a trial run the first week to see if I could get through the day without too much pain, pressure or leaking and it all went very smoothly. I nurse the boys in the morning, right after I get home from work, at bed time and during any times they wake up in the middle of the night. Thank goodness everything seems to be working fine. I love the connection I share with Astral and Defy when nursing and I don’t intend on stopping any time soon, but I am so glad that I don’t have to carry that bulky pump around with me anymore. They also get plant milk, water and green juices throughout the day. Their favorite plant milk is fortified coconut milk and their favorite juice mix would probably be a toss up between kale/strawberry and broccoli/peach. I can’t ever imagine giving them cow’s milk or sugary processed juices.

We introduced the potty to the boys at 10 months shortly after they both started walking. After 4 months of them using the potty on and off when we put them on it, they both went to their potties at the same exact time and peed in them on their own. We were beyond thrilled, though after they stood up from their potties they both simultaneously peed on the floor. We sometimes let them run around in just a t-shirt to air out and see if they will take the initiative to use the potty. I know we still have a long way to go, but the fact that they did it on their own was stellar and brings us one step closer to not having to clean their cloth diapers…

As far as other milestones go during month 14 they perfected the art of self feeding with a spoon and learned how to get down the stairs on their own fairly safely. Climbing up the stairs was easy and mastered quite early on, but getting back down safely was a little harder. They are also getting really good at removing their own shirts and almost able to put them on as well.

We are so proud of our twin tots and all of their accomplishments. I love when people ask us if we are raising them vegan as they are living proof that vegans of all ages can be happy, healthy and vibrant...

To All a Goodnight…

2011-05-31T13:05:00.000-07:00

5/29 14 months old

Defy Aster

Astral Defiance

14 months old

Whew…This month has flown by. I struggled all month to get a post up, but I REFUSE to let a month go by without updating this blog at least once. There are so many reasons I strive to keep the blog going, but the most important reason for this blog is to combat all the misinformation out there about veganism. Vegans can easily have healthy pregnancies, healthy children and healthy lives. Astral and Defy are proof of this. They are the best examples, times two!

There are a lot of people who read this blog from all over the world and every time I check the stats I feel an ever-growing responsibility, even with limited time. Almost every time I find a new vegan parenting, family or pregnancy blog I am disappointed with what I read and see. I just want to find consistent vegan, no-compromise messages out there, but there are few and far in between when it comes to children, pregnancy and families.

As I write my eyes are red and itchy from being outside in the 100 degree, pollen filled air at lunch. As I have said before, I hope Astral and Defy DO NOT inherit mommy’s allergies. Maybe this can be my excuse for ranting a bit. I never usually use this blog as a platform for complaints, but sometimes you just have to let it out.

Breathe out…

Our little guys are now 14 months old, though they will be turning 15 months in 3 days. Astral and Defy continue to learn new things at record speeds. The amount of objects, animals, people, etc they can identify is amazing. In addition to constantly pointing out things and explaining what is going on around them, we use flash cards and books to teach them new items. I think there is a lot to say for the no television rule. These kids are always engaged and never pacified by the magical branding machine. For 14 month olds they have a great amount of patience and are very observant. The boys are still a little shy at first with new people, but they are warming up faster and faster as time goes by.

With the scorching temperatures comes pool season! The boys have been thoroughly enjoying outdoor water play. They love playing outside, going on long stroller adventures and walking around the neighborhood with daddy. Recently walking indoors and out has morphed into very fast, reckless running which has led to various minor injuries. In one week we had a busted lip and chin. For the lip debacle I totally panicked and almost drove to the ER, but Lucas always the voice of reason calmed me down and everything turned out fine. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the bumps, bruises or scrapes…

DnA continue to eat an amazing vegan diet and have added even more new foods. I’m sure I’m forgetting something on the yummy new foods list, but here goes:
Swiss Chard
Cantaloupe
Sugar Snap Peas
Watermelon
Cucumbers
Grapes
Tahini
Black Strap Molasses
Papaya
Tamari
Canola Oil
Romaine Lettuce

We are gearing up for the second plane trip with the boys in the next couple of weeks. NOT EXCITED. This time we don’t have business class seats with the extra room. The boys were just learning to walk the last plane trip so obviously now they are way more mobile. We will be bringing lots of snacks and distractions. Wish us luck!!!

Astral and Defy are obsessed with the children’s book we read to them before bed. We both read the book out loud to them in unison in silly singsong voices. The very last page reads “Goodnight!” so now of course every time we get to the last page the boys say, "GUH-NIE". They are so adorable greeting the mornings with "hehwo wohd" and ending the nights with "guh-nie". Little things like this make all the bathroom totally drenched after bath-time, oatmeal in your hair and on your clothes right before you walk out the door to the office, random cry fest in the middle of the store moments of parenting so worth it…

Spring Bees and Scraped Knees...

2011-04-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Astral Defiance and Defy Aster @13 months old (nice undies daddy...)

Spring is officially upon us and the boys are enjoying the beautiful weather. Astral and Defy are leaving the stranger anxiety phase behind and for that we are totally grateful. They quickly become acclimated to their new surroundings and seem to enjoy interacting with others outside of our immediate little pack.

We are constantly running after these guys, they are attracted to anything and everything that could possibly hurt them or get them into trouble. Defy fell outside while playing and had his first scraped knee, he didn’t cry but I almost did. I know this is only the first of many scrapes. Keeping track of them is definitely a full time job! Baby proofing is a never ending when you have two toddlers.

With Spring now in full effect I hope DnA don’t inherit my pollen allergies. Thankfully Lucas doesn’t have allergies, so maybe they’ll luck out. I really just need to stop over-analyzing ever sporadic sneeze. They are enjoying their time outside and all the animals and insect friends they are meeting. They watch the squirrels play in the trees and have met some big buzzing bees for the first time. Our boys have such great attention spans for 1 year olds.

Astral and Defy just love when we sing I’m a Little Teapot; they do the motions with us. Their favorite part is the “tip me over and pour me out” motion. These little sprouts catch on so quickly and their comprehension is through the roof. They are constantly learning new things and pointing to objects they find interesting. They seem to be saying “wa dat” (“what’s that”) as they point to specific things. We aren’t sure if that is what they are saying, but we act like it is and engage them. They now say their own versions of dog, girl, baby and ball as well. Again, these guys are so in sync with one another and so are their milestones.

They might not look exactly alike, but every day we are still blown away by their actions and interactions. They still fight over toys sometimes, but they love one another so much. They hug and kiss and make the other laugh uncontrollably, which totally makes up for the fighting. It must be so awesome to have a permanent partner in crime to do everything with. Whenever I see a kid playing outside alone I am reminded that twins may be double the work of a singleton, but they have a built in playmate and soul mate.

Being parents to twins is extraordinary. The approach to parenting two children at the exact same age is very strategic. We are very laid back people, but we do live by scheduled naps, feeding times and bed time routines. We find peace in our schedule and I think the boys do too. It makes the day flow easier. Lucas stays home with the boys and has established a great routine with them. He takes DnA outside to play and on walks in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. It is perfect, because they all get to release some energy (super veggie power), get a bit of exercise and some good old vitamin D. He has them on a really nice nap schedule where they sleep around 2 hours (sometimes even 2.5 hours).

Astral and Defy’s molars are really coming in and they are also getting (the same ones of course) 2 new teeth each in the bottom front. With their new teeth they will be able to eat more coarse textured foods. More organic and vegan fun feeding adventures are ahead. Recent additions to their diet have been:

Raisins

Apricots

Peanut Butter

Walnuts

Collard Greens

Garlic

Onions

Pure Maple Syrup

Nori

Lima Beans

Navy Beans

Kidney Beans

Red Chili Beans

Barley Flour

One of their biggest and messiest new skills is spoon feeding. They are able to feed themselves with their baby spoons. Everything is happening so fast!

I love writing and I feel a sense of obligation to continue documenting the healthy existence of our vegan twins. All of the disinformation out there on vegan pregnancy and raising vegan children must be combated. When I peruse other “vegan” pregnancy blogs I am astonished by the number of people that think exploiting animals during their pregnancy is okay. Vegan pregnancy isn’t hard and neither is raising vegan children. Though I was hospitalized due to a shortening cervix, my pregnancy went extremely well especially for carrying identical twins that shared a placenta. Now our babies are almost 14 months old (next week) and are vibrantly healthy, happy and eat plants…yup PLANTS! Yes people babies can survive and thrive with no animal bodies, no animal secretions or other bodily functions (and no television either)!!!

I wish I had more time to blog and expand my subjects and posts, but as you know time is limited. It won’t always be this way, but it is for now and we’re cherishing every moment of them needing us and wanting us. Hopefully in the future I can expand my blog and express all of the great ideas I have floating around in my vegan mommy brain…

Hello World...

2011-03-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Our 4 Babies

Defy, Astral, Star and Sunny

Blueberry Snack Time

Astral Defiance - 1 Year Old

Defy Aster - 1 Year Old

12 month old photos

We have toddlers! Two toddlers!! Two healthy beautiful VEGAN toddlers!!! Their immense love of discovery and learning has rejuvenated our fascination with the world and life. Everything is new and amazing to them and getting down on the ground and viewing the world from their level is such a truly inspiring second chance at the most wonderful thing about childhood; ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.

Astral and Defy turned 1 on March 3rd. We aren’t traditional people. We will never be traditional people. For some traditions like birthday and “holidays” we will do our own version of what we feel is important on those days. At other times will we just act like that “holiday” or whatever doesn’t exist, because honestly it doesn’t for us. But hey, birthdays are GREAT in many ways, they celebrate your birth and there is nothing wrong with that. We do find problems with the commercial aspect of birthdays and other holidays, but as the boys grow older we will teach them that on your birthday you should also spend time helping others and giving of yourself and that is the best gift!

We didn’t have a traditional birthday party for the boys on their actual birthday, but the following weekend my parents threw them a birthday celebration when Lucas’ parents flew in from IL. It was a double set of grandparents extravaganza! We wouldn’t have picked the gender specific decorations or any of the character specific balloons (sometimes grandmothers forget on purpose), but the boys won’t remember any of that stuff. The most important part was both sides of the family coming together to celebrate the birth of these two amazingly bright little boys.

We are abhorred by many because we did not let Astral and Defy tuck into neon frosted, artificially colored, sugar infested pieces of cake. That may have made a cute photo op, but we are not ruining the palate of our 1 year olds for the sake of a photo. These boys eat the best food and are so vibrant and healthy, so I just went with that and made these sweet little fruit face cakes. They were cakes made of all organic fruit: pineapple, mango, blueberries, kiwis, strawberries and raspberries. The boys each enthusiastically ate their entire fruit cake piece by piece (except the pineapple, because it wasn’t ripe enough). They didn’t know the difference and certainly didn’t feel like they were missing out on anything, BECAUSE they weren’t. Only the best for our guys…

The boys are little vegan eating machines. We’ve introduced a bunch of new vegan and organic foods that are listed below. The pediatrician still recommends spacing introductions and holding off on nuts and nut milks. Feeding them is super fun and we love making random mixtures of healthy foods for them. Watching them eat is so special, messy but special nonetheless. Each bite receives such great expression (sometimes good, sometimes bad), their eyes sometimes describe what their little taste buds must be experiencing. They’re still picky and for instance one day will love oven roasted seasoned potatoes with olive oil and then the next day they will chew them up and spit them out in disgust on the floor or try to feed them to the doggies. You just never know, so we just move on, but try again at a later date when they’ll most likely be into that particular food again.

New Foods:

Coconut Milk

Soy Milk

Tempeh

Raspberries

Kiwi

Sprouted Grain Bread

Whole Wheat Seed Bread

Whole Wheat Tortilla

Durum Wheat Semolina Pasta

Quinoa Pasta

Coconut Butter

Spinach

Seasonings/Spices

Kelp

Olive Oil

Orange Juice (only oranges)

Apple Juice (only apples)

Oat Milk

Blueberry Jam

I was reading about identical and fraternal twins and found out that identical twins usually follow right behind the other with milestones and progress at the same speed, while fraternal twins have similarities that are merely comparable to siblings born at different times and tend to have milestones at significantly different times. It is really interesting because from their teeth, to crawling, to walking and to talking these boys have done everything just days after the other. Even their hair grows at the same speed. They sometimes sleep in the same exact position and then move to adjust positions at the same exact time as well. While they don’t look exactly alike their mannerisms and physical characteristics are shockingly identical.

The boys are getting some of their back molars and their gums have been so swollen lately. Last week for this first time since they were born Defy was inconsolable one night because of the teething. I tried everything and nothing worked, he eventually cried himself to sleep in my arms, it was just awful. I hope not to experience this with Astral or Defy ever again. Talk about heart breaking…

At their 1 year well baby check up Astral weighed 24 lbs 4 oz and Defy weighed 23 lbs 12 oz. They are both in the 75th to 90th percentile for height and weight. Everything was perfect. Astral still has the hemangioma on the back of his neck, but it hasn’t gotten any bigger which hopefully means it will begin involution if it already hasn’t. Their next appointment isn’t until they are 15th months.

DnA are really intrigued with books right now. They destroy these board books we get them in no time, they are really rough on them and love breaking the bindings. Though most of their time is spent figuring out the quickest way to destroy these “toddler proof” books they do spend a lot of time looking and pointing at the pictures and "reading" them while they are turned upside down. They have also started coloring with these great non-toxic vegan friendly crayons we found and they are getting pretty good at it. At first they didn’t really get the concept of crayon to paper but now they’re becoming pros. We still have to remind them constantly that the crayons are for drawing and coloring and not for eating.

The boys have learned even more body parts and objects around the house. They are mimicking us and one another. Astral and Defy have watched Lucas every morning open up blinds around the house. As he opens them he looks out the window and animatedly greets the day with “HELLO WORLD”, the boys just love it, so now they both say it ("hehwo wohd")! Astral started saying it first and then a week later Defy started saying it. It is absolutely the sweetest and cutest thing ever! Just hearing the sound of their little voice is just heart melting. They are ready for major exploration this spring and to start making their mark on this wohd…

The Last Week of Infancy...

2011-02-24T13:39:00.000-08:00

Astral

Defy

49 weeks

The boys have entered their last week of infancy! They are 51 weeks and in one week they will be one year olds! My sweet little munchkins…

They are rapidly progressing and doing so many new things and perfecting things they’ve been doing for a while. They are responding to simple requests very well and will point to many different body parts when asked. It seems like every day I come home from the office Luke has taught them a new body part to point to. They both say mama and dada but Astral is now saying “bye-bye” while waving!! When daddy counts from one to five and gets to four, Defy holds up four fingers. They also can open doors with great ease (ugh). I think my absolute favorite thing they do is blow kisses!!!!! Such smart little guys…

Astral and Defy love to climb and have us living in constant fear that they’ll fall and hit their heads. Watching them climb up on the couch is absolutely horrifying at times, but so far so good. At times I wish we had carpet downstairs instead of hardwood. We retired “the cage”, or the large play pen and the soft baby mat. This thing was a great while they learned to crawl and walk and were always falling. It also helped us keep both of them entertained in one safe place. Many parents of multiples have the same set up. Those carefree days are long gone. Defy started climbing over the gate and we knew it was time for it to go. He is the expert climber and if it can be climbed he will climb it. DANGER!!! We now use the “cage” as a “fence”…

These boys are VERY strong and will do pull ups on different pieces of furniture. We watch in awe as their feet dangle while they support all their body weight with their arms. I’m not sure if babies are supposed to have this kind of upper body strength, but Astral and Defy definitely do.

We are still co-sleeping in the family bed…all six of us.

DnA are feeding themselves quite well and eat a variety of organic, healthy foods. They love all the random mixtures we make for them. Daddy will throw lentils, strawberries, ground flax seed, kale and mushrooms into the blender with some amaranth and they’ll eat every bite. When they turn a year we’ll start using the juicer that grandma bought for them to make nutritious juices every morning. As they enter their 2nd year of life we know that they will be getting most of their nutrition from solids so we are very excited to come up with fun vegan meal plans for them. We will soon introduce plant milk, though I plan on nursing for at least 6 more months.

Astral and Defy’s most recent additions to their diet:

Puffed Kamut

Whole Wheat Pasta

Puffed Corn Cereal

Sunflower Seed Butter

Bok Choy

Edamame

Broccoli

The weather is getting nicer and daddy and the boys are getting to enjoy the outdoors a bit more. We all can’t wait until spring has settled in and they can enjoy outdoor playtime every day! They are two tiny walkers with a ton of energy.

This year has flown by and we are excited to enter a whole new realm of vegan parenting. I love that our little guys are growing up, but sometimes I’d like to keep them all little, sweet and perfect for myself. Right now I am the center of their universe and completely flawless in their eyes. (Lucas finds it amusing that I wrote that since he is the stay at home parent, but he doesn’t have boobies so I remain the center of their universe!) I know this will not be the case one day, but I’m cherishing it while I can. They will always be my beautiful babies that I carried for 37 weeks and three days, that I laid in the hospital on bed rest for nine weeks with and that I dreamt of my whole entire life.

Love had a new meaning once Astral and Defy entered our world! We hope that we will bring them as much joy as they bring us…

Astral and Defy Walk...

2011-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

@ cosmo's vegan shoppe (42 weeks)

47 weeks (1/27/11)

46 weeks

44 weeks

43 weeks - 10 months old

42 weeks

Astral 42 weeks - officially walking!

Happy New Year! I know it’s been a while…

As you imagine we have been extra busy raising our sweet vegan twinsies! I haven't blogged since December, but I am determined to get a post logged for January. I have less than 2 hours left so here goes.

Our amazing little Astral and Defy will be 11 months in 3 days. So much has happened since the last blog post! The most exciting news is that Astral and Defy now walk!!!!!! Can you believe it? Astral took 3 steps when we were in Atlanta over “the holidays”, then a few days later he took 7 and never looked back. Defy launched off about a week or so after Astral! It is super entertaining to watch them toddle around the house. Astral was walking while still 9 months old and Defy when he had just hit 10 months. They are truly outstanding and already have us chasing after them like crazy…

The boys had their first plane ride in December and to our surprise were absolutely great flyers. They didn’t cry at all. They were complete angels. And to think I had nightmares about uncontrollable screaming among other scary things before the trip! We upgraded to business class on both flights so that we’d have more room and also so that we could sit next to one another. In economy seating there is only one extra oxygen mask in each little seat section so they have restrictions prohibiting more than one lap baby in each section.

When we were in Georgia we got a chance to hit up Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe’s (http://www.cosmosveganshoppe.com/) storefront to pick up some awesome vegan goodies. There is nothing better than going in to a store where you know everything is vegan! We were able to meet Leigh, one of the owners. We love supporting vegan owned businesses...

All of DnA’s milestones seem to progress so fast! Their next well baby check up is in March when they turn 1. It will be so interesting to see how much they’ve grown!

They already seem to have their own language and unique way of communicating. They only say Mama and Dada, but I imagine they say a lot more to one another.

They are always switching personalities on us, Defy is in the bully stage right now where he steals Astral’s toys away and then holds whatever it is up in the air to show it off. He is really good at defense too. Astral was the brother bully for a long while, but all of a sudden they've reversed roles. When they aren't fighting over toys (many of which they have double of) they are the best of buds and show great affection for one another. Sometimes while they play they sit back to back. It is seriously the sweetest thing EVER! I hope they remain best friends for life!

The boys are eating more nutritious, organic vegan foods and enjoy their finger foods almost as much as Star and Sunny, who are very happy to wait to see what treats come falling down to them while the boys eat in their high chairs! We are still waiting a few days in between introductions to watch for possible allergies. The most recent foods we've added to their diet include:

Brown Rice Snaps (crackers – only ingredient brown rice flour)

Brown Rice Cakes (only ingredient brown rice)

Brown Rice Pasta (only ingredient brown rice flour)

Puffed Brown Rice Cereal (only ingredient puffed brown rice)

Black Eyed Peas

Pineapple

Red Skin Potatoes

Tofu

Oatmeal

Blackberries

White Button Mushrooms

Tomatoes

Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas)

There is so much joy ahead and so much behind. In February Lucas and I will have been partners for 9 years. In August we will celebrate our 5th year of marriage. It is so interesting to look back at our lives then in comparison to what they’ve become. Time has flown by and this year is no exception, it is almost unbelievable that in a month our babies will be 1. Being parents has changed our lives profoundly and there is nothing that can compare with the love and happiness that Astral and Defy bring to our lives…

First Times...

2010-12-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

40 weeks

39 weeks

37 weeks

Astral and Defy are now 41 weeks old (9 months old). They are doing so many new things! They can give five (both high and low), wave, clap and even give kisses! There is nothing better than an unsolicited kiss from your babies! They are both attempting to walk and stand unassisted like they’ve been doing it their whole lives. Astral often takes two perfect steps before falling.

The boys witnessed their first snow last week. I can’t wait until they can run around and really enjoy it. Of course with the winter weather comes everyone’s favorite consumerist holiday! We are not thrilled to say the least…

They are eating a bunch of new foods including; amaranth, pinto beans, black beans, ground flax seed, nutritional yeast, blueberries, kale and green beans. They are both such great eaters now! It brings us great joy and giggles to see their little green food mustaches!!

Here is a list of everything they’ve eaten so far. They have a more diverse diet than most adults out there!

Sweet Potatoes
Asian Sweet Potatoes
Acorn Squash
Butternut Squash
Golden Potatoes
Turnips
Carrots
Avocados
Apples
Bananas
Strawberries
Peaches
Peas
Mangoes
Yams
Pears
Green Beans
Blueberries
Kale
Lentils
Black Beans
Pinto Beans
Ground Flax Seeds
Nutritional Yeast
Rice Cereal
Amaranth
Quinoa

DnA are still sleeping with us, we tried for about 5 minutes to get them to sleep in their cribs before they started scream/crying. It was too much for our hearts to handle, especially my mommy heart. I had a physical reaction to my babies' discomfort where I felt sick to my stomach, I immediately ran upstairs to soothe them (and of course bring them back right where they belong). I figure if all they want is me, I can surely accommodate them. After all, we chose to bring them into this world. I was slightly influenced by a lot of negative talk about letting them sleep with us, but I have done a lot of research and co-sleeping is very healthy and normal. I have since joined an attachment parenting meet-up and have shut the door on all the co-sleeping naysayers out there! It works for us. I feel like sleeping with my children allows an extension of my parenting time. Since I work outside of the home I feel like I am getting quality time with them that I missed during the day, even if it is only while they’re sleeping and nursing randomly through the night. Lucas and I still find private time for one another; you just have to be a little bit more creative and unconventional, which totally suits us!

Astral and Defy are going through the stranger anxiety (or more like anyone who isn’t mom or dad anxiety) stage and have been for a while now, Astral more so than Defy, who will eventually warm up to a stranger. The craziest thing happened when my college friends that are identical twins came to visit; Astral let them hold him and played and interacted with them right away, which NEVER happens. He barely lets his own grandmothers hold him! It was very intriguing to watch. Both babies kept looking curiously back and forth between the two adult twinsies. I wonder if they had some crazy identical twin connection.

Oh yeah and I’m not sure if you recall me previously writing about my “nipple anxiety”. Well my horrible fear has come to life and I have been bitten so badly that I bled more than you’d ever like to imagine due to one of the babies chomping down during a night nursing session. TALK ABOUT PAINFUL. And that was just the first time, it has happened since then with less of an extreme result, yet still PAINFUL. Of course I am still nursing, though I could just stop and exclusively pump. I just know how much they enjoy it and I can’t take that away from them just yet…

We will be taking the boys on their first plane trip in a couple of days. Thankfully it is a short flight. I can not say that I’m excited to finally be those annoying people with screaming babies X 2! Hopefully we will get through it will minimal screaming and crying and a maximum amount of sleeping and being cute…

Vegan Pregnancy Xtranormal Vid

2010-12-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

I got the idea to make this video after viewing Vincent Guihan's Xtranormal videos, which are as informative as they are hilarious. I highly recommend checking them out.

http://www.youtube.com/vjguihan

We've Come A Long Way...

2010-11-18T11:05:00.001-08:00

DnA's lovely cribs that we hope they sleep in again!

Nice organic bedding, what baby wouldn't want to sleep here?? OURS!!

35 weeks

33 weeks

The boys are 37 weeks now (8 months old). They seem to be getting prepared to walk. Astral is standing unassisted for 30 seconds and has taken a step followed by falling! Defy can stand unassisted for about 10 seconds before falling!!! They both like holding on to their baby gate and cruising around. A & D love music and will dance to any beat.

The twinsies are also in love with our furry companions, Star and Sunny! They follow them around and love playing with and petting them. The relationship is beautiful. They are just amazing and joyful little guys!

They each have the same exact 8 teeth, 4 on top and 4 on bottom. They enjoy getting their teeth brushed with their tiny little baby toothbrushes. They are just too freaking cute!

Astral and Defy have eaten several more foods including; yams, peas, mangoes, peaches, pears, lentils and quinoa (all organic of course). I can’t say they all were a big hit, but you are supposed to keep trying. They both can drink out of their sippy cups now. I only put a small amount of water in them so that they can practice drinking without filling up and spoiling their appetites.

The boys love bath time and splash and play like crazy. We have tried giving them baths together, but that seems to still be a little too dangerous and chaotic. We will try again when they are a little bigger.

Since the weather has been getting colder, I've been shopping for warm, VEGAN and organic winter coats or bunting. I can't find anything that actually looks like it would keep them warm. They are in 12 month clothes already. Bundling up will probably work while they aren't walking, but I have a feeling they will walk this winter. If any one has any suggestions please let us know!

Last week Astral had Roseola, the exact same virus Defy had in October (fever with no other symptoms followed by a rash lasting 3 days). I guess we should just be thankful that it wasn’t anything more serious and 1 virus for each baby in 8 months isn’t nearly as bad as it could be. Once a child gets the virus they are usually immune and won’t get it again. Astral weighed 21 lbs 5 oz. when we took him to the pediatrician because of the fever. They are both so big for their age and so advanced in their milestones! WE love proving all the negative vegan myths WRONG! Can't wait to get both of their stats at their big 9 month check up in December.

About 2 months ago we brought the boys in our bed while they were teething and had stopped sleeping through the night. It was easier for me because they both wanted to comfort nurse and I wanted them to feel secure during their tough time. I originally wanted to follow the attachment parenting style and co-sleep before I found out we were having twins. Now that the boys are bigger we aren’t as scared to have them sleep with us. We really like having the family bed (dogs included), but now that the boys are waking less during the night we really want to try to get them back in their nursery in their own cribs. It is lovely to wake up to their smiling faces and have the comfort of feeling them breathing next to us, but honestly it is very hard to get sound sleep with them in bed. We plan on beginning the transition (yes…again) this weekend. Wish us luck…

It is so strange to think that last year around this time I was prepping to leave my office and go on full time bed rest at 24 weeks pregnant and now I have 2 healthy and rapidly growing baby boys. I practically missed all winter last year being hospitalized from December 28th until March 5th. The seasonal transition has brought back a lot of memories from our pregnancy. I would do it all again to get Astral Defiance and Defy Aster…

Sitting and Crawling and Standing - OH MY…

2010-10-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

Astral (standing) & Defy (sitting)

32 weeks

30 weeks old

26 weeks old

Carrots & Apple

Asian Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes

Bobby

Malcom

VegFest DC

Astral and Defy are 7 months old (32 weeks tomorrow) now and their warm spirits and vibrant personalities are shining through more than ever. They are immensely bright and are both sitting unassisted and crawling, though Defy still prefers the army crawl as his mode of transportation. They are both already holding on to furniture to brace themselves to standing position. They will stand up holding on to just about ANYTHING including us, baby gates, headboards and each other. These kids are amazing. There have been a lot of falls and bumps with their new mobility, which just comes with the territory. Big brother Astral seems to hit most of the milestones first, with baby brother Defy following right behind…

Defy has 4 adorable bottom teeth , Astral also has 4 adorable bottom teeth and one on top that is coming in. My nipples live in constant fear. I have been bitten numerous times, but I guess after the shock of the first few times my reactions have been a lot calmer. The first time I let out a high pitched scream that definitely startled the little culprit (I can’t remember who did it first). They seem to only bite when they are comfort nursing and falling asleep. It is very important to me that I nurse them (as much as I can produce) until they are at least 1. I pump during the day while at work and mostly nurse in the evenings, but the bond of nursing them is irreplaceable. I guess I’ll probably revisit this when they have both rows of teeth and one isn’t all gum. With the appearance of teeth, they boys now have their first toothbrushes and so far they seem to love having their teeth brushed (without any paste) each morning and evening. They seem to be doing well with teething and haven't taken any drugs.

The boys are eating more foods now. Just like their clothing we are doing all organic foods for the boys. Astral will eat anything, but Defy is still on and off with solids. Defy never turns down his favorite mix of strawberry, avocado and rice cereal, that is our easy go-to if he is in the mood to refuse. Astral eats so much more than Defy that in the past month he has increased the gap between their weights. Of course, all babies are different and accept solids at different times. We refuse to force Defy to eat; he will eat more when he is ready.

They have eaten a variety of home-made yummy organic veggies and some fruits.

Sweet Potatoes

Asian Sweet Potatoes

Acorn Squash

Butternut Squash

Golden Potatoes

Turnips

Carrots

Avocados

Apples

Bananas

Strawberries

Next month we will start introducing greens vegetables, the pediatrician said to wait until 8 months. We have this wonderful baby food gadget that steams and blends the food. It is absolutely wonderful and makes making our own baby food easy and fun. I can make fresh food every night because it is so quick. I often have extra and just freeze it and then thaw it out and reheat it in that same little gadget. We don’t use microwaves so being able to reheat the frozen portion is a great benefit. We will also be introducing pulses (lentils, peas, beans) and sippy cups to the boys this month…EXCITING!

At their 6 month appointment back in September (Unfortunately, I missed blogging the whole month of September) Astral weighed 19 lbs 2 oz and Defy weight 19 lbs .5 oz. So Astral was only an ounce and a half more than Defy. Now only a month later Astral is weighing in at 20 lbs 5 oz and Defy is at 19 lbs 12 oz. So the gap has grown to 9 oz. We chalk it up to Astral being a total greedy little vegan gumdrop! Defy is more of a picky eater like his mommy.

We had our first trip to the doctor’s office where we had to go in through the sick baby entrance instead of the well baby entrance. Defy was feeling warm one night and had a temperature of 100.7, so we took him in. For babies their age it isn’t considered a fever until it is around 102-103, but we took him in anyway. The doctor checked him out and he was fine and she said he was probably just fighting a virus. He had no other symptoms, no runny nose, no sneezing or coughing, though he wanted to be held more than usual instead of being down on the floor roughhousing with his bro. His temperature never rose above the 100.7 from Thursday morning until a Friday night and then he was fine.

That Saturday we noticed a slight rash on his face and then on Sunday we noticed it had spread to his neck, chest and back. We took him back in to the doctor on Monday and she said it was something called Roseola and that he was going to be just fine and no treatment was necessary. She said that it was a virus that manifests as a fever and then a rash. It usually starts as a really high fever and accompanies other symptoms, but for some reason that didn’t happen to our little guy. The rash disappeared in 3 days and Defy is totally back to normal. The doctor said it could take up to a week to go away, but thankfully it didn’t. Though she did say it was slightly contagious and passed through bodily fluid like saliva, Astral didn’t catch it. We were freaking out a little because they share everything, but Astral was spared. I am assuming that Defy picked it up at the park while playing on the swings. You never truly know, but since they don’t go to daycare and aren’t around germy little kids often I figure the park was the place. Who knows, I am just glad that it is over and was only mild.

In September we took the boys to VegFest DC at George Washington University. They were too little to enjoy all the yummy vegan food, but we didn’t hesitate to indulge. We also made our first journey to Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Maryland a couple of weeks ago. It was an absolutely wonderful experience for all of us. The stories of all the different animals are heartbreaking to say the least. It was emotional to see all of these beautiful animals living life without the imminent threat of slaughter, etc. Watching the chickens, roosters and turkeys wander freely totally got me choked up. We signed up to sponsor one of their many goats for the year. I think the boys will really love building relationships with all their other animal friends. I am so glad we live fairly close to a place like this, so they can utilize established relationships to increase their understanding of why we don’t exploit other animals…

Having "The Choice"...

2010-10-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

Although friends, family, and medical professionals have generally been accepting and supportive of Kenya and I raising Astral and Defy as vegans, there have been some people who subtly (and not so subtly) suggest that we are depriving them of the choice to exploit and kill other animals later in life. These people have posed questions in ways that made it seem as if they were genuinely concerned about Astral and Defy's freedom of choice to exploit and kill whomever they want as if, without doing so, they will live a joyless life of constant deprivation that we have selfishly imposed upon them.

"What if they really want to eat (animal product X) when they are old enough to make the choice? Will you let them?" is a common "concern" that we encounter. Or the question has been framed this way: "But what if they choose to eat at (chain restaurant/fast food establishment X) when they're older? Will you be OK with that?" We spoke with one individual about how Astral and Defy will not be wearing popular name-brand shoes made from the skin of cows, and this individual very politely and curiously asked, "but they'll have the choice to wear leather when they're older, right?" And then there was a heated exchange with another individual about the ethics of veganism. This individual quickly became very hostile, pointed at our boys and exclaimed, "but you're taking away their choice to eat whatever they want!"

So the question posed is: Will Astral and Defy have the choice to not be vegan when they are old enough to make decisions for themselves? Before answering, let's examine the question, shall we?

First of all, those of us who speak of exploiting and killing other animals as merely a personal choice do not seem to understand the ideology of speciesism. It has been forced upon us by our parents or guardians just as it was forced upon them, and it has been, and is being, constantly reinforced by our society and its institutions. This is the reason that many of us believe that humans are not animals, that humans are naturally superior to all other animals, that other animals are “stupid”, that other animals are here for humans to use as we please, that there is no moral problem whatsoever with using and killing other animals, that humans need to consume other animals to survive, etc. These are not beliefs we developed on our own. As young children many of us were fascinated by other animals and naturally had compassion and empathy for them. Some of us considered them to be our equals. As adults, even after a life of reinforced speciesist indoctrination, most of us claim to love and/or respect other animals and do not want to harm them, especially when it is unnecessary to do so. However, most of us choose to actively participate in the exploitation and killing of other animals on a daily basis for completely unnecessary purposes such as eating them, wearing them, or using them for entertainment. Therefore, it seems that choosing to actively participate in the exploitation and killing of other animals is the result of our being thoroughly conditioned to believe that it is a “normal” and morally justifiable thing to do, not because it actually reflects our values or personal ethics.

Furthermore, questions about having a personal choice to exploit and kill other animals are based on the assumption that no one else is affected by that choice. This is incorrect and relies on the speciesist belief that other animals do not have minds capable of experiencing the distress, pain, and suffering inherently caused by their exploitation. It is also incorrect because choosing to participate in the exploitation of other animals concurrently results in the exploitation and harm of human beings and the destruction of the planet we all depend on for our survival.

Finally, there is a common misconception that vegans, by opting out of the systematic exploitation of other animals, are somehow depriving themselves of otherwise unattainable enjoyment. But being vegan is not a restrictive way of living at all. For instance, a diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, seeds, beans, grains, nuts, mushrooms, herbs, and spices has proven to be much more varied, satisfying, and healthful than the one I was eating when I was not a vegan. And does anyone reading this essay really need to wear popular name-brand shoes made from cow skins? There are plenty of other materials out there such as hemp, canvas, recycled plastics, recycled rubber, and synthetics. Does anyone reading this essay really need to continue eating other animals or wearing any clothing made from the bodies of other animals at all? Most importantly, how can we justify the exploitation and killing of other animals merely for the sake of enjoyment?

Now I'd like to return to the question of Astral and Defy having the choice to not be vegans when they are old enough to make their own decisions. Will they have the choice?

The short answer is yes, they will have the choice to not be vegan when they are old enough to decide for themselves. We will certainly not force them to do anything when they can make their own educated choices, but we will in no way facilitate or condone any non-veganism.

Now for the long answer...

My feeling is that all caring and concerned parents or guardians raise their children in a way that is consistent with their own values. Not many parents or guardians would, for instance, admit to teaching their children that it is acceptable to physically violate another human being (and perhaps even the valued domesticated animals in our society, such as dogs and cats) just because it might be enjoyable. Most of us teach our children that this kind of conduct is ruled out from the start no matter what psychological or material gains would be derived from it. However, our children will still technically have the choice to participate in the exploitation and/or killing of another human, or participate in any other activity we parents or guardians find objectionable, when they are old enough to make their own decisions to do so. It is only when we speak of other animals that it becomes an acceptable personal choice to exploit and kill them, and this is a direct result of our speciesist indoctrination.

Veganism, on the other hand, is a challenge to the deeply rooted beliefs that have developed as a result of our speciesist indoctrination. Based on the principle of non exploitation, veganism is philosophically in opposition to the oppressive arrangements humans have long maintained with each other and with other animals. Although Kenya and I have the choice to participate in the exploitation of other animals on a daily basis, we simply try our very best not to because, like humans, other animals are morally significant and have interests in living their lives on their own terms. We owe it to them to be vegan; it is the very least we can do if we take their interests seriously.

People who present us with "the choice" question really do not seem to understand that Astral and Defy will be raised in a way that actively challenges speciesism. They will be raised as vegans and their choices will be guided by vegan principles. This means that, unlike the vast majority of humans on Planet Earth, they will not be taught to see other animals as food, clothing, or any other means to human ends but rather as fellow autonomous sentient beings with intrinsic value.

Given the fascination Astral and Defy already have with other animals, and considering the joy they get from seeing the other animals they've already met, they appear to be well on the vegan path all on their own.

And We Have Teeth...

2010-08-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Astral and his two teeth!!

Defy and his one tooth!

25 weeks old

24 weeks

23 weeks old

22 weeks old

Yikes!! I have been seriously slacking on the posting, but as you can imagine life is pretty busy these days! Astral and Defy are becoming more and more mobile and require entertaining! The boys are the center of our universe and so much fun, especially compared to the eating, sleeping and pooping cycle of a newborn.

The boys are 25 weeks old and will be 6 months old in 4 days! Half of a year, it seems like just yesterday they entered our lives. DnA are barely recognizable from their former tiny selves. They are fully animated, strong and very vocal.

In the past 2 weeks they have come one step closer to being able to chew the yummy vegan food they'll be raised on! Little brother Defy sprouted his first tooth and then a few days later, not to be outdone, big brother Astral sprouted 2! They are the cutest little bottom teeth ever. At around 4 months they started drooling and chewing on their hands a lot so we knew it was coming, but we didn't realize how soon. Defy and Astral were both a little more fussy right before the teeth popped up and also the day they first appeared. It seemed to happen overnight. We give them cornstarch and frozen silicon teething rings and they also really love chewing on organic stuffed vegetables and fruits toys. We haven't given them unnecessary drugs and they are just fine. Astral really wanted to be held by me and no one else during this time, I was his all natural remedy! Thankfully we were on a trip visiting family so I was available 24/7. Fingers crossed that the rest of teething goes this well.

So we had our first road trip, the boys were awesome on the way there. It was a 12 hour trip each way, we rented a van to fit all of our stuff and so I could be comfortable in the back with them for entertaining and feeding along the way. On the way back they had one major freak out session, where they cried for a while. It was horrible, there was no place to pull over and I couldn't take them out of their car seats. It broke my heart to have them crying like that. I do not believe in the cry it out method at all. If my babies cry I comfort them. We have so much baby gear so flying would have been difficult as well, plus I am worried about them being trapped in a flying germ incubator at this young age. They will no doubt get on a plane, but I want to wait until they are at least 1.

The babies love their rice cereal now and will soon be transitioned to sweet potatoes/root veggies, we just want to wait until their 6 month appointment next week. They are so adorable eating their big boy cereal in their Bumbo seats or high chairs! Now that we've reached the 6 month mark, I am also going to slowly reintroduce soy back in my diet to see if they have a reaction to it.

They both love standing up while holding on to us and jumping up and down. They roll over both ways and army crawl or wiggle their way to whatever toy they want to get a hold of. It is so cute to watch them worm their way across our bed or the floor. They are well on the way to sitting up unassisted but balance has not been mastered. They do that tripod thing, where babies use their arms together in front of them to balance, but they are leaning so far forward I feel like I have to spot them very closely. Sitting up will lead to a whole new world for these guys and for mommy and daddy too. They're still sleeping through the night for the most part, they wake up on occasion, but usually a nice back rub or a cuddle will work to get them back to sleep.

The boys now steal toys from the one another, they interact all time. They stare at each other and laugh and baby babble. I think this is the beginning of their special twin language. They still enjoy exercising those vocal cords by screeching and screaming. At times I worry if they will hurt one another because they grab, bump, scrunch, pinch, poke and roll over the other. I guess this is only the beginning of having rambunctious little twin boys! Brothers...

We've been using the organic Boba baby carriers, as the boys get heavier and grab at anything and everything it is getting more difficult to hold them while doing things around the house. These carriers are really comfortable and help when they need to be soothed, but you need to make a bottle or do other things. If alone with the twinsies, we can strap one in and carry the other.

Astral has a hemangioma (red birthmark, collection of blood vessels under the skin) on the back of his neck, but it hasn't gotten any bigger in a while which is great. Hopefully it will start involuting soon. They go away on their own and are pretty much harmless depending on their location. They are really common in multiple births. Defy actually has one on the top of his head, but it is a pin point hemangioma and is super small and is being covered by his hair.

Their hair is growing so much!! It will be interesting to see how it turns out. We can't wait to find out their growth progression next week at the pediatrician. They are in 9 month clothing already and actually fit two pairs of 12 month old pajamas, though as you can see from the pics they are usually chilling around the house in cloth diapers only! They are happy healthy and have the most beautiful little spirits, we are thrilled to be their parents...

"Farm Friends"

2010-07-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

During a recent trip to the pediatrician I came across an illustrated children's picture book titled Farm Friends. On the cover is a barn with a bright red roof and a tractor sitting on top of green rolling hills under a blue sky with three adorable yellow chicks in the foreground. To the side of this image there are cutouts of various smiling "farm animals" that serve as page tabs.

A flip to the first page and the reader is introduced to chickens. There is an illustration of a chicken on a nest where four eggs (presumably hers) sit. A caption reads, "A female chicken is called a hen. Hens lay eggs." The illustration to the right shows that the eggs have hatched and little yellow chicks sit where the eggs once were. The caption reads, "Baby chickens are called chicks. Chicks hatch from eggs."

The next page is the pig page. There is an illustration of an "oinking" pig behind a gate with a caption that reads, "Pigs live in sties." At the bottom of the page is an illustration of three happy pigs running behind their mother on a patch of grass with flowers growing on it.

Sheep are the subject of the following page. There is an illustration of two lambs skipping and jumping behind their mother with a caption that reads, "They love to skip and jump." Above that there are illustrations of a hat, a sweater, and socks with a caption that reads, "We get wool from sheep. All these things can be made from sheep's wool."

The next to last page is the cows' page. "Cows live in fields. They eat grass," reads the captions under an illustration of three cows grazing in a field guarded by a bright red fence. Underneath this is an illustration of a mother cow and her calf. "A baby cow is called a calf," reads the caption. On the opposite page a caption reads, "Cow's help us make all these foods, and under this are illustrations of, and captions reading,"milk", "butter", and "cheese".

The last "farm friend" we are introduced to is the horse. There is an illustration of a horse neighing with his or her head sticking out of a stable window. The caption reads, "Horses live in stables. They like to eat hay". Below this are illustrations of four horseshoes and the reader is encouraged to count how many there are.

This book is a perfect example of speciesist indoctrination. Not only is it assumed that there is no ethical problem with using these animals for human purposes, it is clearly a gross distortion of the reality of the exploitation taking place. And this is presented to the youngest amongst us. Children, the targeted readers, know no better, but we adults should.

Here are some examples of our "friendly" relationships with these animals:

Chicks do not hatch if we eat the chickens' eggs in the first place. Male chicks are often killed as soon as they are hatched and the female chicks live lives of constantly having their reproductive cycles manipulated before they themselves are killed for no longer serving a purpose to humans. Some 9 billion chickens are killed each year in the US for the taste of their flesh and the taste of their bodily functions.

Pigs only live in sties (or whatever confinement we put them in) because we humans confine them there. They live in confinement for one reason only; so humans can fatten them up in order to kill them and eat their decomposing bodies. Around 120 millions pigs are killed each year for the taste of their muscles.

The wool of sheep is their hair and they have evolved to grow just enough for protection from the cold or to keep cool, depending on the season. Sheep that are not domesticated do not need to be shorn. Regardless of the conditions the sheep are kept in they are all killed when they no longer serve their purpose to humans and their lambs are killed particularly because of the taste and texture of their flesh. Approximately 3 million sheep and lambs are killed each year in the US.

The vast majority of cows do not live in fields and even if they did that would not deny the fact that they are exploited and killed for completely unnecessary human purposes. The milk, butter, and cheese that cows "help us" to make are actually derived from a system of domination and exploitation that necessarily involves forced impregnation and the killing of unwanted (read: uneconomical) male calves after they, as well as female calves, are separated from their grieving mothers. The male calves very often become "veal", the flesh of calves. "Veal" would not exist if it weren't for milk, butter, and cheese consumption. 35 million or so cows are killed every year in the US alone.

Finally, horses do not naturally live in stables. Horses that are feral or have not been domesticated (a rarity) do not by any means enjoy being confined but rather would travel up to 50 miles per day. It is only when they are trained, or "broken", that they become pliant and obedient enough to be used for human service, enjoyment and amusement. Horseshoes are attached (commonly nailed) onto horses' hooves only so horses can be of service to humans. In captivity horses' hooves harden much less than in the "wild" and are more vulnerable to injury. And yes, horses are also killed when they no longer serve a purpose to their human "owners". Tens of thousands of horses are killed for consumption each year but scores more are exploited for mere entertainment, amusement, or obsolete modes of transportation.

A book like Farm Friends denies that animals, particularly "farm animals", have any value other than the value humans give to them, or have a purpose beyond the purpose for which humans exploit them. It denies that these animals have interests in not being exploited and killed and, in fact, it denies that these animals are exploited and killed at all. This is dishonest and untruthful but unfortunately it is a common tale forced upon our impressionable children from day 1.

It's time that we start teaching our children, who naturally have compassion for others, to respect the interests and intrinsic value of other animals. It's time to stop perpetuating the myth of human superiority to all other animals. It's time to stop forcing the notion of the acceptability of human use of other animals on our children because it's all unnecessary and, in reality, involves committing violence and inflicting suffering, death, and all the objectionable practices that we teach our children not to participate in.

It's time to put books like Farm Friends into the historical archives right next to the many other outdated texts that sought to normalize the exploitation of sentient beings and the privileging of one group at the expense of another group that has been deemed inferior. It's time to reject speciesism and go vegan. It's the truly friendly thing to do for humans, other animals, and the planet we all inhabit.

Our Big 20 Weekers...

2010-07-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

19 weeks

18 weeks

17 weeks

16 weeks

15 weeks

Time has just flown by and our sweet little sprouts are 20 weeks old today! At their 4 month well baby check-up they both weighed in at 16 lbs 8 oz and both were the exact same height (26 inches) and even had the same head circumference. AMAZING!!! The pediatrician said that identical stats are very rare even for identical twins. They are in the 75th percentile for weight which means they are larger than 75% of babies. Those stats really mean nothing to us, but so much for the scrawny, malnourished vegan baby theory...

After their 4 month appointment we tried to start them on organic rice cereal, but they did not like it. They didn't want it from the spoon or a bottle with a y-cut nipple. Since they are doing so well the doctor said it wasn't necessary to add it to their diet, so we have given it a rest for now. After their 6 month appointment in September we will begin giving them solids, so that should be very interesting. At 6 months the doctor said I could slowly start introducing soy back to my diet. I could totally live without soy, but Lucas' delicious tofu scramble on a Sunday morning would be nice sometimes.

Astral can roll both back to tummy and tummy to back. The pediatrician said that he was advanced in the rolling from back to tummy department. He has been doing it for over a month now. Defy is rolling tummy to back and attempting to do back to tummy. It is a great new milestone for Astral, but this milestone has a scary aspect to it. As you may now, doctors recommend that babies sleep on their back. When I was a baby they told our parents to put us to sleep on our tummies, when my 14 year old brother and my 13 year old sister were babies they recommended that they sleep on their sides to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Since the boys were born they had been doing fine on their backs, but now that Astral can choose how he wants to sleep he has decided that his tummy is the most comfortable position. He seems to have total neck and head control and moves his head from side to side with ease, but we are still so paranoid and are constantly checking on him and staring at the video monitor during the night.

Astral and Defy are both laughing out loud now and exercising their vocal cords with coos and glorious screams of joy! We haven't felt any teeth coming up from their gums yet, but they are constantly gnawing on whatever they can get their hands on, including their actual hands. They hold hands and interact more than ever. They love their Exersaucers and standing up with our support. They don't really like their Bumbo seats and seem to be growing out of them already, thankfully they finally enjoy being in their bouncer seats while they watch us in the kitchen. They absolutely love their baths and are generally happy little guys.

Next month we are going to take the boys on their first real road trip. We still aren't comfortable taking them on an airplane, so we've decided to drive. This should be a great adventure. Sometimes they like the car, but most of the times they don't. They seem to be fine if we are moving, but if the car stops it is all over.

The weather has been atrocious, I can't wait for it to get cooler so the boys can stay out for longer periods of time. We went to our first vegan family meet-up last weekend. We had never been to a vegan bbq before so it was very nice to know that every thing to eat was vegan! The boys were able to meet other vegan kiddies. It is very important to us that as they grow up they are around other children who are being raised with the same values.

Our lives totally revolve around these children and we would have it no other way. They enrich our lives and we are excited to show them how to live a compassionate life...

From Newborn to Infant...

2010-06-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Astral and Defy 6/3/2010

Our Big Boys

D&A are now 3 months old, which is very exciting (14 weeks this Wednesday). They officially leave the newborn stage behind for the infant stage. Both Astral and Defy are growing into such animated and joyful little people. I'm on my third week back in the office and every morning I still get a little choked up. I just love those cute little sprouts so much that I can't help it. Thankfully, I can quickly snap out of it when I see them cooing and smiling at their papa. They truly love him and I know they are being well taken care of.

Everything is going well! They both have a little cradle cap, but we're treating it with olive oil and natural shea butter. Honestly, we needlessly worry about the boys, but we know that it is only natural and everything always turns out fine.

The pediatrician says that at 4 months they can start on rice cereal! They have such great head control, which is one of the signs that they are ready. Graduating to spoon feeding will be a super fun milestone. We cannot wait to make them awesome organic baby food. A few months ago we purchased the book "Feeding Your Vegan Infant with Confidence: a Practical Guide from Pre-conception Through Pre-school". It is such a great resource and we totally recommend it. It has a lot of nutritional information and awesome guides on when and how to introduce foods to your baby. Feeding the babies will be such a great topic to blog about. (It also has information on nutrition while breast feeding! )

Pumping at work has been pretty easy, though during the first week a man walked in to empty the trash. I didn't have time to stop him so I kind of just shrieked as he entered. He apologized and quickly left. It was kind of funny after the fact. Also, one day I lost about 3 oz of my liquid gold in transport, by not putting the top on the container properly.

I've been drinking Organic Mother's Milk tea in order to keep up my supply while away from the boys. It seems to be working so far! I cannot wait to walk in the door in the evening and nurse the boys. I never thought I would actually enjoy breast feeding, but the bonding experience is unparalleled. After my early college party years I have always been career focused and basically all my goals revolved around that, but these boys make me feel like I am fulfilling the actual purpose of my entire existence.

I still have about 16 lbs to lose. I haven't started exercising yet, but I plan on getting to that soon! At least the first half of the weight fell off immediately. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Astral And Defy Are 12 Weeks Old...

2010-05-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

11 weeks old

10 weeks old

8 weeks old

7 weeks old

4 weeks old

7 days old

Wow!! Time has flown by!!! Our sweet little babies are 12 weeks old today. Without a doubt, the past 12 weeks have been the BEST time in our lives. The boys are absolutely amazing and super healthy. At 10 weeks old Astral weighed 13 lbs 4 oz and Defy weighed 12 lbs 13 oz. They have met all of their milestones and are holding their heads up, smiling, cooing, rolling half way over, etc. Every day they are discovering something new in the world around them and it is just absolutely beautiful to watch. They now notice their reflections in the mirror and are acknowledging the presence of the other more and more each day. They are always reaching out and touching the other, interlocking arms and legs, and holding hands. It is super sweet and cute. We love watching them connect and grow closer and closer.

They haven't been sick or even had a rash since they were born. Though they might be allergic to soy, which I have completely taken out of my diet just in case. When they were 3 weeks old we noticed a pink tint in their poopy diapers and rushed them to the ER to find out the deal. They did a bunch of tests and said the boys were fine and that it may be a soy or dairy allergy, but it couldn't be determined for certain. Since I don't ever and would never consume dairy I have cut off my consumption of soy and quit supplementing my breast milk with Farley's Soya Formula (now discontinued, but that is a story for another post) just in case. I thought it would be a big deal to cut the soy, but it really hasn't been at all. There are so many other delicious vegan choices. The pediatrician said I could slowly reintroduce soy back in my diet at around 6 months. They also said that most babies outgrow their allergies.

Although they are identical twins they have little differences that have helped us tell them apart since birth. As they get older and closer in weight it is getting harder and harder to tell them apart.

I had my first day back at the office on Monday. It was really hard to leave the boys and of course I cried a lot, but thankfully Lucas is staying at home with them and I don't have to hand them off to strangers. Ugh...the thought is unbearable. I had been working from the hospital until the day before my cesarean when I officially went on maternity leave. I am grateful that I was able to spend 12 weeks bonding and just being a full-time mommy. I miss them so much during the day, but papa keeps me posted and texts me the cutest pics of the boys.

It took a long time to recover from the cesaren, but just as long to recover from being confined to a bed for 4 months. It was a very painful recovery and I would not have been able to do it without the help of my husband. Just going upstairs to my bedroom was a struggle.

We didn't sleep much during the first 3 weeks of their lives and while chaotic at times, I miss those early days already. Now the boys only wake up during the night for one feeding around 430am, but usually sleep all night before that and usually sleep for a couple more hours after.

Tonight will be the 5th night they have slept in their nursery. They slept in their bassinets next to our bed since they were about 2 weeks old, before that they refused to sleep anywhere except in our arms or in their cradle swings. We both slept on the floor of the nursery for the first 2 nights we put them in their cribs (even though we have a video monitor) and for the last 2 nights Lucas has slept in there after their 430am feeding. Tonight will be the night when they finally sleep alone all night. They are perfectly fine with sleeping in their cribs even when we aren't in the room with them, but we have first time parents syndrome and worry constantly about them. They are growing up so fast.

In the beginning they were too small to fit the organic all-in-one cloth diapers that we purchased so we used 7th Generation and Earth's Best disposables, but thankfully they've grown so much and for the past few weeks we have been cloth diapering. It isn't nearly as bad as people say. I feel really good about it and it is so worth the initial expense.

Sunny and Star love the boys and are very protective. Star (the female and younger of our two companions) is sometimes a little jealous, but she has been the baby for years so we expected nothing less. Astral and Defy are noticing the doggies a lot more and smile and stare at them often.

Everyone always asks "how we do it" or "if it is hard raising twins". Honestly, we don't know anything else, so it doesn't seem extra hard to us since we've only ever had two babies at once. As far as it being more difficult, I think the problem lies with typical gender roles and mothers being the primary and sometimes only care-givers (whether it is one baby, two or three). We tag team this whole parenting thing and it makes it soooo much easier.

There is so much to say and I'm trying to cram it all in to one post since we haven't posted in forever, but we totally plan on posting more and answering any specific questions you might have about being a pregnant vegan or raising vegan kids. Thank you for your comments and inspiring me to get back to blogging!

Astral And Defy Are Here...

2010-03-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

7 Days Old Photo Shoot In Their Nursery

Astral Defiance Hayes and Defy Aster Hayes were born on 3/03/10 via cesarean at 9:44 and 9:45AM. Astral (baby A) weighed in at 6.8 oz and Defy (baby B) weighed in at 5.13 oz, very good weights for twins born at 37 weeks, 3 days. Vegan since conception, they are both very happy and healthy babies that have met all their milestones so far.

Astral is defined as "of, relating to, or proceeding from the stars" and "visionary". Defy is defined as "to challenge to do something considered impossible" and "to resist attempts at: withstand".

The babies were born on a Wednesday and we were discharged from the hospital that Friday. Since the babies were perfectly healthy the doctors left it up to me and my recovery to decide when I would leave. After being in the hospital on bed rest since December I wanted out right away so Friday was the big day. We were elated to have the babies go home with us and no NICU time at all.

Every day the babies amaze us and we fall deeper and deeper in love. It is hard to believe that we are so lucky to have two beautiful little people to guide through life. Though we are sleep deprived and constantly busy being first time parents we are cherishing every single moment. We have so much more to share about the birth and the first 3 weeks of Astral and Defy's lives and will be back soon with the details.

Oldest (bottom) Newest (top)

The Babies Will Be Here Tomorrow...

2010-03-02T20:09:00.001-08:00

The twins will be born tomorrow morning via cesarean section. We can't believe the time has finally come. Words can not describe how I feel right now. I wanted to make one more post before the babies arrive. Today they weighed in at 6lbs 9oz (A) and 6lbs 10oz (B). It is unbelievable how amazing their growth has been throughout the pregnancy and the odds that all three of us have beaten. It is hard to imagine that I have over 13lbs of baby in me right now. Today during the ultrasound they babies had both moved to a head down position side by side. It was insane to see because they have both been breech the entire pregnancy and transverse for most of it. Unfortunately, because they share a placenta this hospital has a policy refusing to deliver them vaginally even if they are in the perfect position for it.

I met with the surgeon (my perinatologist) and the anesthesiologist today to go over every detail of the procedure. I am very nervous about all of the needles I will encounter tomorrow, but the joy of finally meeting our little bean sprouts outweighs the anxiety. I am not allowed to eat or drink after midnight tonight, just like Gizmo. Lucas is spending the night with me and in the morning we'll be ready to head down to labor and delivery.

I will update the blog as soon as I get the chance. I want to say thank you for following our vegan journey through pregnancy and we hope you'll continue to come back to read all about our vegan journey through parenthood! So exciting...

WE ARE ALMOST AT THE FINISH LINE...

2010-02-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

35 weeks

33 weeks side and front view

36 weeks today and only 9 days until they're here! We are super excited, it seems so unreal...

A date has been set for the birth of our identical twin boys!!! My c-section is scheduled for March 3rd 2010 at 9 am! I will be 37 weeks and 3 days pregnant!!

I have been on bed rest since November 28th and hospital bed rest since December 28th. Every excruitaing second has been more than worth it. These babies are so healthy and so big. Thankfully they stayed put and next week they'll officially be full term! This is such a huge accomplishment after having a short cervix for the last 2 months!! The boys were weighed at 34 weeks (2 weeks ago) and were way bigger than even the average singleton. How amazing is that? Baby A weighed 5 lbs 5 oz and Baby B weighed 5 lbs 2 oz. We had hoped for them to weigh at least 5 lbs at birth and they have exceeded those expectations. I am sure in the last two weeks the babies have gained even more and are at least 6 plus by now!! So great for identical twins! If everything keeps going as well as it has been then we will be avoiding NICU time which was our major goal!! We want to bring both of this little sweeties home with us.

I would have to say that even though I have a short cervix that has caused me to be hospitalized, it didn't stop my organic and vegan diet from greatly benefiting the babies and their health for the best. The twins continue to flourish and grow and be active even though my movement has been restricted. I still feel great, though I have felt a little nauseous the past few days. The doctor's ordered lab work just in case and it all came back perfect. They said it is normal at this late stage to start feeling nauseous and be more tired than usual again. Other than those symptoms I continue to have no swelling, no back pain and no other problems.

Sometimes with the pressure of this heavy belly I imagine that they will just drop out of me at any time! I have gained around 33 lbs so far! I'd gain 33 more to make sure that our babies were as fat and healthy as possible.

We recently picked our pediatrician. We have to drive 30 minutes away just to go to a practice with a more holistic approach, that doesn't force drugs and vaccinations down your throat and will let you as a parent decide how you want your children to be cared for.

I have had several meetings this past week with hospital pediatricians, neonatologists, lactation specialist and the postpartum nursing staff to discuss what happens during and right after the cesarean. I am nervous and excited at the same time. I was really excited to learn about what the nurses call "baby boot camp" where they help us learn everything we need to know about caring for and breast feeding the boys before we're discharged!! We have established our birth plan, explaining what we don't want going in or on their bodies, etc. I feel very confident that everything will go well, though I am totally freaked out that this isn't the natural birth I dreamed of and that shortly I will be having a needle full of drugs stuck in my spine. UGH! I understand why I have to get this surgery, but I am nervous nonetheless.

Boy, we have come so far along during this amazing vegan journey through pregnancy! I will try to post again before the babies are born. Though the c-section is scheduled, they could come at any time now. I am hoping they will be born on their daddy's 28th birthday on Feb 26th, but we'll see....

33 Weeks and Counting...

2010-01-31T14:53:00.001-08:00

31 weeks twin bump

29 weeks twin bump

Today is day 34 of hospital bed rest and we are officially 33 weeks pregnant. While I am eternally grateful to have made it this long and to have the boys doing consistently well, it has been less than an easy road to travel being trapped within these four walls. I would say that the hardest part about being hospitalized is being unable to nest and do the mommy preparation things that I've dreamed of for my entire life. Handing over control of your vision is never easy. I acknowledge that this is most important investment to ensure the boys are healthy and strong and that keeps me going! No NICU time is our total goal! Everything has gone rather smooth, though around 30 weeks the monitor picked up some contractions that thankfully turned out to just be braxton hicks.

I have been annoyed by a lot of administrative problems in the hospital, that I won't elaborate on too much. I'll just say that our companion animal Star isn't allowed back here because she barked and the woman who runs the "animal program" seems to have the opinion that animals should be obedient to their "masters" at all times and not exhibit behaviors that are completely natural. I've already set up a meeting with the hospital director to voice my concerns. At least I have a private room and the nurses are pleasant, though I can barely stand being checked on every hour and at night every 2 hours. They just peek in to make sure I'm okay, but still SOOO obnoxious. I understand it is necessary for many patients, so I just have to deal.

I feel perfectly normal, I don't have back pain or any of the common problems most pregnant women complain about at this stage. No swelling, no constipation, no lack of sleep, etc. I feel better in this 3rd trimester than I did in the first 2. I have gained at total of 24 lbs so far, my weigh in is tonight and I can't wait to find out how I've progressed this week. My cervix has shortened quite a bit since I've been here, but I'm not dilating or contracting so we are pretty much golden. I just have to stay in bed and make sure I keep as much pressure off of it so they boys stay in for at least a couple more weeks.

The doctors are still considering letting me go home at 34 weeks due to the reduced risks of any problems, but they aren't making any promises and I'm not getting my hopes up. As much as I despise being confined, I like the peace of mind I have being here. I don't have to worry about the well being of these guys because we are all closely monitored. If I was at home I would probably be nervous and panicking that every little movement I felt was labor or something.

The boys should be here in around 3 weeks, which is just so amazing to us. We are so close, yet being here makes time pass a little slower. I can not believe how far we've come. We both can't wait to walk through the door with our two bundles!

I missed both of my baby showers (one hosted by my mother (a natural born hostess) and the other by two of my closest friends), but was able to participate for a little with each via Skype. We have been humbled by the generosity of our friends and family. We have almost everything we need for these babies. We are using all organic products (clothing, cloth diapers, bedding, plush toys, toiletries, etc) for the boys and we really appreciate everyone making sure they met our needs! My friends did an extra special job hosting and made sure everything was vegan, even though we are the only vegans and weren't able to attend their shower. How cool is that?

Lucas continues to bring me food every day (since they still don't accommodate people who take a principled stand against the exploitation of animals) and I am still "working from bed", which helps me feel relevant and helps pass the time during the week. I am staying pretty sane, though at times I just want to pack my bags and go home. I know that this will just be a distant memory once our miracle babies arrive...

28 Weeks and Complete Bed Rest...

2009-12-30T05:37:00.000-08:00

dc metro snow storm 09

25 weeks bump (will update soon)

Where to start??? There has been such a long gap in my posting for which I apologize, but I have a feeling that I will be posting a lot more in the future.

I'll start at the present and go from there. I am officially 28 weeks and in my 3rd trimester! YAY! The boys are doing great and just 2 days ago they weighed in at 2 lbs 13 oz and 2 lbs 14 oz. They are measuring over a week ahead! We had our routine 2 week appointment on Monday and were shocked to find out that my cervical length had shortened quite a bit. I was immediately admitted to the hospital for strict bed rest. I had been on modified bed rest at home for just around 1 month, but of course when you're on bed rest at home you sometimes tend to extend yourself beyond the parameters of "bed rest".

Having two babies puts a lot of pressure on my cervix and I am here for the duration of my pregnancy as a precaution. Close monitoring should help prevent preterm labor and keep the babies baking for as long as possible. There is a slight chance that they will let me go home at 34 weeks, but there is no guarantee. Luckily, I am not on any medication, or hooked up to any machines or IV. They check the twins' heart rates 3 times a day and check my vitals 3 times as well. I am only allowed to go to the bathroom and take a 10 minute shower a day. This is nothing like home bed rest, but I know it is for the best.

When I first found out I was being admitted I cried and cried. The first thoughts were not being around Lucas and the pups all the time. The last month on home bed rest was so fulfilling to me and I will cherish the memories forever. I was able to spend so much time with my husband and my pups and I just felt so warm, cozy and happy to be able to relax and enjoy being spoiled for the rest of my pregnancy with my greatest loves by my side. Right now I am in a room with another high risk mother, but I should be getting a private room at any time. Once I have a private room Lucas will be able to spend and the night sometimes AND Star and Sunny will be able to come and visit!!!!!! Hearing that information was the best news and totally perked me up. Just thinking about being away from Star and Sunny for 6 weeks or more was tinkering on total emotional break-down for me.

The hospital does not properly accommodate vegans. They have a vegetarian menu full of cows' secretions and chickens' eggs and of course salad, but not the varied diet that a pregnant vegan should be eating!! Lucas to the rescue!!!!! Thankfully, they have a refrigerator where I am able to store my soy milk and other cold foods safely. I keep a bunch of fruits, bread and other dry foods in my room for snacks, breakfast and lunch, then Lucas brings me a hot dinner. Hopefully one day vegans won't have to over-extend themselves just to get the proper nutrition because they choose not to exploit animals, especially at one of the best hospitals in the nation.

We moved into a larger place just a week before I was admitted. Great timing, huh? We were supposed to move a couple of days before, but there was a huge snow storm where we ended up with over 20 inches of snow. It was such a beautiful disaster. My mother-law was in town visiting us just in time for the storm and was one of the lucky few to only have a couple hours of a delay on her return flight home.

I am so happy we moved before I was hospitalized, though we still aren't fully unpacked. Upon being admitted I was also a little upset because I wouldn't have the opportunity to be there to set up the nursery. Though I have everything picked out for the babies, I won't be there to see it all be put together!!! My parents are coming this weekend to put shelves in the nursery closet and paint the room. I am grateful for all the support!!! I have never felt so helpless before, but I know it is all for the well being of these little boys!!

I am still working from bed! My company continues to be supportive. I think that I'd be bored without having any responsibility during my hospitalization. I can't imagine how it will be over the next few weeks, I can only take it one day at a time. As long as the boys continue to be healthy I am satisfied. Once they are born this period of bed rest will be such a distant memory and for now I need to relax and let nature take its course. I feel completely normal, except I have a heavy belly and that makes it even harder to accept the fact that I'm in the hospital when I'm not even sick or in pain.

The babies move around so much. I first felt them really kicking and moving around 23 weeks and they haven't stopped since. Luke has finally been able to feel and see the movement which is amazing to share. I've gained around 19 lbs so far, it seems to be all in my huge bump!! I'm sure I forgot something I wanted to say, but it seems I have all the time in the world to catch up...

Another Daddy Post - (Mis)Representations of Non Human Animals On Baby Products

2009-11-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

What children are taught to believe:

Reality:

Kenya and I have babies on our minds! As parents-to-be we've been recently exploring the vast world of baby merchandise. It came as no surprise to us to see many representations of non human animals (which I will be referring to simply as “animals” for the rest of this entry) displayed on everything from bedding to clothing to wall paper borders to pacifiers to baby dishes and beyond. The vast majority of the representations are of warm and fuzzy, cuddly and cute animals with joyous expressions on their adorable cartoon faces. Cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, fish, frogs, birds, dogs, cats, bees, dolphins, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, lions, and many more animals are often shown in themes of either free settings; an open pasture, the forest, a jungle, or just “the wild” in general – or in captive settings; farms, zoos, circuses, etc (although the cages are rarely included). In either setting these animals are clearly shown as being happy and comfortable, often with big anthropomorphic smiles to prove it.

Now, as vegans, Kenya and I are quite aware of the realities of animal exploitation that are sanitized and misrepresented on baby products. I'd like to briefly go over a few prominent examples.

On “farms”, for instance, animals are forcefully impregnated and bred in order to be confined and exploited for unnecessary human desires and they are all eventually killed. To not kill them, from a business standpoint, would not be economical, regardless of the size of the operation, from small scale to factory farm. They are all exploited and used in ways that would be considered torture if humans were in their place. Rape (forced impregnation), torture (mutilation, intense confinement, rough handling, etc.), and murder are standard business practices. The animals are all the property under the law (same as a couch or an Ipod – only animals have interests) and, of course, they are treated accordingly. When they no longer serve a purpose to the “producer”, they become a hindrance to making profits and are ultimately killed at a very early age. Not exactly what was depicted on the burp cloths and in the wooden toy sets that we've seen.

Dairy cow's, for example have to give birth constantly in order to produce milk. Forced impregnation is necessary to the operation and, in many instances, this occurs while the cow is restrained in a contraption referred to as the “rape rack” (this goes for female pigs --sows-- as well). They, as all other mammals, certainly do not produce milk just so humans can steal and consume it. They produce milk, which is “designed” by nature, for their own babies, to feed their calves. When they give birth to a male, he would cost too much money to raise in order to run an efficient operation (too much input, not enough output). So what is done with them? They are torn from the mothers and turned into something economical; veal, the flesh of calves. When dairy cows are “spent”, meaning no longer productive, they are killed just like the male “beef” cows, often ending up in hamburgers.

Egg laying hens are certainly not any better off. Whether the operation is “free range” or “cage free” or your average factory farm setting, the hens' beaks, a very sensitive part of their bodies, are often cut about half way off with a hot blade so that they do not naturally establish a pecking order, peck and/or cannibalize other hens also within close confinement. Egg laying hens are starved and their reproductive cycles are manipulated into laying more eggs, simultaneously with other hens, so that they are productive and efficient so as to compete on the market. Male chicks are an unwanted byproduct of the egg industry. Once hatched, they are simply killed; gassed, suffocated, crushed, electrocuted or ground up alive in large numbers. That way a “producer” can eliminate what would otherwise be uneconomical; the life of male chicks. This reality is much different from the idyllic scenes on the blankets, clothes, and bibs.

As vegans, Kenya and I are also aware that many free or “wild” animals, many represented on baby items, are killed in order to protect ranchers and their “livestock”. The USDA's Wildlife “Services” program kills hundreds of thousands of “wild” animals, using tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, every single year. In 2004, for example, Wildlife “Services” killed 2.7 million “wild” animals such as coyotes, beavers, raccoons, feral pigs, snakes, skunks, squirrels, foxes, deer, prairie dogs, and rats. These animals are shot, poisoned, gassed, snared, and caught in leg hold traps. In addition, millions of birds are killed in order to protect crops, many crops which are primarily used to feed “livestock”. Starlings, pigeons, crows, ravens, sparrows, geese, swans, vultures, and many many more are killed in the thousands and millions annually.

Other “wild” animals that are depicted on baby items are, in reality, shot and killed, or sometimes left injured, just for “sport” and/or tradition.

Zoos and Circuses are also prominent themes appearing on baby items. In pretty much all the zoo themes, the animals are depicted without having any barriers around them, or as if they were in their natural environments. This is very much in contrast to the actual reality of zoos, on and behind the scenes. In reality animals in zoos are often prevented from doing many of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind. This causes them great stress, which is blatantly apparent if one knows what signs to look for. Furthermore, many animals in zoos live only a fraction as long as they would in their natural environments.

Circus scenes on baby items are often the most exciting. Anthropomorphic animals can be seen smiling as they perform various acts, seemingly having the best time of their lives. In reality, animals do not naturally perform “tricks” as they do in circuses. In order to force the animals to perform tricks trainers use whips, tight collars, electric prods, bull hooks, and other painful tools. The scenes behind the scenes at circuses are not so much exciting and fun as they are horrifying.

Knowing these realities behind what is often represented on children's merchandise as “happy”, “playful”, “natural” forms of animal exploitation, I think at least two questions need to be raised;

1) Why do we want our kids to love the animals that we routinely exploit, and brutally harm for no other reason than for our personal pleasure?

And...

2) Why do we lie to our own animal loving children about, and make them unwittingly complicit in the injustices that occur to their beloved friends and companions, the animals?

Having once been an unapologetic omnivore and then a confused vegetarian in denial about the unnecessary harm I was causing for most of my life, I actually already knew the answers to these questions. We can't be honest with our children about the ways animals are exploited because we ourselves are uncomfortable with it on some level and know our children would not be comfortable with it either. Most of us are aware that other animals, including the ones we regularly exploit are intelligent, sensate individuals with interests in living and continuing their lives free of exploitation.

Many of us are now aware that we don't need to consume animals or their bodily secretions to survive and live healthfully. Therefore, we want or need to believe in this fantasy that animals bred and raised or captured for unnecessary human purposes live happy, full lives and are treated with love and respect by their exploiters. Otherwise, we would come face to face with the reality that for no justifiable reason we are directly responsible for the many pitiful lives and cruel, brutal deaths of animals that are every bit as alive, conscious, and sentient as we are - that we are the oppressors of our children's lifelong friends. This is why we need to show “happy” representations of animals to our children when those animals are in reality, very far from being happy as they are exploited and killed. We wouldn't want them to grow up and call us out on our own exploitative and murderous conduct, now would we?

This is early indoctrination into a speciesist world, to erroneously teach our children that animals are merely things that are meant and even happy to be used by us. Never mind that animals have their own lives and their own interests. That would ruin the fantasy... not to mention dinner.

The Big 20 Weeks Anatomy Scan...

2009-11-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

the top of baby A's head and the back of baby B's head

baby B's profile (so hard to get him to stay still) with baby A's random body parts in the mix

baby A's thinking pose

baby A's profile

star wanted in on the baby bump photo action this week

20 weeks twin bump

our 20 weeks pregnancy evolution

We are now in week 21 and everything is still going great!!! We had our 20 week anatomy scan last week and the babies are doing so well. They are measuring ahead of schedule and they're growing at a pretty even rate in relation to one another. We were able to see every little part of their bodies, from their brains, to each little finger and toe. We loved seeing the 4 chambers of their hearts pumping away and their cute little profiles. They are already looking like their papa!

During the scan baby B wasn't being very cooperative so I was told to drink some cold water and move from side to side to get him to change positions, which he finally did and the tech was able to get all the shots they needed to diagnose our healthy little identical twins. He was such a little rascal and honestly it has been a pattern at all of our recent appointments. Baby A always seems willing to pose for us and baby B just does his own thing. I love it! I can't wait to see how their personalities are when they're born.

The actual scan took almost 2 hours, I started feeling sick after laying on my back for a while so I had to change positions quite a bit during. The pressure made me feel light-headed, but thankfully changing positions and cold water helped a lot. This had to be my favorite appointment out of all of them so far, besides when we found out they were twins and then when we found out they were boys.

Our perinatologist did inform us that even though everything is stellar with the babies and my cervix, I will be on bed rest at 24 weeks (3 weeks away). My Executive Vice President is super amazing and I am so lucky to be able to work from home from Nov 30th until the babies are born. Then I will be on maternity leave for 12 weeks. I can't imagine being away from my office for 5 plus months, but I will do anything to ensure the best for our little sweeties. I am super in love with my career, but I am more in love with my boys!!! At least I will have some work to keep me busy while on bed rest for 12 to 13 weeks! Can you imagine???

Honestly, I don't think I could have handled going in to the office after the next couple of weeks. Though I'm feeling so much better than in the first trimester I am starting to feel drained, sleep has become a more uncomfortable task as the days pass. My belly is growing so fast, I am feeling the babies' movements more and more, but still not feeling distinctive kicks or punches. I pee like 5 times during the night and toss and turn from side to side. I know this is just the beginning of sleep deprivation and at least I'm still getting a decent amount of shut-eye for now.

My appetite is growing, some days I can't eat enough and some days it is completely normal. Last night I was hungry again like less than 2 hours after eating a wholesome dinner (brown rice and delicious pinto and kidney beans with two different kinds of kale) and I even went back for seconds. When I was weighed at the anatomy scan last week I had gained 8lbs total for the pregnancy and an average of a pound a week since the last appointment. I imagine that will be the steady pace for the future. We are going to appointments every two weeks now so Monday (we will be in our 22nd week) is the next one.

I am extra happy to announce that my best friend is pregnant too. We are only 8 weeks apart and she has just spilled the beans to everyone so now I am finally free to discuss. She even has the same OB I had before transferring to my perinatologist. We have been friends since our freshman year of college and while almost polar opposites in most aspects of philosophy and lifestyle we totally connect. There is nothing better than having someone to share the first-hand experience of something so life altering and enlightening (though I can't stand that she hasn't puked one time her entire pregnancy). I am so excited for future play dates and mommy talk!

A quick 19 weeks update...

2009-10-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

18 week baby bump

16 week baby bump

So everything is progressing smoothly with our (identical twin) vegan pregnancy. We are now in week 19 and the twins are growing rapidly and are super active. We saw them on Friday and they continue to amaze and excite us!

We are going to a new practice and have a new Perinatologist that will do all of our prenatal care from now on and will also deliver our little bundles. They specialize in multiples and all other high risk pregnancies. The whole practice is great and a major bonus is that they have the most high-tech and state of the art equipment. We view our sonograms on these huge flat panel screens, bringing the babies in high-def as if they were right in the room with us. It is insanely cool!

On Friday we had our second visit with the new doctor. He said everything was a perfect as possible and that we don't need to come but every 2 weeks. We had been going every week, alternating between our old OB and Fetal Medicine Specialist. He really comforted us with his positive outlook on the pregnancy and the progress of the babies. However, he said that he wanted me on bed rest way sooner than I expected. We will see what happens. The thought of bed rest for such a long period of time is excruciating, but in the end I will do whatever keeps these little buns in the oven the longest!

My appetite is very normal, I am not hungry every second like I expected carrying twins. I have gained around 6 lbs total this pregnancy and thankfully it is all in my baby bump so far! I have been hungrier at night than during the day.

My skin still isn't doing as well as I would like, but oh well I guess I should be thankful for the 30 years of good skin I've had. I'm just happy not to have morning sickness anymore and have my energy back! As far as sleep goes, I'm still going back and forth at night on my sides which is totally annoying as well. For some reason I sleep better during the day (if I take a nap) than at night.

Our big anatomical scan is now on Nov 2nd (we'll be 20 whole weeks)! Time is flying by!

Oh yeah and everyone is always asking me if I have any "weird cravings" or if I am craving animals or their by-products. The answer for all of the above is NO! To me animals aren't food, so they aren't even in my spectrum of choices to be desired. There are so many amazingly delicious and nutritious plant-based foods that far exceed the number of animal based products out there, I NEVER consider anything else. Being vegan isn't just a diet, it is an integral part of my entire existence and belief structure that is at the forefront of every move I make. I will always be vegan no matter what the circumstance, there is no compromise EVER.

we're having identical twin boys...

2009-09-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Baby B @ 14 Weeks

Baby A @ 14 Weeks (sucking his finger)

my pregnancy evolution

15 Weeks Pregnant

12 Weeks Pregnant

6 Weeks Pregnant

Yummy...

Vegan Cake

We found out last week at our fetal medicine specialist appointment that our twins are BOYS! We are absolutely thrilled. We didn't have our hearts set on a specific gender throughout the pregnancy, but during the last two weeks I began to think we were having girls. Boy, was I wrong. We saw two little penises or turtles as the tech called them. It was undeniable that they were boys. Most of our family members and friends had predicted boys!!!

At the check-up I had my cervix measured and it was a normal length. Both babies are doing great and measure a week ahead of schedule each. The fetal medicine doctor said everything was perfect so far! What a relief!!! We go back to our regular OB this Friday and then we see the fetal medicine specialist again on the 14th for an anatomical scan. They check out all the body parts, etc in detail. We actually got to see quite a bit of their bodies this time as well. We saw their hearts, kidneys, spines, fingers, toes, brains, legs and their cute little butts! Baby A was sucking his thumb!! SOOO CUTE. They were both super active too and BABY B seemed to be waving at us!

I have been feeling what I think is movement, but I can't really tell for sure at this point because I've never been pregnant and don't know exactly what it feels like yet. I sometimes think I feel flutters or quickening and then it turns out to be gas. HA! The specialist said that I should surely be feeling their movement in the upcoming weeks and that I will know for sure, especially since they are so active each time we go in.

WOW! Two little boys, Luke's smile was large enough to light the night's sky when we got the news. We can't believe that in a short while we will have two sons!!! Everything seems even more real now that we know the gender and can apply the names we've been thinking of when discussing them. Everyone says boys are easier than girls though a little more rowdy, but I know that every child is different and no matter how rowdy these little rascals are we will love them to pieces.

Oh and since I am now officially in my second trimester you'll be glad to know that I am not having morning sickness anymore (knock on wood). Right at the 13 week mark I started to get better, my appetite was back, my energy was improved. I was better just in time for our trip to Illinois for a wedding that Lucas was a groomsman in. It was a wonderful trip and great opportunity to spend time with Lucas' family and friends. It is hard living so far away from people we love so much, especially in such a precious and momentous time in our lives.

I couldn't handle a layover so we had a straight flight into St. Louis where my mother-in-law picked us up and drove us the hour and a half (or so) trip down to Southern IL (where they live). We decided to grab lunch in the city and used happycow.net to help us locate a place to eat appropriate for vegans! We decided on Shangri-La a cute little diner style joint with great decor, music and food. The food was so awesome and super filling and the desert was stellar too. Unfortunately, it isn't 100 percent vegan, but almost everything on the menu was vegan or could be made vegan. The owner was vegan and would much prefer not to have any animal products at all on the menu. So annoying, but a great place! www.theshangriladiner.com.

Also while in IL I ate my first salad in almost 2 months and it was delicious. I can't imagine what was going on in my body that made me have an aversion to one of my favorite things to eat EVER, but such is pregnancy! I've been devouring them ever since!

The wedding that Lucas was in was for one of his oldest and best friends. They are so awesome that they had this vegetarian place (The Longbranch Coffee House) make us our own special vegan heart-shaped cake to eat at the wedding. DELICIOUS and most of all thoughtful.

http://www.shawneenet.net/menus/longbranch/menu.html

The flight back into DC was horrid for me, though the flight to St. Louis was totally smooth. For some reason I felt hot, sweaty and nauseous the entire hour and a half flight. Luckily I didn't vomit on the plane, but once we landed I had to rush to the bathroom twice for major vomiting. That was the last time I've puked and I had been really good before that for a while. Now its been a full week since my last upheaval and I hope it remains this way. I'm still tired, but not nearly as much as the first trimester.

Another new symptom is that I've broken out a little on my face. I have never had acne or problem skin. I'm hoping it doesn't get any worse than it is now, though I surely can handle a few pimples for the next few months...

The biggest change my body has made is my baby bump! All of a sudden it popped out at week 13. Now at week 15 I look fully pregnant! I love it and can't wait for it to get even bigger as our little bean-sprouts grow and grow!! I am so proud to be carrying these babies and I feel so proud as I watch my body evolve.

the most amazing news ever...

2009-09-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Our Vegan Babies @ 11 Weeks 5 Days Old

Our Vegan Baby A @ 11 Weeks 5 Days Old

Our Vegan Baby B @ 11 Weeks 5 Days Old

A lot has happened since our last post. Our lives have been changed forever, in the most ultimate and best way possible. At our third ultrasound/OB appointment on Monday 8/31 we received the shocking news that we are expecting twins!!! Not only are they twins, but they are identical twins!!!

The OB was performing a vaginal ultrasound while we watched the screen intently, then all of a sudden I noticed a round looking mass on the screen in addition to our baby. I asked the OB what the splotch was and if it was a cyst, he laughed and said it was another baby. The most indescribable feeling washed over me, I felt as if I were going to faint. Lucas' face looked completely dumfounded as we locked eyes. I asked the doctor if he was sure and he said to hold on and to not pass out while he did an abdominal ultrasound. As he glided the wand around my belly we immediately saw two babies floating around and two blinking heartbeats! Unbelievable! We were super surprised, yet immediately felt lucky to have such an amazing gift of two babies!

The doctor was in shock too and we discussed how the vaginal ultrasound doesn't always get a full view and that the second baby was hiding! We discussed how identical twins are complete anomalies and have nothing to do with heredity. We've learned so much in the past week about identical twins. The doctor gave us a referral to a fetal medicine doctor for a level 2 ultrasound so we could determine if the babies have a separating membrane in their sac and if they share a placenta.

We went in for the level 2 ultrasound on 9/2 and found out that our twins are indeed monozygotic sharing a placenta. Thankfully, they do have a separating membrane within their sac so that their umbilical cords can't get tangled. The ultrasound was amazing, we got to hear both heartbeats for the first time. I have never been so emotional in my life, to hear our children's heartbeats was the most beautiful thing.

A lot has changed since last Monday, we are now considered a high risk pregnancy because we are carrying twins. The doctor also informed us that there is a high chance that I will have to have a cesarean section. UGH! I wanted a natural delivery with no drugs! We don't take pharmaceuticals and I had no intention of starting, but if it is the only way the babies can be born healthy then that is what we will have to do. The doctor also said that we might deliver in February instead of March at 36 weeks instead of 40. Only time will truly tell...

We were only expecting one baby, but having two will be so perfect. As vegans our babies will never feel alone because they always have one another. A built in best friend and life long playmate. I now know why I've been so sick and so fatigued, I've been building two babies for 3 months! We are at 12 weeks as of this past Friday and I'm way better than before, but still sick here and there. I've been having a little bit of restless sleep at night for the past week or so, I can't seem to get comfortable and all I can think about is my two little bean sprouts growing inside of me. Often we look at one another and giggle and say, "WE ARE HAVING TWO BABIES"! Insanity...

Our families are so excited as are our friends. Twins bring out such joy and intrigue. It seems people are even more stoked than we announced our pregnancy. It is so hard to believe we conceived on our first try and conceived identical twins at that!!!

When we first found out we were pregnant I wished for twins, but I never thought it would happen. I kept saying that I wished I was pregnant with twins because I didn't know if I could handle doing it again. My wish came true after thinking for 3 months that I was carrying one baby and after seeing one baby twice before on the ultrasound. A TRUE MIRACLE...

right around the corner...

2009-08-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

Our Vegan Baby @ 6 Weeks 1 Day Old

Our Vegan Baby @ 9 Weeks 3 Days Old

So our second trimester is right around the corner! We are in week 10! On Friday we will be in week 11, only 3 more days. Our due date is now around March 19th 2010. We had our second ultrasound last week at 9 weeks and 3 days. We saw the baby moving his/her arms around, dancing around just for mommy and daddy! It totally melted our hearts. I was so relieved everything was going well with the baby and pregnancy. Reading all the mommy boards can stir up a lot of anxiety, getting to see the baby and heartbeat always offers inner peace. Our next appointment is on the 31st and I can not wait. I'm hoping that in the second trimester I get my energy back and I can be somewhat normal again!!!

I'm still having morning sickness aka all day sickness, Lucas bought me those seasickness bands and they work (sometime). I've still been sleeping in almost all of my spare time. I have a better appetite, but still have to force myself to eat at times. I had to cancel my 5 day beach-trip with friends this week. I just couldn't imagine being away from Lucas for that long, he is my saving grace!!!

I've been way too tired to post recently, so I just wanted to write a quickie to let everyone know we are doing well! As always happy, healthy and vegan...

This is what our baby looked like at week 8!

This is what our baby looked like at week 9!

This is what our baby looks like right about now!

a daddy post...

2009-08-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

So I'm going to be a father! A vegan father at that! I have thought about the idea for some time but wasn't sure if I was ready to become a parent. Kenya, on the other hand, has been ready for some time but agreed that we'd wait until the time was right to try.

Before trying to conceive I started thinking about the state of the world today. I don't want our child to believe in fairy tales. I don't want our child to be brought up on lies that soften her or his critical thinking skills. I don't want our child to be ridiculed for being “different”. I don't want our child to ridicule others for being “different”. I don't want our child to be brainwashed by the mainstream media. I don't want our child to be targeted by very intelligent psychologists working for corporations that simply want her or him to mindlessly consume, consume, consume. I don't want our child to face resource shortages, or toxic pollution, or the effects of environmental degradation, each of which are a result of mindless consumption practices and, even more so, the predatory nature of capitalism.

I currently live in a world in which compassion and respect for others beings is stunted from an early age and the exploitation of humans, other animals, and the Earth is condoned and encouraged if one can derive mere pleasure and perceived benefit from it. I live in a world in which wars are accepted as a natural way to peace. I live in a world in which violence is considered to be an acceptable problem-solving tactic. I live in a world where people don't think about the consequences of their actions. I live in a world where people will do just about anything to “belong” and uphold the status quo. I live in a world in which racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, ableism, and speciesism run rampant. I live in a world in which the majority of people do not have the basic necessities to survive while only a small minority live comfortably as a result of the labor of those who are struggling. I live in a world where all this is seen as “normal” and/or “natural”.

I don't want our child to be taught (or brainwashed), as I was, to believe that some people just aren't as good, or efficient, or capable, or smart, or worthy, etc. as we in the West are and therefore are doomed to live in the horrendous conditions that they live in. I don't want our child to ever deem anyone inferior to her or him, human or nonhuman. Yet, I live in a world in which humans create hierarchies of who is most deserving of our consideration and who is least deserving of our consideration. Every other being on this planet is susceptible to being dominated by us humans, including other humans, simply because we feel “we can” dominate them. In the U.S. Some 12 BILLION land animals (not including aquatic animals) are killed just so that humans can eat them. Around 50 BILLION is the worldwide estimate. Our best justification for this is that we like the taste. We proudly display our domination over other animals in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the products we apply to our bodies. Their lives aren't even worth our consideration because they have been deemed so inferior to us simply because they are “not like us”.

I don't want our child to be brought up in THIS kind of world where this mentality is the norm!

But then I got to thinking. How are things ever going to change for the better if there aren't more children being raised and taught to reject the exploitation and oppression of other beings? For me it's clear that the notion that we can exploit “others” for our own perceived gain is at the root of many problems we face today. Therefore, a rejection of the mentality that we humans can do whatever we like to those who are vulnerable simply for our pleasure or perceived benefit is the solution. Veganism is a rejection of that mentality. Veganism, at it's core, means showing compassion and respect to all, especially to the most vulnerable among us.

I want to live in a peaceful world. I don't want to see any war. I would love to see vital resources freed to benefit those in need. I would love to see more people taking a stand against injustices rather than sitting idly by as many struggle to survive. I would love to see more people waking up to the way we are conditioned to over consume, and to the problems our consumption practices cause. I would love to see more people waking up to the way we are conditioned to treat each other and other beings. I desperately want to see a world where humans recognize that other animals have an interest in their own lives and realize that enslaving, torturing, and murdering them is against our moral principles. Unfortunately, it's highly unlikely that I will ever see this kind of world. But maybe, just maybe, through the right, compassionate education, our vegan child will be able to, at very least, catch a glimpse. As Gandhi once said, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Our vegan child will be brought up to challenge to do something considered impossible. Our vegan child will defy standards and reject traditions and societal norms based on exploitation and exclusion. That's the kind of change we wish to see. That's the kind of change we, as a family, will be.

moving right along...

2009-08-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

A Cute Informative Pregnancy Book A Friend From CA Sent

My respect for mothers has grown tremendously in my 8 short weeks of pregnancy. The power and determination of women has always amazed me and made me proud to be a woman. I keep imagining the unwavering strength of single pregnant mothers, pregnant mothers with other small children, teen pregnant mothers, mature age pregnant mothers, pregnant mothers of the "global south" and of course all the non-human animal mothers, though the list goes on. I have always viewed myself as a strong woman that could handle anything thrown her way. I've made it through so much and I've accomplished so much, but honestly none of it even compares to what I am doing right now. Growing this baby is the absolute greatest accomplishment of my life and it is also the hardest thing I've ever done.

I am grateful for a healthy pregnancy so far and I am grateful that my symptoms aren't as severe as they could be. Though at times, I feel so outside of myself. It is definitely the most interesting time of my life. I am fully aware of every change my body is making and while I cherish every moment of this monumental time I absolutely can't wait until the second trimester. I find comfort in books, articles, blogs and mommy boards where women express these same feelings. The March 2010 mommy board has made me feel normal instead of weak.

Week 7 was pretty much like the weeks I described before. I didn't gain any new symptoms, though I have been able to eat more, which is great (even though it is still less than normal). We've also added yummy smoothies into the mix in week 7, which helps a lot when I can't eat an actual meal.

I was too exhausted (buzz word of the trimester) to post last week. Hopefully that won't happen again, but realistically it probably will.

I am officially in week 8 now and I'm excited to see what this week brings! Our next appointment with the OB is on the 17th and we can not wait to see how the baby is progressing!

7 WEEKS (AGAIN...)

SYMPTOMS:
nausea/vomiting (i can't even brush my teeth without getting sick)
loss of appetite
heavy food aversions
heightened sense of smell
moody ( a little irrational at times, thankfully luke knows how to diffuse this)
fatigue (frequent naps after work)
extreme happiness (doctor says that i will go up and down due to hormones…but i doubt it)
sore breasts

we have a new due date...

2009-07-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Our First Vegan Parenting Resources

We've had quite an interesting week. I've been sicker than ever, lots of puke and lots of sleeping. I've completely lost interest in so many foods I formerly loved. I can no longer eat kale, salads, collards, bok choy, mushrooms and many more delicious and nutritious foods I had been devouring just a week or so before. My food aversions have basically left me a fruitarian, I am loving cantaloupes, strawberries, oranges, bananas, cherries, grapes, and plums. I have also been eating a lot of pineapple, but for some reason it makes me sick more often than not. The strange thing is that I still crave it like mad. I've also had a good relationship with baked or mashed potatoes and my favorite water crackers. I have an aversion to raw cashews and walnuts now, but I can stomach pistachios. I could go on forever, but you get the point.

We had our first OB appointment on Monday and he reassured us that all the foods I have been able to stomach are completely sufficient and healthy for growing a baby and that we shouldn't be worried at all. The greatest news about our OB is that he was totally impressed with our vegan diet and actually said it was THE BEST diet for a pregnant woman. He also said that he personally eats meat, but at least he acknowledges the truth! We expressed our joy in the fact that he was supportive and told him we had been worried about him accepting our diet. He said that any doctor who would be against a vegan diet obviously wasn't thinking straight (but in more harsh terms) and that it is just plain fact that the less processed your diet and the more vegetables and fruit you eat the better. WE LOVE HIM ALREADY!

He made me feel completely comfortable for all the invasive procedures I underwent that day. I had to have a vaginal ultra-sound, which I was NOT expecting at all. I have watched so many baby shows, I just imagined him rolling a little wand around my belly. That was so not the case, but I survived. It went well and we were able to see our little lentil's heart beating. Just amazing...life could not have been better than at the moment when he said everything looked great! We spent a long time in his office discussing my prenatal vitamins among many other questions we have as first-timers. He disagreed with my family practice doctor and thinks that I should continue taking DHA and a separate vitamin D supplement of 400 IUs.

The biggest shocker of the appointment was when he said that the ultra-sound showed that the baby was 6 weeks and 1 day, instead of almost 8 weeks as I had originally been told by my family practice doctor. He explained that because of my 37 day irregular cycle, the dating of the pregnancy can sometimes be off. He gave us a new due date of March 21st. Our original due date was March 10th. We'll see what happens, but I bet the baby comes somewhere in between those two dates. We don't really care as long as he or she is healthy! This Sunday I will be on week 7 according to the OB. So we are moving back a little and I was already counting down the days until the 2nd trimester where supposedly these gnarly symptoms start to die down.

We are going to see my in-laws this weekend, which should be fun. I can imagine myself sleeping and puking the whole time, but I hope for a little break...

6 WEEKS (AGAIN...)

SYMPTOMS:

nausea/vomiting (i can't even brush my teeth without getting sick)

loss of appetite

heavy food aversions

heightened sense of smell

moody ( a little irrational at times, thankfully luke knows how to diffuse this)

fatigue (frequent naps after work)

extreme happiness (doctor says that i will go up and down due to hormones…but i doubt it)

LIFESTYLE CHANGES:

missed 2 days of work

going to bed earlier

sleeping on my sides only (i try to sleep on left, but move around a lot)

this week been way too tired to exercise every day but still fitting it in when i can

eating some form of breakfast every day (even if comes right back up)

even more strict on organic food intake and whole foods (only fruits, minimal vegetables, grains and nuts)

she's so exhausted...

2009-07-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today begins week 7 for us and honestly I am totally EXHAUSTED. I have never slept this much in my life and I LOVE SLEEP. I went to bed at 1030pm last night (which NEVER happens) and slept until after 830am! I woke up to eat some multi-grain toast at 2am and take one of many pee breaks. I was worried the baby was hungry or something during my hibernation. I've been taking naps almost every day after I get home from the office. I also have been going in to the office later this week. Thankfully I have the most awesome boss.

Speaking of boss, I just told my boss on Monday about being pregnant. Last week we bought What to Expect When You're Expecting and we have been buried in it ever since. It was the first pregnancy book we purchased that wasn't specifically vegan, but at least they have a little vegan info. It is actually a great resource and thankfully as vegans a lot of things that might worry most, don't apply to us. I looked up some information on when to tell your boss that you're expecting and it basically said you don't really have to for a while unless you are sick. Well, I wasn't sick at all when I first read that, but as of the wee hours of Monday morning my stomach has been turning. I was so nauseous on Monday throughout the day I thought I better fill her in. She was totally understanding and very excited for us.

Apparently no one in my department has been pregnant on the job in many years. I assured her that I was going to return to work after maternity leave and that my career was still very important to me. Thankfully, with Lucas being self-employed we will be able to have one parent at home caring for the baby at all times without me having to sacrifice all my hard work and dedication to my education and career.

I truly believe I am one of the luckiest women out there when it comes to having a dedicated partner that isn't brainwashed in to believing in misogynistic gender roles. Lucas is 100% involved in this pregnancy. He is right by my side researching and learning everything there is to know about child rearing, nutrition, vaccines...you name it! He makes sure that I don't have to do anything annoying or stressful, including chores and cooking which makes my life way easier! He actually did that kind of stuff before I was pregnant, he is a definite keeper. He is also taking an active role in being my exercise partner. It really doesn't get any better than having your partner with you to keep you motivated throughout all your pregnancy symptoms.

He has been overly worried the past couple of days about me getting enough food since I've lost my appetite a bit. He is always trying to get me to eat more, but honestly this week food hasn't been that appealing. At least the food I eat has been super nutritious. I wish I could go back to the last couple of weeks when I was able to eat more with no problem. I read that the baby is still getting enough nutrients at this point and that there is no need to worry, but I can't wait until this nauseous feeling goes away for good.

Yesterday at work someone was eating chicken and the smell actually made me vomit. Even though I am vegan I never get sick from the smell of cooked flesh. I do not prefer it, but I have never had this reaction before. I have only thrown up 3 times and each time it was barely anything at all. I guess I am lucky that the nausea doesn't usually lead to throwing up. I hate throwing up. I also hate being queasy, but I love being pregnant and I love that in March we will have a precious little baby!

When I can stomach food, I've been loving oranges and grapes. I guess the acidity bothers some, but for me it is a relief. Avocado is definitely another food that I have been enjoying and I know that they are great for the baby too. The only thing I crave is potatoes, though I know the nutritional value isn't that high. Tempeh sandwiches have become one of my best-friends right now. I love to add sautéed onions and mushrooms on top! Hopefully I can eat more today, yesterday was the worst day for eating.

The big first OB appointment is this upcoming Monday! We are so excited for this appointment and the first ultra-sound. We still have so much to do, but taking it one day at a time...

This is what our baby looks like right about now!

7 WEEKS

SYMPTOMS:

nausea (with minimal throwing up)

loss of appetite

gassiness (i'm vegan so always a little gassy, but even more so now)

moody ( a little irrational at times thankfully luke knows how to diffuse this)

fatigue (frequent naps after work)

frequent urination (doctor says normal as uterus expands and touches bladder)

extreme happiness (doctor says that i will go up and down due to hormones…but i doubt it)

LIFESTYLE CHANGES:

going to bed earlier

sleeping on my sides only (i try to sleep on left, but move around a lot)

walking around 2 miles daily

eating breakfast every day

even more strict on organic food intake and whole foods (only fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains)