There’s my girl!

It’s been an exciting week. I was beginning to get nervous about not feeling the baby move. They say you might be able to detect something as early as 16 weeks and I was into my nineteenth. But then the past few days, sure enough, these little blips and rolls started tickling my belly. It’s super subtle – sort of like when a carbonation bubble in a can of soda hits the side. Subtle and delightful.

We’re now into our 20^th week. Halfway there. She’s 12 ounces and continues to have a strong heartbeat. All of her organs and limbs are developing seemingly fine. It gets more and more exciting by the day.

(The photo is part of the 3D ultrasound... technology is amazing!)

My Vegan Mondays

Happy summer!

Morning

Coffee with almond milk

Half a granny smith apple

Oats with almond butter

Quinoa with almond butter (An experiment of sorts. Not bad. Not necessarily a winner, but not bad.)

Afternoon

An orange

Chips and Andrew’s stellar gauc at a Memorial Day picnic

Kale, peaches, hemp milk and some other weird combo of stuff in a smoothie, post-facial, at Great Jones Spa

Evening

Andrew’s stellar avocado soup *

Usually if I’m traveling or it’s a holiday, if it’s any sort of atypical Monday, I flat-out forget to do Vegan Monday. Today I remembered, and my appetite was unusually light so it was easy. And full of stuff I don’t normally eat on Mondays because, for better or worse, Vegan Monday can get rote: I know what to bring to work for breakfast, I know where to go in the neighborhood for lunch, and by evening, I have my mental plan for what to eat. It was nice to have a holiday and Vegan day all in one.

* But herein lies the rub: As we were eating dinner, I asked Andrew what the ingredients of the soup—which he made for a Fourth of July picnic two years ago and I loved—were. Avocado, cilantro, lime, red chili, red onion… he’s reciting the list and then, about four bites in, oh yeah, Greek yogurt. So here I thought I was doing so well, being so mindful and Vegan Monday was dashed!

Nevertheless, it was a totally satisfying cap-off to a long, leisurely weekend. Andrew and I took a walk along Brooklyn’s rapidly changing waterfront and had brunch with friends in DUMBO. We took the train up to Cold Spring and hiked through the woods. We cooked and baked. Got in lots of reading. Cleaned the apartment. Cuddled with Milo. And I had a trip to the spa. And one of my favorite things about holiday Mondays: the workweek is over, and another weekend here, before you know it.

Have a good week, mes amis!

Paris v. New York

When I came home from Paris in 2011, I noticed the "electrical wire shoe art" around Manhattan and Brooklyn.

It's still here.

And now, along with the ubiquitous bagels, burgers and Brooklyn Brewery beer, it's also in Paris.

Listen... do you want to know a secret?

Here it is, I have a little news: I am 19 weeks pregnant.

Yes, really!

The past few months have been like walking around with a big secret… made even more confusing as I’ve, thankfully, had an easy pregnancy so far and often don’t feel—I even forget—that I am pregnant. But at the same time, because of my age, I’m at an “at-risk” lady, needing to pay special attention to how things are developing. So I’ve been guarding the news and biding my time. But now that we’ve cleared a bunch of genetic tests, now that my belly is beginning to pop (egads), and as I continue to share details here like what I eat, I feel compelled to share it all.

I’m taking a pretty low-key approach to the pregnancy, which coincides with my OB’s style. That is, I’m still exercising and working; I have a little wine from time to time; I Velib'd in Paris and danced at my friend’s wedding. In other words, I’m pretty much living how I did before getting pregnant. If my doctor tells me to cut out sugar because gestational diabetes is a threat, or that I need to eat meat to get more iron, I will. But for now, all is well. Despite my predilection for sweets, I’m a healthy eater. I’m being low-key, but not ignorant. That includes being vegan one day a week.

  

So there you have it! Crazy, n’est-ce pas? It was a little over five years ago that I went to Paris. Three years ago that I came home to New York. Two and a half years ago that I met Andrew. And now here I am: engaged, living in Brooklyn, pregnant. I said it in my book and I’ll say it again: You just never know where life is going to take you.

When the quotidian is sublime

It was a good week. Just a typical, nothing outrageous, week, but it was brilliant.

Work is super enjoyable and not stressful at the moment. Do you realize what a big difference it makes when you're not constantly rushing to and from the office, preparing for meetings and presentations, worried if what you're producing is good enough? Of course you do - we all do it, all the time. Thankfully, my job has been so manageable lately - the perfect balance of business. And I'm loving my colleagues. And we're temporarily working in Soho, which makes coming and going every day, not to mention the lunch options (I'm currently obsessed with Birdbath), a joy.

I'm back at yoga once or twice a week and have time to read.

There were two great meals out this week: At Sfoglia and Waverly Inn. They're both so charming and cozy, and absolutely delicious, I want to move right in.

The former was a brilliant solo date, where I took myself out for a meal before going to see Michael Pollan, my hero, the reason I haven't eaten red meat in 15 years (!) now, at the 92Y. I get panicky when I don't have reading material so I went to the fabulous Kitchen Arts  & Letters beforehand and chose Molly Wizenberg's new memoir, only to discover when I got to the Y that we got a free copy of Cooked - woohoo!

The latter was a brilliant date-date with my man. He made reservations for dinner and got tickets to see John Wesley Harding's Cabinet of Wonders at City Winery. Just for fun.
 
It was the second Saturday night in a row that we went into the city for a night of it, last weekend being my friend's lovely wedding, where we had fun, dancing and laughing with old friends. (And took note, since our wedding is now less than a month away!)

In fact, this past week also included a tasting with our caterer...

... and we're trying to wrap up all loose ends, final details and backup plans.

I even had time to finish a freelance assignment.

And Andrew ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon, so I met him out at the finish line in Coney Island. He's a champ - made the whole thing look easy.

I am so mindful right now of how much I'm enjoying the pace and contents of life. So my question is: what is the secret? How do I hold onto this feeling of awareness, appreciation and balance? I know work is going to pick up. That stress will come as the wedding gets closer. That I'll simply wake up one morning, less aware, more ambivalent. How do we preserve the days of fulfillment and always draw strength and inspiration from them?

Rooftops of Paris

So wonderfully, magically, perfectly transportive.

My Vegan Monday

Happy spring, mes amis! 

Morning
Coffee with almond milk
Overnight oats with blueberries and banana
Fuji apple

Afternoon
Salad wrap from Great Jones Spa (a take-away from the cafe; sadly wasn't getting my shoulders kneaded all day)
Almonds
Some chips and gauc at the agency (Happy Cinco de Mayo)

Evening
Spring veggie barley risotto, which has parmesan in it. So I failed at Vegan Monday. But I'm still excited about and devoted to the cause.