Month / January 2015

by Meagan

16 weeks.

16 weeks!

16 weeks!

To celebrate our four months of pregnancy, Jimmy and I decided to have a little fun with a comparison bumpie. What do you think? I may be showing just a tad more than he is (wink, wink).

In case you want a closer look at my actual bump, here’s another:

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I’ve felt the baby move a couple of times this week, but no such luck getting Jimmy to feel it. Maybe this week…

Hope you’re all enjoying the weekend. We’re having a grand old time walking around Amsterdam. (Still keeping up the 10k steps per day!) Tonight we’re taking in a comedy show in the Jordaan. Fingers crossed we get picked on 🙂

Lots of love,
Meagan

Tip for expecting moms: Jbrand maternity jeans are the best!

by Meagan

Savoring Holland.

Some serious blooms to brighten up the cold January day.

One of the flower stands I pass by on a daily basis. Never ceases to brighten my mood.

I admit, I’ve not been so good about updating this blog. When we first booked our trip to Amsterdam, I had grand visions of all the writing, reading and emailing I was going to do, but the truth is, I’ve been so busy ramping up my job search and running around savoring Holland that I’ve fallen a bit behind.

Foggy day on the Amstel.

Foggy day on the Amstel River.

So here we are: beginning our fifth week in this magical city and I have so much to catch you up on.

First, there’s the food. On a daily basis, Jimmy and I remark to each other that we would love to just eat our way through Europe. How is it that the food is so good here? And not just restaurants. We do a lot of cooking at home (him, mostly) and everything from the eggs to the produce to the butter tastes infinitely better than in New York. And the best part is that groceries cost a fraction of what they do back home.

Fruit stand on

Our favorite local fruit stand on Keizersgracht.

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by Meagan

Now this is how you Yoga.

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Practice room at Delight Yoga, Weteringschans . (Photo courtesy of Delight Yoga)

Today is my favorite day of the week. And not for the obvious weekend-is-a-coming reason, but because it’s my prenatal yoga class. I know what you’re thinking: lame. Super lame. But hear me out for a second.

I’m a big believer in routine when it comes to fitness, and even though my usual hot yoga is on the “strictly forbidden” list of pregnancy exercises, I knew it would be essential to find a studio I liked in Amsterdam to continue my practice and keep my sanity. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined finding a studio like Delight Yoga. Just look at this place:

Prenatal practice room.

Practice room at Weteringschans (where I take prenatal yoga).

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by Meagan

14 weeks.

When I sent out an email to a group of close friends last week with a link to this blog, the one consistent response I received was “More Bumpies!” So here I am at 14 weeks:

14 weeks!

14 weeks!

And here’s a photo I snapped of Jimmy as I requested “more bumpies.” He’s been such a good sport about taking photo after photo until I’m happy with my hair, my bum and my bump! 🙂

Jimmy.

Jimmy, my love.

For some reason the bump feels smaller this week, but more solid. Last night I’m pretty certain I witnessed some movement just below my belly button. It looked like a little water ballon, shifting weight from one side to the other. Perhaps it was just fluid moving around, or some chemicals bubbling up, but it gave me a rush none-the-less.

This week was fairly uneventful with symptoms. I do feel like I’m getting some of my energy back, but I’m still waking up 2-3 times each night to pee (boy, I can’t wait until that part is over). Everyone says this trimester is the best, so I’m looking forward to taking a more visible belly out for long strolls around Amsterdam’s hundreds of cobblestone streets.

Lots of love to all of you.
Meagan

by Meagan

13 weeks (and so begins the second trimester).

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One of the inspirational signs we came across yesterday. “Catch a dream and nurture it.”

I can’t believe it: The second trimester is here (or almost here, depending on who you ask). While I didn’t experience many of the first trimester woes, I am looking forward to gaining some of my energy back. Taking a nap a day has really cut into my daylight hours 🙂

I decided to take a break from the bumpie this week and instead share an update about our time in Amsterdam. Jimmy and I are 10 days into our 2-month adventure and have truly made this place our home. We spend our free time walking around the city, exploring the side streets, picking up fresh produce at the market, stopping into cafes, and cozying up to our fireplace in the evenings.

Being in a place so modern, yet rich in history has been really wonderful. Yesterday we visited a medieval village in the heart of Amsterdam called Begijnhof. This private courtyard, hidden behind secret entrances, was founded around 1150 as a religious home for women. It is still in use today and provides a serene and peaceful escape from the bustling city.

A row of perfectly manicured houses in Begijnhof.

A row of perfectly manicured houses in Begijnhof.

During the week, Jimmy’s consulting work keeps him busy, giving me time to explore galleries and museums, take knitting classes, and practice yoga. I found the most amazing yoga studio near the Rijksmuseum called Delight Yoga, and can’t wait to sign up for more sessions. The studio is flooded with light, 14-foot ceilings, ornate 17th-century molding, and elegant crystal chandeliers. (I may do a separate post just on this if I get a chance to snap a few photos during my next class.)

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by Meagan

Embracing the bump.

After getting some advice from a friend to “embrace the bump,” I decided to head to De Bijenkorf  today, in search of some more fitted maternity attire. It’s winter here in Amsterdam, so I’ve gotten quite used to piling on a sweater (or three), a couple of scarves, and my wool overcoat, making me look – and feel – more like a marshmallow than a petite pregnant woman. But when I got into the fitting room and started striping off the layers, I was quite surprised to see a much more noticeable baby bump than I recall seeing before. Granted, it could just be the angle, or the sandwich I ate just before shopping, but my god it popped out of nowhere!

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Starting to believe there’s a baby in there! (12.5 weeks)

For anyone who’s ever been pregnant, you’ll know what I’m talking about: there’s a moment some weeks into being pregnant that your belly starts to feel a little like a baby bump, not just uncomfortable bloating. I got a little sense of that today. It was pretty magical actually, and made me feel incredibly proud and happy to be experiencing the miracle of procreation. And needless to say, I bought the shirts!

by Meagan

12 weeks (+ counting).

Clearly I haven’t yet mastered the art of the “Bumpie,” but here I am at 12 weeks. Baby appears to be moving a bit higher now. Just a few days to go and I’ll be in the 2nd trimester!

12 weeks.

12 weeks.

So far I’ve been incredibly lucky with symptoms. Almost no morning sickness to speak of, and other than being a bit more tired than usual (which I blame on reducing caffeine), I feel pretty great. It helps being in this marvelous little city exploring a whole new world of things to do, eat and see!

by Meagan

From Holland With Love.

Our 17th Century Canal House.

Our 17th Century Canal House.

On New Year’s Eve, Jimmy and I left New York for a two-month stay in Amsterdam. In some ways this trip has been years in the making, and it’s with warm hearts and ample gratitude that we’re here writing this from our very own canal house.

In just 48 hours in this perfect little village of a city, we’ve adopted a few rituals that will be hard to abandon once it’s time to leave…

First, there’s our local coffee shop Two For Joy. It’s just a few doors down from us and serves a sumptuous vegetarian bean chili with lime (yes, lime!).

Then there’s the shopping. Between Hotel Droog, Hay Amsterdam, Sukha, and Friday Next, I’ve literally stepped into my fever dream of modern concept stores. Amsterdam is a hotbed of young European design talent and lacking all the pretense (and hefty price tags) you often find in New York.

Visiting Hotel Droog yesterday.

Visiting Hotel Droog yesterday. I have about 5 layers on underneath my coat (hence, the stuffed sausage look).

Last but not least, there’s our home. This might be the very best thing about Amsterdam so far. Jimmy found us the perfect little house in the main city center, on a quiet canal, just steps from dozens of restaurants and shops. We rented the place from a lovely Dutch couple who renovated the 17th century canal house into an elegant, modern retreat. The home is four floors, one for each of the primary living spaces (kitchen, living area, bedroom and office), and it boasts huge windows, heated floors and a cozy fireplace we’ve become keenly attached to. In the two days since we arrived, we’ve already gone through 4 logs!

Our living room.

Doing a little Saturday work from our living room.