I like pregnancy.

You can tell based on the amount of photos I take of myself.

In all seriousness, though, the thought of having a little person who's half Chris and half me is starting to become very exciting. Duh, it was already exciting, which is why we chose to embark upon this weird and scary and fun journey, but the closer it gets to her arrival, the more real it becomes.

I've chosen the best person in the world to procreate with. Honest. And that alone makes me giddy to get to know this girl who spends her days wedging feet in my ribs.

I complain a lot about pregnancy. I'm uncomfortable. My bladder is weaker (it was already tiny and feeble). I'm a cry baby. It hurts. My ass got large. But really, I only bitch so much because I have an amazing support system and they're always encouraging me to bitch. They say I deserve it. Which I sort of do, I guess.

But the truth is, I am loving this. Way more than I ever imagined I would. My body is an amazing instrument of which I have endless amounts of respect. My baby is already cool (she loves to listen to The Beatles and she's a great kick boxer). My dogs are being less naughty. My husband is helpful, kind and patient. My friends and family are accommodating and spoiling me like there's no tomorrow. It's all just great, and I am happy.

Somewhat human.

I have an appetite. My morning sickness is gone. I'm feeling somewhat human again. For a minute there, I was wondering what I'd gotten myself into. Now, though, I've entered this magical phase of pregnancy that I've heard so many talk about: the second trimester.

I'm six months pregnant, and with the exception of frequent pee trips to the restroom and uncomfortable belly situations while I sleep, I'm feeling amazing. The whole experience leaves me in awe every single day. Feeling her move (it's a girl!), seeing her face during the ultrasound, getting to know her sleep schedule and what music she likes--it's sort of the coolest thing I've ever experienced.

You know when you hear those pregnant women complain about strangers touching their growing stomachs? I'm not one of them. The attention doesn't bother me; in fact, often I grab hands of curious bystanders and place them on my tummy. Feeling her movements is just too amazing not to share. It's a miracle in every sense of the word, and how could I not want to share that miracle with everyone around me?

Funny things happen when you're pregnant. I will write about some of those funny things at some point.

We're having a baby.

Sam and Moose have something to say:

Off meat.

I'm officially off meat. Forever. I've had issues with handling meat, preparing it, eating it and digesting it since I was small. For moral reasons (and for the simple fact that I don't really love it) I have thought seriously about getting off meat permanently for a long time.

I quit red meat about two years ago and have felt better, but after learning about how animal protein isn't really necessary, and how it's actually harmful to our health (causes heart disease and cancer to grow), and how hard it is on the environment to manufacture, I'm convinced now is the time to stop. I'm just ready to live a healthier lifestyle.

You would think that Chris, my carnivore husband, would be devastated by this decision. Actually, though, this was all his idea. We watched Forks Over Knives (it's on instant Netflix) and did some of our own research and decided to try a whole foods plant-based diet for 30 days. We still have some dairy items in the fridge that I don't feel good about wasting, so we're finishing that off, but we are off meat, processed foods, artificial sugar and oil and most dairy for 30 days.

No one thinks their fat, no one is trying to lose weight. We just want to see how we feel. We want to see if it'll work with our lifestyle and budget, too.

Once the 30 days is up, Chris may eat some seafood here and there and he might drink cow milk. I can't tell you his commitment level to this whole thing, because I'm not sure. But as for me, I can say with confidence I don't want meat, and unless I can find a local farm nearby, I really don't feel good about buying dairy. (Watch Vegucated, also on Netflix,  if you don't already know what goes on in factory farms.)  I will have a candy bar at the end of 30 days. I can tell you that much.

So this, friends, is the reason for the sudden influx of vegan recipe pins.  I have been sharing some of our favorite new recipes over on my other blog, in case you're interested. I'm dedicated to keeping things fun and interesting in the kitchen. I can't eat a salad for every meal and nuts for every snack.

Even though it's a lot of extra work and dishes, it's already paying off. I love how I feel after a green smoothie for dinner. I'm not bogged down anymore. I feel like working out, even after I eat. We don't own a scale, but I can feel my pants are a little loose. It's only been a week, so I'm trying to ensure I'm getting all of the calories and protein I need (this can be a struggle when meat is no longer a factor). I'll keep you posted, blog world. 

Happy new year.

Love The Ross Family, and Moose (who is still available for adoption, but barely because I really love him a lot and want to keep him).

PS: I designed this. Not that bad, eh? Photoshop: I will learn you.

Not much.

Aside from this new(ish) hairdo, not much is new in my life. It's actually kind of awesome right now. Things are coming together, dogs are happy, husband is happy, family is doing well, christmas was nice. I can't complain. In fact, I can rejoice. Just saw my lonely little unupdated blogs and decided to drop in a quick post. Have a good day, internet. Carry on.

Meet Moose.

Introducing our fourth foster, Moose.

(I wish I had a real life tiny scarf to put on him.)

If you're interested in taking this tiny fella home, fill out an adoption app. He's made himself quite cozy at our house, which I'm thankful for, but at the same time that makes me nervous. I always fear they think that our home is their forever home. Wish I could tell them, "No, this isn't your final stop. We are only temporary, as much as we love you and want to keep you forever."

Moose and Sam love to play together. I think this might be Sam's favorite foster so far. Someone as young and as bouncy as him, at his beck and call.