Health

3 Comments Posted on Health, parenting, Pregnancy, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Mommy’s Big Bruise a Week before Your Due Date

39 weeks.

Dear Holly: Mommy’s Big Bruise a Week before Your Due Date

Dear Holly,

On Monday morning, Mommy casually bumped her leg on the side of the bathtub. She noticed it left a bruise.

By the time she got home that evening, she pulled up her pants leg to see if that little bruise had gotten any worse.

As you can see from this picture, the bruise got much worse. It looked like she just smeared black ink over her leg.

I’m assuming blood circulation must be worse in her legs right now during the pregnancy, for such a massive bruise to come from just a minor bump.

So when you read this letter, you’ll know that this was what was going on in our lives, exactly one week before your due date: She had a huge bruise on her leg!

Yesterday Mommy went in for what I assume will be her last visit before you will be born. The technician mentioned that there were pockets of fluid that looked a little low, but that a radiologist would review and make the final assessments on the report. The ultrasound showed you as being 7 lbs. 3 oz., though the technician said that is not very accurate and it’s generally about a pound off.

I suppose our family is as ready as we can be for your arrival. We all got haircuts. Our overnight bags are packed in the trunk. Grandma is flying in from California on Monday. And Nonna and Papa are “on call” for the moment we leave for the hospital.

There’s a very real possibility that since your due date is a week from today, the next letter I write to you will be about your birth!

I’ll be telling how hopefully short the labor was… and how hopefully Mommy went into labor in the morning time so we all had a full night of sleep before you arrive.

We’ll see how that works out, though.

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on Health, Uncategorized, vegan

Our Family was Chosen as Part of The 1,000 Families Project; as The Vegan/Vegetarian Family

1000-families-nick-shell-1

This week our family was chosen to be featured as family #204 for The 1,000 Families Project; which is a celebration of the cultural diversity of literally one thousand different families.

Here’s the link again… 1,000 Families Project Vegetarian Family: Nick, Jill, and Jack

(Click the bold, red letters to see what I mean.)

Without surprise, we, the Shell family serve to represent the 2.5% of the American population who live the plant-based lifestyle: I am a vegan, and my wife, son, and daughter (who is due to be born next week) are vegetarians.

This is clearly not a phase in our lives; we have been this way for several years now. This peculiar yet unpopular lifestyle is undeniably a major part of our identity as a family.

I am very pleased with how the feature on The 1,000 Families Project turned out. One of my main objectives was making it clear that we live this way for health reasons; relating it back to how my health issues (eczema, dsyhidrosis, acne, pet allergies, sinus pressure and infections) all disappeared once I converted.

Looking back, I can remember how I had misguided, preconceived ideas about people who didn’t eat meat (and/or eggs or dairy). I remember assuming vegans and vegetarians must not be getting enough protein or that they must feel weak and low on energy all the time or that they are secretly hungry. For me, it was always a given that vegans and vegetarians must be underweight; being malnourished.

In reality, since becoming a vegan, it’s true I lost a couple dozen pounds, but I have also remained in the perfect weight range for my age and height. To actually live this way has shown me the truth about how this actually works.

It’s important to me that I serve as a rational spokesman for the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. At the same time, I keep a Libertarian approach. Like I mentioned in my recent video, one of the rules of being a cool vegan is to not talk about being a vegan, unless someone asks first.

This blog post is an exception, of course.

Here’s that link, one last time in case you missed it: 1,000 Families Project Vegetarian Family: Nick, Jill, and Jack

4 Comments Posted on Health, parenting, Pregnancy, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You’re Going to Be a Small Baby; in the 23rd Percentile

36 weeks.

Dear Holly: You’re Going to Be a Small Baby; in the 23rd Percentile

Dear Holly,

This week Mommy and I went to Vanderbilt for another sonogram appointment. We just wanted the assurance of knowing you’re still doing okay in the there. I’ll cut to the chase:

You are. Thank God.

We were informed that everything is great; your heartbeat, your fluids, and your movement. There is no reason for concern. You are simply going to be a small baby.

You currently weigh 5 pounds, 9 ounces; with just about 4 weeks left before you’re born. They told us that if you were in the 10th percentile or lower, then it might be an issue; but instead, you’re in the 23rd.

Knowing that you “have been measuring a couple of weeks behind” for a while now had caused us to worry that something was wrong. It’s good to have some relief on that.

This is the opposite of what we experienced with your brother Jack. It seemed he was always in the 90th percentile. He was a big baby with a big head, which made his birth very difficult for Mommy. Granted, that doesn’t mean he’s a big boy now; he’s average.

They told us this week that in addition to being a small baby, you “don’t have a big head.” I’m happy because that hopefully means an easier labor for Mommy when you are being born.

If I haven’t said it already, Mommy is ready for you to come out. And I’m ready too.

This is the “misery” part of the pregnancy where Mommy just can’t get comfortable to stay asleep or even just sit comfortably. I think it’s funny that her favorite t-shirt to wear at night is the Wonder Woman nighty I got her for Christmas.

Plus, it will be nice having you outside of the womb so we can see for ourselves that you really are doing just fine in there, just like the doctors say.

We’re now less than a month away from your due date. I keep reminding myself that when you’re finally born… we’ll actually have a little baby girl!

I know that part seems kind of obvious, but it’s how my mind works right now.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: The Concept of Getting Sleep While We Still Can

34 weeks.

Dear Holly: The Concept of Getting Sleep While We Still Can

Dear Holly,

While I know good and well there is no such thing as proactively making up for all the sleep I’m going to lose when you are born, by sleeping more now, I still attempted it anyway.

Last week when Grandma was in town from California, Mommy and I were able to get to bed by 9:00 each night, since Grandma sped up our nightly routine. With her doing dishes and cleaning up afterwards, it added an extra free hour to our night; which we as the parents used for sleep.

However, this process simply reinforced to me how I am physically wired: I get more exhausted when I get 8 hours or more of sleep every night.

So for a week, I slept much more than I’m used to: I usually sleep about 6 and a half hours each night.

That extra 90 minutes per night was not a good thing for me.

This week I switched back to about 6 hours of sleep per night, and now I feel great!

I feel so well-rested, energized, and aware of life. I am in a great mood. Whereas last week with all the sleep, I was so groggy.

So while I obviously recognize that my sleep schedule will be greatly reduced when you are born next month, and it will remain that way for months to follow, I’m actually basically ready for that chaos.

As for Mommy, her sleeping needs are different than mine. She can’t function like I can if she goes to bed at midnight; she’s often falling asleep by 9:00 at night anyway.

In the end, there’s no true way to prepare for the sleep we will lose when you are born, but it’s no big deal.

I’m not worried about it. I’m just glad you are healthy and going to be here shortly.

Love,

Daddy

P.S. You are 34 weeks old in the womb this week… while I’m 34 years-old outside of the womb.

Leave a comment Posted on Health, Storytelling, Uncategorized, vegan, Writing

Hey Casting Directors, Need a Token Vegan for Your Show? 3 Reasons You Will Like Me

Hey Casting Directors, Need a Token Vegan for Your Show? 3 Reasons You Will Pick Me

If you are a casting director currently in need of a vegan for your upcoming show, you probably need to check me out.

I’m a good find for many reasons. Allow me to count the ways. How about 3 for now?

First, I have plenty of on camera experience. Thanks to my YouTube Channel, I am able to advertise my marketable personality on a daily basis. As you can see, I am dynamic, passionate, and yet emotionally intelligent.

Second, I am a male vegan. Most vegans are female. I can present veganism in a new light. For years, I had constant sinusitis, eczema, headaches, acne, and pet allergies. All of those health issues disappeared (and have remained gone) since I became a vegan nearly 3 years ago. What a testimonial, right?

Third, I am engaging. While I have zero interest in pushing my beliefs on others, I have much interest in “vegan apologetics.” In other words, I enjoy educating the general public on their preconceived ideas about vegan.

Yes, I get enough protein. Look at me. I’m not skin and bones. My doctor confirmed last April that I am healthier than most 34 year-olds he’s seen.

No, I’m not secretly hungry. I eat a lot and I’m always full.

No, my food is not disgusting. I love what I eat.

So there you have it. Why wouldn’t you pick me for your show?

I’ve got the experience, the personality, the story, the passion, and the chutzpah.

You know what happens next. You’re about to send me an email to nickshell1983@hotmail.com.

Then you’re going to set up a phone call with me for tomorrow afternoon.

Next, you’ll call me and realize that I am the real deal.

After that, you’ll set up me up with a Skype interview to show to the network. They’ll pick me after watching the highlights you’ve edited from that interview.

Then, you’ll officially select me for the role of “Token Vegan” for your show.

We both know it’s inevitable. Let’s just go ahead and get to it.