Baby Gear Drama

On the IPOD "Sundrenched World" By: Joshua Radin

For those of you who have never been pregnant, I feel like the best way to describe it is to say that every feeling is to the extreme. It is sort of like your body is on strike! I actually don't understand girls who don't know that they are pregnant...I'm even going to say that they must be in denial because I don't think it is possible not to know!

Tuesday morning was like any other day... I woke up and got ready, ate an apple with some peanut butter and then headed for the grocery store. For some reason on the way there I started to have a weird craving for enchiladas, but I pushed it away and kept on shopping. After the third store I was on my way to my clients. At the first stop light I realized that I was starving, and not just any kind of starving but baby starving which by the way is completely different than regular hunger...I actually caught myself about to rip open a package of whole wheat hamburger buns until I gave it a second thought and realized I would much rather spend the calories on the string cheese that was with the cold food in the way back of the car.... So yes you guessed it...I jumped out of the car, ran to the back, opened up the cooler and grabbed the freaking cheese. I'm sure the car behind me was less than thrilled but I was back in before the light even changed so they can just chill out. Never get between a pregnant girl and a hungry baby!

The rest of the day went smoothly until I decided to take yet another trip to the baby store, this time I was by myself. I think it was worse... Have you ever had an anxiety attack over a breast pump or a swing? Well if not then you have not been pregnant in the 21st century, because let me assure you there are just two many choices... I mean do you know what it is like to have your husband ask you, "Are you really sure a hands free breast pump is made for your size boobs???" After my silent response I got a, "Well I mean that in a good way..." Anyways although he is so sweet to pick out the swings, bouncy seats and stollers he likes online to give me direction...I feel like when I'm in the store they are all different and huge and it sort of feels like I'm making a life or death decision, which with all of the recalls lately I am! We tried to go to the store together once but I think it just made me more overwhelmed.

I hope that all of this at least makes you laugh... The best decision I made was yesterday afternoon when I was with my mom and my aunt and we had about an hour of free time and I asked if they were interested to go into buy buy baby and check it out. They both were totally on board...My mom had been once before but for my aunt it was all new. I think she was pretty shocked by all the choices, but for her it was just pure excitement which I have to say changed the vibe of the experience... I actually picked out a stoller and carseat which by the way was in a completely different direction than where I was orignally going, but it has in a way changed my whole outlook and I have been able to really focus on what I want and was finally able to be excited about it instead of being scared... which is a feat in itself.

xoxo chef a

SHPILKES!

On the IPOD "Crucify" by: Tori Amos

I'm going to start off by saying that I still can't get over my tan. My husband actually looked at me last night and said, "Alright stop looking at yourself already!" Ha ha I can't help it!

I am of having shpilkes(pronounced SH-PILL-KEYS)...Shpilkes is a Yiddish term that means nervous energy; to be feeling "antsy." You might ask me, "Amanda, why are you having shpilkes?" Well to be honest I don't know if I have ever not had shpilkes...But at the moment I think it has to do with going out of town for work in two days...The Poteet Strawberry Festival!

First of all, I'm not keen on leaving my husband on the only days he has off! Second I'm really annoyed that I'm going to miss Nia (I have even looked three times to make sure the hotel has an adequate workout room, which in the small town of Poteet, Texas is actually asking quite a lot!) And lastly but probably the most troubling is that I am very concerned about my eating situation... The food there is not healthy to say the very least... There are lots of gorditas, burritos, strawberry shortcake, pies, chocolate covered strawberries, tacos etc....

I'm a tad frustrated that it is taking more and more discipline to lose each pound and it scares me that this one weekend could throw me into a tail spin. Don't worry I have already decided that I'm going to grill a bunch of chicken breasts and take some other standard healthy food but to be real honest I cant imagine that I'm going to want to take my chicken out of the cooler and eat it instead of the authentic Tex Mex that is being prepared and sold by the locals all over the fairgrounds and on every street leading up to the entrance!

I know some of you are thinking, it's only one weekend Amanda just don't worry about it and have fun. Well unfortunately, I don't trust myself... Even after all the weight I have lost and all the good choices I am still currently making, I know that the bad choices are just lurking around the corner waiting for me to ask for their guidance...it is a constant battle of good versus evil. This just leads me back to my ongoing wish that I would just wake up skinny...it would solve everything! Ugh!

xoxo chef a