So I'm sitting in the waiting room at Baptist Hospital, waiting to be induced. Apparently it's a busy night, so I may be waiting for awhile.
I've been very grumpy and tired this past week. It was hard to cope with all the phone calls and e-mails asking how I'm feeling and if I thought the baby would arrive soon. I mean, I am very grateful for everyone's thoughts and love, and I'm grateful to be having a baby in the first place...... but at this point, I'm tired of guessing and sharing dilation statistics and telling people that no, he didn't already arrive and I just neglected to tell anyone.
I am so ready to not be pregnant any more.
And here are some things to which I'm looking forward once I'm back to my non-pregnant form:
1. Meeting my baby!
Of course I can only do that once I am no longer pregnant.
2. Wearing normal-people clothes.
That may take a few weeks, but I'll get there.
3. Ice skating!
Oh, I really miss ice skating. It's been almost a year since I've skated, so I am going to stink at it, but I think I'll still have fun. I might even buy some new skates to celebrate.
4. Kick boxing
I participated in a free kickboxing aerobics class a couple of years ago and had lots of fun. The gym at Paul's work just started offering kickboxing, so I'm excited about giving it a try.
5. Going on long walks in the 'hood.
I'm excited about walking with Paul and Baby Ian to Riverside Village. We might let Cameron the dog join us if he's willing to behave.
6. Not being the center of attention.
That's been the hardest thing about these last few weeks of pregnancy! As an introvert, my nesting instinct drives me into my cave. I just want to sit in Ian's room and contemplate momminess, but I feel like I need to respond to all the kind inquiries from friends and family. I'm excited about being boring again -- of course, Baby Ian already has quite the fan club.
I think more than anything, I'm ready for life to get back to normal. I know this will be a totally different "normal" than before baby's arrival, but I'm ready to see what this new life holds for my family!
3.26.2009
3.17.2009
Bzz Agent Review: Chili's Guiltless Grill
Hey, there, readers!
In honor of St. Paddy's Day, we're going to talk about Chili's. And what does Chili's have to do with St. Patrick's Day? Absolutely nothing, except that it is a good place to hang out with friends, so you can go there if you are wanting to celebrate.
No, really, that was just a lame attempt to disguise that, once again, it is time for me to sell my blog space to corporate America. Actually, I'm not selling my blog, I'm trading it -- for free food!
As part of Chili's Guiltless Grill Bzz Campaign, I received coupons to try Chili's new selection of entrees that are 750 calories or less. This sounded good to me -- I like Chili's, and I like the idea of eating relatively healthily when I'm out at a restaurant.
I'm not much for chain restaurants, preferring to eat locally, but Chili's is a top choice when I do eat at a chain. Good prices and vast menu selection make the place great for groups. Plus, they recently fulfilled very important pregnancy cravings for me -- one night after childbirth education class I was almost in tears with a desire of steak. A nearby Chili's provided a terrific steak (and garlic mash potatoes!) quickly and yummily.
But I digress. Back to the Guiltless Grill. Paul and I stopped by Chili's last week to give the entrees a try. Lots of "Guiltless" options -- steak, grilled chicken, tilapia, salmon, black bean burger -- ranging in price from $6.50ish to $14.50ish.
I tried the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Meh. Nothing awesome. It just didn't have very much taste. The menu describes it as including Ranch sauce, but apparently a teeny tiny dollop was all they could manage to stay under the 750 calorie mark. The steamed veggies that came with the sandwich, however, were absolutely incredible -- broccoli and carrots with parmesan cheese. I was amazed at the tastiness, especially because I usually hate cooked carrots.
Paul had the Cedar Plank Tilapia. He thought it was okay, but wondered why they hadn't spiced it up a bit more. He loved the rice pilaf on the side, though, as well as the aforementioned broccoli.
I would say that the Guiltless Grill options are definitely worth trying, especially for people who are trying to keep their diets to a healthy number of calories each day. While I think that the Guiltless options could have used some more flavor, I really didn't feel like I was restricting myself by ordering from that section of the menu.
Of course, I probably didn't feel restricted because um, we might have ordered chips and salsa as an appetizer.....and this ridiculously tasty dessert that involved chocolate chip cake with a milk chocolate center covered in ice cream. Heh. However, the dessert was more of a pregnant craving than something needed to fill me up (okay, it was ALL a pregnant craving, and now I really want a chocolate shake). The chips and salsa plus my entree definitely would have been a feast of a meal, and I think the entree would have been satisfying on its own.
In honor of St. Paddy's Day, we're going to talk about Chili's. And what does Chili's have to do with St. Patrick's Day? Absolutely nothing, except that it is a good place to hang out with friends, so you can go there if you are wanting to celebrate.
No, really, that was just a lame attempt to disguise that, once again, it is time for me to sell my blog space to corporate America. Actually, I'm not selling my blog, I'm trading it -- for free food!
As part of Chili's Guiltless Grill Bzz Campaign, I received coupons to try Chili's new selection of entrees that are 750 calories or less. This sounded good to me -- I like Chili's, and I like the idea of eating relatively healthily when I'm out at a restaurant.
I'm not much for chain restaurants, preferring to eat locally, but Chili's is a top choice when I do eat at a chain. Good prices and vast menu selection make the place great for groups. Plus, they recently fulfilled very important pregnancy cravings for me -- one night after childbirth education class I was almost in tears with a desire of steak. A nearby Chili's provided a terrific steak (and garlic mash potatoes!) quickly and yummily.
But I digress. Back to the Guiltless Grill. Paul and I stopped by Chili's last week to give the entrees a try. Lots of "Guiltless" options -- steak, grilled chicken, tilapia, salmon, black bean burger -- ranging in price from $6.50ish to $14.50ish.
I tried the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Meh. Nothing awesome. It just didn't have very much taste. The menu describes it as including Ranch sauce, but apparently a teeny tiny dollop was all they could manage to stay under the 750 calorie mark. The steamed veggies that came with the sandwich, however, were absolutely incredible -- broccoli and carrots with parmesan cheese. I was amazed at the tastiness, especially because I usually hate cooked carrots.
Paul had the Cedar Plank Tilapia. He thought it was okay, but wondered why they hadn't spiced it up a bit more. He loved the rice pilaf on the side, though, as well as the aforementioned broccoli.
I would say that the Guiltless Grill options are definitely worth trying, especially for people who are trying to keep their diets to a healthy number of calories each day. While I think that the Guiltless options could have used some more flavor, I really didn't feel like I was restricting myself by ordering from that section of the menu.
Of course, I probably didn't feel restricted because um, we might have ordered chips and salsa as an appetizer.....and this ridiculously tasty dessert that involved chocolate chip cake with a milk chocolate center covered in ice cream. Heh. However, the dessert was more of a pregnant craving than something needed to fill me up (okay, it was ALL a pregnant craving, and now I really want a chocolate shake). The chips and salsa plus my entree definitely would have been a feast of a meal, and I think the entree would have been satisfying on its own.
3.14.2009
CONTROL FREAK, or Why I Don't Like Airplanes
As Paul pointed out the other day, one of the most stressful things for us right now is wondering when the baby will arrive. I mean, it's a good stress, a happy stress, but still.... nothing like the possibility of becoming parents at any moment to remind us how powerless we are over so many things in our lives.
That's why I don't like to fly. The powerlessness of it. I'm not in the pilot's seat, and there's nothing I can do if something goes wrong.
Granted, I'm not really in control when I'm in traffic. Sure, I'm driving the car, but no matter how safely I drive, I can't control other drivers or road debris or car malfunctions.
But no matter how many statistics you cite telling me how much safer flying is than driving, I'm not reassured. In addition to my powerlessness in controlling the airplane, I also fear the potential powerlessness of being in a crash. I can't imagine (well, maybe I can, and that's the problem!) plummeting through the air for a few seconds AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
It's quite embarrassing, really, especially since I profess faith in an All-Powerful God who controls everything. If I trust that His Will is perfect, why do I worry? Even if the plane crashes, all will be well.
But boy, living that out? That's rough. I do try to surrender my fear whenever I get on a plane, and I think my faith is the only reason I can get on the plane at all. I still get sweaty palms, though.
My friend Todd has a great solution to the plane/powerlessness problem, though. He suggests that planes install small steering wheels that can pop out of the back of each seat. When the plane encounters a problem, the flight crew can instruct the terrified passengers to help them.
"Quick! Everybody steer left!"
No, it won't do a bit of good for the plane, but it might go a long way toward calming people like me. We like to be in control, you know.
That's why I don't like to fly. The powerlessness of it. I'm not in the pilot's seat, and there's nothing I can do if something goes wrong.
Granted, I'm not really in control when I'm in traffic. Sure, I'm driving the car, but no matter how safely I drive, I can't control other drivers or road debris or car malfunctions.
But no matter how many statistics you cite telling me how much safer flying is than driving, I'm not reassured. In addition to my powerlessness in controlling the airplane, I also fear the potential powerlessness of being in a crash. I can't imagine (well, maybe I can, and that's the problem!) plummeting through the air for a few seconds AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
It's quite embarrassing, really, especially since I profess faith in an All-Powerful God who controls everything. If I trust that His Will is perfect, why do I worry? Even if the plane crashes, all will be well.
But boy, living that out? That's rough. I do try to surrender my fear whenever I get on a plane, and I think my faith is the only reason I can get on the plane at all. I still get sweaty palms, though.
My friend Todd has a great solution to the plane/powerlessness problem, though. He suggests that planes install small steering wheels that can pop out of the back of each seat. When the plane encounters a problem, the flight crew can instruct the terrified passengers to help them.
"Quick! Everybody steer left!"
No, it won't do a bit of good for the plane, but it might go a long way toward calming people like me. We like to be in control, you know.
3.13.2009
Cheater
Instead of writing my own blog post today, I'm going to cheat and link to a few other posts that I really like:
- I appreciate the spiritual honesty Lindsay Ferrier has been sharing over at Suburban Turmoil. It must be hard to be that vulnerable, but I think we the readers benefit. I know the post made me think about times in the past when I have been very critical toward Christians who don't live out my perfect plan for their lives (not GOD's perfect plan -- MY perfect plan. Ha!).
- SistaSmiff at Collie's Corner shares some beautiful insights about the state of the economy and how the crisis may be good for our collective psyche. I definitely qualify as someone who has had a lot of lovely things handed to me on a plate, and the current state of affairs is helping me to be even more grateful for what I have.
- The Musician has a great primer on cloth diapering for beginners, complete with very helpful pictures. I'm hoping to take the cloth diaper plunge, so this is good info for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)