Iced Green Tea Chai

I love iced drinks. Always have. I was once known as the beverage queen. If you opened my refrigerator all you would see were condiments and drinks and maybe some teeth whitener. My poor mom when she would come to visit, would joke that she was on the McLean starvation diet. I did eat. I just did not keep food in my house. Or much food. But always beverage, and lots of em’. I did not always feel “safe” having food around which is “normal” if you have issues with eating, and therefore food. But thats a whole other topic altogether. My point today is that its awesome to have yummy cold drinks on hand for when the desire strikes. I must admit that I have spent too much money this summer on iced green tea lemonades at Starbucks. I just want big cold drinks all of the time. And while pregnant, it really hits the spot. Iced drinks and smoothies are two of my very favorite things. This morning on my way out to temple, I brewed a few cups of green tea chai, added a bit of agave, then poured some over ice for the road and put the rest in the fridge. It is extremely low in caffeine but gives you the taste of subtle yummy chai. Its the Yogi Tea brand. Happy drinking it right now. Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

xox,mc

Choline! If you like Eggs you're in luck.

So I am usually not an egg eater. But as I have chronicled, have had to give into the protein gods and put my desires and food ego aside. But I have actually grown to love a hard boiled egg with a bit of salt and pepper. They are the perfect snack or meal. For whatever reason, my preggo body is responding well to them. The protein keeps my baby growing well and developing her brain while also keeping my body unbloated. Protein is great to eat if you are a sweller. It keeps the bloat and edema down. Anyway, came across this article about choline and what an important nutrient it is. So if you like eggs and are having a baby girl, you could be doing her a world of good. There are other ways to find choline in foods as well as supplements. But I am sticking by my organic, grass fed, omega 3, brown, hard boiled eggs for now.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201144603.htm

xoxxo,mc

Hitting the Preggo Wall

Every pregnant woman hits their wall. And very likely they do so a few times. Well, I have hit mine. Just being honest here. I am barely sleeping through the night, at all. I have to get up 5-6 times a night to go to the bathroom. And napping has been near impossible because ya know I have a life and a lot on my plate. Even though I am trying not to have a lot going on, there are a lot of various things that pull my hours and days into different directions. The afternoons creep by with nary a nap. Last night was bad, barely slept at all. Therefore I thought and thought and worked myself into an anxiety tizzy. I know this is "normal" at this time. I am about to birth a human. Not only that, because really thats only one event, but the big thing is keeping it alive. My mind was full of rational and irrational fears. I wanted to throw up. So fearful. I guess this is the new part of becoming a mother. The worrying never will really cease. My hormones are going nutso. I feel huge and hot and things are hurting. I want to have her on the outside now, over the inside part. But still have to fix up her room, buy a new car (!), buy rugs, get the animals ready, build a door to her room, find her a doctor, etc. Its a lot. Plus still trying to work some and see people and friends before my life becomes way more harried. Not that I am complaining. Or I am not trying to. Just stating the facts. Its a lot. Was talking to a mom friend of mine today who said she knew exactly where I was. You wake up one day and go "Okay, I am finished. Over it. Lets do this". I guess it is the genius plan to get women to let go of their fears and actually want to give birth. Because lets face it, birth is scary as hell and pretty gross. I have just come around to embracing the birthing process. I am kind of a prude and have always been grossed out by it. Sorry, its true. In birth class my husband is saying "look how beautiful" as we watch the birth videos and I am the one in fetal position looking disgusted and muttering "Fuuuuck"! But the more I have watched and learned, the more empowered I have become. Our society definitely does not show or talk about positive birth experiences. The one birth I have (partially) witnessed, I fainted. All of our books, movies, and reality shows show fear, drugs, emergency, etc. Why would we embrace it? Anyway, I have a good 6-8 weeks left and I am not sure exactly how I am going to get tehre. But I know I will. I need to draw deeper into my spiritual practice, let go, give in, surrender my control and trust this baby girl and the process. But I would be very happy if she came happy and healthily on the early side of things ;)
xoxox,mc