Surprise!

From observation, you might think this is broccoli with cheese sauce. Looks like fake American cheese sauce at that. It's not! It's broccoli with carrot ginger tofu soup poured on top. It gets its lovely orange coloring from carrots! And it was yum-my!

Almi has recently decided she no longer likes most vegetables and it has been a head ache to try to get her to eat them. At the same time, I am trying to eat more healthfully and I am becoming concerned about her weight. I'm grateful she is a good eater but she eats a LOT so I am trying to get her to eat more veggies and fewer carbs. I am concerned about her BMI and I am concerned about my back! If she keeps eating like she does, in a few short months I will no longer be able to lift her up! I'm not kidding. It's already a challenge to get her in and out of her crib and carseat.

This is the recipe we made tonight. I used my new Vita-Mix. I love that thing. I declare it's going to bring us both to excellent health.

Carrot Ginger Tofu Soup

Yield: 4 1/2 cups (1.0 l)

Speed: Variable to High
Time: 3-4 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium carrots, peeled, halved

1/4 small onion, peeled

4 small garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch white pepper

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root

1/3 cup light silken tofu

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

(from Vita-Mix.ahoy.com)

What Would You Do?

Before I left for Addis I was very stressed about some things going on in my life. I have mentioned some of those on this blog but there were other reasons, too. Let's just say I had enough for me to request a full on stress test and EKG before I got on the plane. My regular doctor is actually a cardiologist so he ordered up all the tests. For the most part they came back normal-- except for one area which I can't articulate with any knowledge so I won't even try. Basically, what was important was he cleared me for travel and told me not to worry. So I didn't.

These past three weeks my stress level has increased considerably. I am happier and I laugh more than I have in a long, long time and have my little pumpkin to thank for that. I am also more active--not nearly to the level that I should be, but it's a start. The reality is though that all the things that were stressing me out before are still there --plus the added stress of parenting--but now I have less time and energy to devote to solving them. I also don't have time to think about what's not getting done so I don't seem to be upset about it on a daily basis like I was before but apparently my body knows. I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for today mainly because he wanted to meet my daughter. I went not expecting to have anything done but they did the normal basic things like height, weight, drew blood for some tests and took my blood pressure. Two surprising things were discovered:

1. I have lost eight pounds and
2. My blood pressure has gone up TWENTY points

I knew I lost weight in Addis but I have lost even more since being home. But the blood pressure?! Scary stuff! The nurse did it once and then he repeated it twice. On his last try it only showed a spike of ten points but I am going with twenty (though even ten points in a month would be huge). To put it mildly, I am horrified. Hypertension is common in my family but my blood pressure has always been low. We even spoke of this in my last appointment. He said I should expect it to increase in the next decade since most people in my family have it. I wasn't expecting it to be high one month later. I basically went from having low blood pressure to having high blood pressure in a month! High. Not something to watch because it's approaching a high number, but it is already high.

All three of us were shocked. The nurse muttered something about it under her breath but said the doctor would repeat it. He repeated it and was shocked. He suggested I make an appointment in two weeks to see if it's still high. I am supposed to be going back to work in two weeks. In fact, the day they tried to give me an appointment was supposed to be my first day back (and my baby shower). I told them I couldn't make it on that day. But now I am having enormous second thoughts. Of course Google doesn't help, but it is very scary to read symptoms you have online. Clearly I need to take immediate action. I am going to call them tomorrow and see if I can still get that April 6th appointment. I am also going to start exercising immediately.Right before the appointment I picked up the part needed to add to my recalled McClaren stroller to make it safe. I am going to install it tomorrow and start taking long walks each day. And, damn, I guess I need to give up all that delicious coffee I bought in Addis.

This is interesting: he also said he could write a note to my job saying he needed to monitor me over the next six+ weeks and that I should not return to work during that time. When I rejected the April 6th appointment I suppose in my head I was planning on returning to work on time but as I type this post I am thinking maybe I need to stay home. My little girl needs me to be in top physical condition. I'm all she has so my health needs to be my #1 priority. I guess I wasn't sure if staying home would help to reduce my stress but at least I won't be worrying about her. Truthfully, I think she will love day care. She seems so happy when around other kids but I worry a lot about our attachment. She is becoming more attached but it's not where I would like it to be and I wonder how not seeing me for ten hours a day will affect it? That gives me a lot of stress and daily worry. If I stayed home, that one worry would be eliminated. I could also be sure to exercise daily (once she is attached I can resume going to the gym and drop her in the gym daycare). I'm so conflicted about what to do. One possible plus is I might be able to get paid since I would now be staying home for medical reasons. But perhaps going back to work will make things more normal again? If you were me would you take the note and stay home?

My Acting Debut

You would think with being lucky enough to score a part in a movie this summer that I'd be motivated to lose some weight and exercise. I mean, seriously, with knowing I was going to be in front of the camera--cameras that add ten pounds--and working with 20-something, itty bitty actresses..well, you might think I could have garnered up some semblance of motivation to work on this excess poundage. I think any sane woman would have done that. But, noooooo--not me! I drank lots of fruity drinks and ate ice cream cones whenever I felt like it and boy did it show. Not a good idea! But, it was so. much. fun.

The movie is called Twist of Fate and I play Mrs. Cromwell, a wealthy woman who hires a private investigator, Griffin (played by my friend, Derek, the writer/director/producer/leading male) to trail her husband. I have two scenes. The one we shot one yesterday takes place in Griffin's home office where I get the proof in pictures that my husband is indeed cheating. It's about 3 lines and 1 minute on camera but I loved doing it! In a couple of weeks we shoot my second scene where I thank him for telling me the truth. Here are a few pictures from rehearsals:

Derek (in blue) confers with me and the camera man about the scene


getting handed the folder of pictures


practicing the scene


me, looking sad, upon hearing the truth about my husband


These two pictures are from when Griffin tells Mrs. Cromwell that cheating is the norm and to basically get over it.

This last shot is Griffin talking to another actress, with Tim capturing it on camera.


Twist of Fate will be broadcast on a local cable network and Derek is going to enter it into some film festivals. I can't wait to see it. I had so much fun and told Derek to keep me in mind for future projects. He said he would. Considering he's going to be the next Tyler Perry I need to hit the gym!!

Loads of Cuteness

Yesterday I went to meet the cast of the movie.
That was surreal.

I was reminded how I can't overeat like I did on my Friday night date. We went to Lauriol Plaza. It was packed! We had to wait about 45 minutes for a table so we drank sangria while we waited. After ordering we had to wait another 45 minutes for our food where I ate almost a whole basket of chips and salsa. I ordered this amazing salmon dish with shrimp in cream sauce. It also came with black beans, rice and a few decorative veggies. OMG, delicious. Well, let's just say I am over my points allowance for the week and I don't get weighed in until Tuesday! I am so nervous that I have gained weight! Not good. Especially when I have to be on camera on July 25th. Not to mention I am paying for Weight Watchers!!!
Not cute.

Anyhoo~after meeting the (very slim and very young) cast, I stopped to get some gas. Look what I saw at the gas station! So cute! I was glad I had my camera.

As I was heading home I passed a discount furniture store nearby so I went inside. I saw a great red couch! It was on sale. I got the measurements. I need a couch so I can have company. Right now all I have is a loveseat. The red couch does not a pull out but at least I can stretch out on it and give my parents my bed when they visit. I'm thinking about it..

On my way back to the car I noticed there was a thrift shop in that same strip mall. I decided to take a look inside. It was huge! And look what I found in there? Are these not the cutest????