Less than 45

Strangely, during both pregnancies eating every two hours or so makes me throw up less. Apparently an empty stomach was no good for Spike's mom and Thor doesn't like it either.

The first time around I was teaching full time, so finding time to shove a granola bar in my face was sometimes difficult. Often--far, far too often--I stopped at Wendy's on my way home from school. Fast food seemed especially helpful in avoiding having to use the puke bucket. (Yes, I really did have to keep a puke bucket in my car. It was well used.)

Later in my pregnancy I developed my craving for Subway and went there often enough that the employees knew me and my sandwich--the only question was whether I wanted a six inch or footlong today. I got lots of "Your baby must love Subway." That was a much healthier stop on the way home.

These days I would like to avoid gaining 45 pounds. I just really don't want to put my body through all that again. So this time I am not allowed to get fast food. Subway is fine, but no Wendy's, McDonalds, or Burger King.

The thing is, I really want fast food. The one thing that would make me most happy right now would be one of those crappy, flat cheeseburgers with too much ketchup, a clump of chopped onions, and the pickles from Zach's burger in addition to the ones that came on mine. Followed by overly salty fries and a couple sips of Diet Coke.

The other day I couldn't take it anymore. It was the night I was working diligently (if belatedly) on my final paper and I wanted some french fries real bad. Zach offered to make me any kind of food that might help allay my craving, and that's when we spotted the tator tots in the freezer! Hallelujah! They may not be much healthier, but they're not fast food. Just look at the glee on my face: (Um, I didn't eat all of those tator tots. Zach helped...a little.)