(parenthesis)

Each day is a milestone for me... One more day pregnant, one more day closer to meeting our new baby boy. If passing week 28 uneventfully was a big deal, each week is more reason to thank God this baby got the benefit of Mommy's womb for seven more days. So I'm doing my best to eat a good diet for him if not for myself, since that's the only thing I can do. (The rest is between God and him.)

Calcium is a big issue for me, since I hate drinking milk. I always have, since childhood. I remember long standoffs with my mom, of which I was always the loser, I'm sure. I truly abhor the taste of milk, but the battle of the wills probably set me up for a lifetime of hating milk. That, and, when I'd visit my father and/or grandma (way back in Peru), they'd make me drink it in TEA, which I also hated. I'm glad that forcing your kids to eat stuff to the point of gagging (a fond childhood memory of mine) is no longer in vogue.

I have no problem with milk as long as it's not the thing I'm tasting. Cereal with milk, yogurt, milkshakes (even homemade frozen-fruit-and-milk type), icecream (of course), cooked stuff with milk in it... All good. I also like cheese (we always have a block or two in the fridge).

Grandma Earnst taught me, years and years ago (over 15, to my recollection), to eat cottage cheese with chopped-up apples in it, and that has become a staple in my pregnancy diet. Fiber and calcium, plus crunch. I also like cottage cheese with honey, but prefer with apples (honey should not be eaten if crunchy), and we haven't bought any honey since we moved to Cali anyway.

I have had many a hankering for a nice, thick, strawberry milkshake. There is a cool burger place called Tsunami Burger that serves milkshakes made with Dreyer's (Edy's for those of you from west of the M'ssissip') ice cream. Bryan took me there once (he'd been introduced to it by some guys from work) and I will have to make him take me again soon.

I also really like making smoothies with frozen fruit, yogurt, and either fruit juice or milk. Very delicious. Caleb also likes them too, which is good for him and makes me proud that he's such an open kid when it comes to food (since I wasn't) at least for the time being. Of course it's not good for the part of me that wants to drink the whole smoothie because it's delicious, but that side always loses when you love your kid so we just ignore that girl. (Except in the case of chocolate, the good mother says Caleb only gets a tiny bit every now and then, so the smoothie-hog gets to have most of the chocolate around here, at least.)

I feel bad for people who are allergic to dairy or have a lactose intolerance (two different things), because milk products are really a huge part of American food. I have to say I am eternally grateful to God for inspiring mankind to discover that cow's milk is potable (therefore making ice cream a reality). Anyway, it feels good to be able to take care of this little baby inside of me. I am helping him by getting all calciumated, and I never have to drink a glass of milk.