Breaking Old Habits

By all accounts, my day was great. Lilly didn't sleep in any later due to no naps yesterday, but I slept better than I have been, so I'll take the trade-off. We did our usual hanging out, watching TV (the Jodi Arias trial on my phone, since I don't want to subject Lilly to that), cleaning, playing, and napping (only Lilly napped). When Ryan got home, we got to do something that we don't really do all that often anymore...grocery shopping!! It's funny how one head of lettuce, which would have only served us for one dinner, can now feed me for a whole week. I just wanted the excuse to leave the house. On our way over, Ryan suggested that we try a little Chinese food place called the Tangerine Tiger after shopping. We couldn't find it, no matter how many times we circled around the block. He didn't give up, though, and ended up taking me to a different sit-down restaurant. We can no longer go to buffets, since I can literally only fit 3 ounces in my tummy in one sitting. That makes me sad...

It honestly makes me cry every time we go out to eat now, and I have to answer "water" when the waitress asks me what I'd like to drink. (I make it sound like we go out a lot. We've only gone out twice since the surgery.) In reality, I don't need a drink, since I'm not allowed to drink anything 30 minutes prior to, during, or after eating. Lilly will usually drink my water for me now. Ryan ordered the sweet & sour pork (which I can't have because it's breaded and fried), and I ordered the beef with mixed veggies. As good as the beef was, I mostly only ate the veggies. They packed the plate with mushrooms and water chestnuts, two of my favorites. Sadly, I was only able to endure 4 bites before getting full....TOO full. While I sat and waited for Ryan to finish eating, I was in agony. Towards the end of the meal, I was praying I wasn't going to get sick at the table. I even pulled out one of Lilly's plastic diaper disposal bags, just in case. I still haven't learned how to pace myself and not eat as much. It's hard to break a lifetime of habits.

We let Lilly suck on/play with our fortune cookies, but since they got really mushy, we didn't want her to have them in the car, where we couldn't monitor her. So when Ryan took it away from her, she was MAD! I laughed and told Ryan that he would have to endure the anger that comes from taking away Chinese food from anyone related to me. Seriously, she screamed the whole way home. I'll share my MANY leftovers with her tomorrow to make up for it. Once home, Ryan put her in bed while I unloaded groceries, made his lunch, and started a batch of cookies for my step-dad (as a thank you for running all the way out here to drop off something that I left at my mom's.) So yeah, it's been a very productive day...slightly painful, but good. 

That's almost exactly how it looked when they first brought it to me. Old Natalie could have eaten that, plus another plate of something else. 

So tempting. Notice how the ones closest to me aren't touched. 

This is no joke picture. I was actually in so much pain. Hopefully soon I can get used to my new anatomy

Daddy fed her rice and sweet and sour sauce...both of which she didn't really seem to like. She just kept turning her head away from him. She did, however, love the fortune cookie. 

This will be the sad reality of all my meals...water and rice untouched. 

This bag of cookies was still warm and melty when I gave it to him. I highly doubt any of them will even make it home.

Trying to overcome my addiction to soda and Koolaid (thanks, Ryan!!), I decided to try Crystal Light. It's the only other liquid, other than water, that I'm allowed to drink. I just usually don't like flavored water or Crystal light. But, I'm so desperate to get this need for a sugary-tasting drink out of my system. Hopefully this fills the void.