7 Quick Takes Friday-Lent's a-comin'

1. Okay, this constant "let's bombard Team Tenney with sickness throughout the year!" is getting a little old. Shortly after we returned from Mexico (remember, right when Tony recovered from the flu?), he started acting sick again. At first I thought it was allergies, as I'm prone to seasonal allergies and there is a massive pollen count in Shreveport this year. Now, I'm not so sure. For the past week, he's been a coughing, snotty mess, constantly waking up in the night, and just generally cranky. Not fun. Will started feeling poorly last night, and this morning it has been decreed that he's sick as well.

2. Throw me something, Mister! Mardi Gras is on Tuesday, and I'm planning on baking the delicious (if I do say so myself) andouille corn poppers for a special treat. I contemplated making (oh, who am I kidding these days, buying) a king cake from Cush's, but that leads me to my next point.

3. After careful consideration, I've decided to once again give up sweets. This pregnant mama has been indulging WAY too much lately. After dinner the other night, I actually found myself thinking, "so what am I having for dessert tonight?" Not good. However, I try not to view Lent as just giving up something on which I've become dependent. I'm also making a pledge to pray the Rosary once a day as well. I've tried this in the past and I've always failed after about two weeks, but I'm really committed to following through this time.

4. I know this is completely and totally random, but I'm sick to death of the 16&Pregnant and Teen Mom shows on MTV. Which is interesting, because at first I defended them. When I saw the first season of 16&Pregnant, my first thought was "THANK YOU. Thank you for showing what happens when you're a teenager and you have to deal with loser boyfriends who bail at the first sign of having to take responsibility for their actions. Thank you for showing the emotional, financial, and academic struggles of teenage mothers. Thank you for showing just how much work newborn babies really are. Thank you for showing how relationships change once you add a fussy, hungry, demanding infant to the mix." I felt very sorry for those girls (even Farrah, whom I really couldn't stand), and I thought it was good that the reality of being a teen parent was being exposed for what it really is. At least, as realistically as reality TV can possibly portray something. However, these two shows are now on their...what? Fifth, sixth seasons? The girls on Teen Mom went from being pitied to being glamorized. They are on the cover of People magazine. We no longer see them struggling to buy groceries, diapers, and pay tuition at the local community college. We see them buying homes that frankly would be a stretch for Will and I to own. We see Farrah playing around on her iPad and scheduling a boob job. We see these mothers constantly dropping off their children with parents, friends, caregivers who are all too eager to babysit. You know what, girls? That's NOT reality. That's the result of a lucrative deal with MTV to broadcast your life, and being fortunate enough to have people in your life who are willing  to give you a hand (and who live close enough to you to do so). Furthermore, how many more seasons of 16&Pregnant do we need to see with every girl, at the end of every episode, saying "I never thought it could happen to me." Why in the world not? That's what every pregnant teenager BEFORE you said. It can happen to you, and most likely it will. So. That's my Quick Takes rant for this week.

5. Even though I'm more than a little concerned about balancing life with a toddler and a newborn, I'm really looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to seeing Tony in the role of big brother, and I'm looking forward to the newborn stage again (yes, even the sleepless nights). I loved breastfeeding Tony, and I'm excited to do the same for T-Quad. I've started reading articles on how to keep my milk supply up, as that became an issue for me around the six month mark with Tony. Any advice, mama? I've heard everything from drinking your weight in water to fenugreek to oatmeal. All suggestions are welcome.

6. While living on a budget can be stressful and depressing at times, it's also quite liberating. I'm proud of how far I can make a dollar stretch, and I'm proud that the only actual debt we have is my student loan (which is really quite small, since I've been paying it off since 2004). I won't lie, it will be nice to have the expendable income again once Will gets his commission-we will finally be able to purchase a second vehicle!-but I don't think living cheaply ever hurt anyone. This past year has been very good for all of us, and we are so grateful to our families for the help they have given Will and I.

7. Last year, my mom bought me the book/cookbook Cooking With Italian Grandmothers. I absolutely love it and recommend it to everyone.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at Conversion Diary!