pregnant in tillamook (doesn't quite flow like, "sleepless in seattle," does it?)

i'm glad to say that pregnancy is still fun, although the daily need for a full 12 hours of sleep is a bit inhibiting. i've been doing pretty well about the "prego rules," namely eating only the low-mercury fish, having only a few sips of my husband's beer or wine, doing my perineal strengthening exercises (don't ask), leading a low-stress lifestyle, walking or biking instead of riding the train, visualizing an efficient labor and delivery, etc.

i've been doing my homework, too. everyone is right: the dr sears books are the best. some people hate "the girlfriends guide to pregnancy," but i found it hilarious, and was relieved to read something where the author was just as horrified as the reader about the pending "inconveniences." (most authors are unbelievably nonchalant about all this, like, "oh BTW, then you bleed for 3 weeks. and you won't be able to tell if your bladder is full." i find these details necessary, but earth-shattering and nothing to be mentioned lightly.)

we've been eating organic, whole foods, but then we pretty much always try to do that. i lapsed a little in the 1st half of pregnancy, and had my "mac-n-cheese from a box, followed by rice krispie treats" days... i admit it. i think most women's comfort foods during pregnancy are things like oatmeal and dry toast, and (of coure) ice cream and pickles, but my most-frequent craving has been for sushi. give me unagi, raw salmon, and pickled ginger any day!

our one exception is cheese. we don't buy organic cheese, instead opting for the locally-made, rBST-free brand Tillamook Cheese. they also make sour cream, yogurt, and several other dairy products. we usually just buy their cheese and butter, preferring to stick with organic labels for the other items. tillamook's policies seem to be good, though, as they purchase milk only from mid-size farms (around 100 cows) whose farmers are part of an organized cooperative, where cows are pasture-fed for most of the year (pasturing animals year-round in this soggy climate allows the animals' hooves to irreparably damage the grass roots). they test each milk trailer for traces of antibiotics, and dump the whole tank if any are found. all milk is purchased from local farmers, processed at their single plant right in Tillamook, then shipped a mere 80 miles to portland. this is a business we truly feel comfortable supporting. we toured their plant yesterday, and picked up some cheese curds, fudge, and ice cream cones of seasonally-flavored ice cream. so we were a lil heavy on the saturated fat yesterday, but for a good cause...