So, now pregnant in a new country, I am learning how things are different over here. There are plenty of serious things to discuss on this topic and I will probably get to them in another post, but for now something a little light hearted...
Pregnancy Cravings.
Like clockwork around week 7 (exactly the same as with Jude), I HAD to have Cheetos. Never mind that I couldn't keep food down in general and never mind that I really could care less about Cheetos normally, for my entire extended 1st trimester I needed Cheetos. Big problem. You can't get Cheetos here! Well ok, you can get some cheese puff version, but not the odd shaped, crunchy, bright orange ones that I craved. During this craving period, we went to three different countries (France, Turkey and Greece) and I scoured grocery stores and airport kiosks for my beloved Cheetos to no avail. Oh the sadness of unfulfilled pregnancy cravings! When my friend Jen came over, I had already shared with her that I was pregnant and could she please, please bring me some Cheetos?! She obliged and the bag was obliterated in 2 days flat.
Lucky Charms. Another craving so strong that I started dreaming I was in Albert Heijn (the grocery store chain here) and found them on the shelf! Oh happy day! Until I woke up and realized I didn't have any! Now, I have been told that you can find them in the American specialty food store in Amsterdam, but 1. it is far away and 2. they are astronomically expensive. When we arrived in Miami over the holidays, Pete and I went grocery shopping and I bought the largest box I could find and proceeded to have Lucky Charms every morning for the entire trip. Jude wanted them too, and hey, it was vacation so Lucky Charms for all!
When Jude was born and the midwife was surprised at how big he was, I told her that I wasn't. Apart from being a big baby myself, I consumed mint chocolate chip ice cream by the gallon durning pregnancy, eating around the chocolate chips as they exacerbated my already bothersome heartburn. I have wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream here before, but now I NEED it. So I did what any savvy ex-pat in Amsterdam would do. I went to the facebook page of the prolific Amsterdam Mamas group and searched "mint chocolate chip ice cream." A thread on this exact topic not more than 6 months old. Bingo! 12 thoughtful replies from other mint chocolate chip lovers. Some suggested a few gelato shops including one in the mall near us. I went last week. No luck. Others suggested a magnum mint ice cream bar sold in the grocery stores. Not our grocery stores. Ben and Jerry's sells it? Can't find it. Buy an ice cream maker and make it yourself. I'm not that desperate (yet!). The only mint chocolate anything I can find here are After Eight chocolates. So tonight, I crumbed two chocolates into a glass with some milk and vanilla ice cream. Voila! A mint chocolate chip milkshake! I'm in business! Let's see if baby girl gets into the 9+ lb club :)
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