Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have an unhealthy obsession with Gilmore Girls. I own all 7 seasons and rarely does a week go by without me pulling out a random DVD to watch a few episodes or catching a re-run on ABC family...in order, out of order, early years, Rory's college days, you name it! I feel a kinship with those two Lorelais that is a bit on the weird side. Lately, I've felt an added kinship with both Lorelai Sr. and Jr., because I have also developed an unhealthy obsession with coffee. It all began when I started drinking plain coffee at Panera (with my friends Sarah, Caris and Ashley) because it was so much cheaper than the 'froo-froo' drinks that I had hitherto referred to as coffee. Sugary concoctions laced with froths, whips, syrups and spices, which I now recognize as vile substitutes for the real thing. Admittedly, I still enjoy a latte every once in a while: milk and cream don't interfere with the integrity of good coffee and espresso. Coffee in the morning, iced coffee in the afternoon, maybe coffee after dinner--"coffee, coffee, coffee" to quote Lorelai. THEN, last October, I found out that I was pregnant and was shocked to discover that one small cup a day was all that was recommended for pregnant women! I mean small, like 8 oz! That's less than most small cups when you order it somewhere. Shock, shock, shock. Sad, sad, sad. Denial, denial, denial. Surely this baby needed coffee as much as me, how much harm can a little caffeine do? Grudgingly, very grudgingly, I took the recommendation and cherished my one cup in the morning, but I went through withdrawal, started forgetting words, losing my balance...I know some people think that's related to pregnancy hormones and changing center of gravity during pregnancy, but I'm telling you it was the coffee. Like Lorelai, "I can't stop drinking the coffee!! I stop drinking the coffee, I stop doing the standing and the walking and the words putting into sentence doing." I can totally sympathize! I'm thrilled to know now that my self-destructive coffee habit no longer stunts the growth of my child and so I'm back to my old ways and loving it. Currently nursing my second cup of precious liquid, spiked with part real half and half and part 'fat free half and half' and a bit of sugar. Coffee ain't coffee without the cream. I don't know how they make 'fat free half and half,' since half is milk (could be skim, ok) and half is cream (cream=fat, go figure) but that stuff is pretty darn good. Go get yourself a cup of coffee and love, love, love it!