My body so far...

So...2 years ago the good Lord blessed me with a little girl. For this purpose we will call her "Lady K". She was a ummmmm pleasant surprise. Before her, I was thick...in all the right places. Now...I'm just plain thick...in places I didn't even know existed. The weight definitely did not just fall off like I expected it to since, in my mind, I'm a superstar and on TV superstars are back sexy in a couple of weeks. Two years later, I'm still working on it.

A few months ago I decided to take my life back and start a somewhat extreme eating/diet plan. It is called the HCG diet. You can google it to get more info, but in a nutshell. Its torture, but the results are quick fast. I lost about 1-2 lbs a day and my dear hubby (DH) lost about 3 lbs a day. We did it for about 3 weeks, you are supposed to do it for 40 days, but we couldn't make it. I lost about 27 lbs and he lost about 35 lbs.

This was about 3 months ago. I have put on maybe 5 of those lbs back and for the new year, I plan to get back on it. We are starting the diet again tomorrow. Wish us luck!

So this is the plan for the diet. Per day you can have the following:
2 fruits (an apple, 1/2 cup of strawberries, or 1/2 grapefruit)
2 cups of veggies (lettuce, asparagus, tomato, cabbage...and only one type per meal)
2 proteins (3 ozs of chicken breast or lean flank steak, or 7 oz fish)
Sauces - apple cider vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper, and garlic
Melba Toast (a couple pieces with each snack and lunch/dinner)
(no liquor...all of this and no liquor)

Don't judge me.

What this ends up being is about 500 calories per day! I know, its drastic. Really drastic. We cheat a little and it ends up being a little more than 500, but definitely not more than 1000. For breakfast I will have an apple, for lunch a salad with one of the meats, for snack, another apple, and for dinner, pretty much the same thing for lunch. Its pretty boring but you can make some good meals and it really works to drop the weight fast. I typically get bored with diets if I don't see speedy results, so this works.

I hope to make it at least 30 days. I did all my grocery shopping today for the next 2 weeks. The meal preparation is what kills you, but if you cook and prepare in advance, all of the food can be done and you can just pick your poison.

I will upload pix of our meals and keep you posted on our progress throughout the next couple of weeks...if I have the strength.

So here are my before and afters...

About 1 year before the baby

Almost a year later and I am about 7 months preggo (how that happen??)

My 30th birthday a couple of months ago, post HCG diet and 27 lb lost.

Can't wait to see what I will look like post HCG again...hopefully we can go to prebaby!!!!

My hair journey so far...

So, my natural hair journey started around 8/15/2010. I am now about 4 months into the natural process and I started from a totally bald head. I wore a fad for years and since my daughter's hair has started to grow (she is two) I said, let me start figuring out both of our hair.

Posted below is a video I did really quick today just to show my hair growth at 4 months. My hair in this video is about 2.5 inches (at its longest) and about 2 inches at the shortest points. I started a Castor Oil Challenge about 3 days ago and put the oil (mixed with grapeseed) in my hair nightly. Last night I washed with Suave Naturals and Aussie Moist conditioner. I deep conditioned overnight with Organics Hair Mayo (mixed with Castor Oil) and I coiled it with Eco Styler Gel after washing out the conditioner. My leave in of choice today is Talijih Waaidd (Medicated). I love the tingling I feel when I use it.

In the video below I am only 2 months natural. I am so awkward with my speech and looking at the camera. I promise to really never talk unless necessary. I think at this point I am just using Organics or Suave and Co-Washing. My hair was about 1.5 inches. My afro is super fuzzy. Still trying to figure it out.

I have consistently been growing about 1/2 inch per month. I hope with the Castor Oil, I see more speedy growth. I used to Co-wash and wet everyday, but since it has been cold, I'm trying styles that will allow me to wear for more than 2 days without wetting.

I will keep you posted on my regimens, my favorite products up to this point, and what I am doing with Lady K's (my daughter) hair.

Happy New Year!

Today is 1/1/11...I played these numbers in the lottery. I know its a long shot, but had to do it!

I love blogs, so I decided, in the new year, I'd start one that can totally synopsize my life.  Turning 30 recently has kick started my journey to self discovery.  This blog will be a journal of my experiences which I hope to one day look back on and laugh...or cry:-)

I'm on a natural hair journey, which will be discussed along the way. I'm trying to get my pre-baby body back, which will be discussed along the way. I love music and fashion and a bunch of other stuff which will also be discussed along the way.

I'm no expert, however, I would hope that my trials and errors can somehow be of help to someone, or at least create great comic relief.

Stay tuned for my adventures. I plan to have this moment for life.

...um...not sure...

Ok, so since I've had the baby, something bad has happened to my memory. I had a topic picked out for today's blog. Rae Pembroke loves...something...wait, okay, whatever. I had to go to the bathroom, but sidetracked with a work email and then...poof! Like fucking smoke it disappeared.

My hubby has been saying that I "allegedly" don't tell him things I think I do, or don't communicate my wants that I think I say, but come on...he's a man. Men do this all the time, say they don't hear you, you didn't say it, etc as a way to get out of things. But recently my mom said I did it to her. I said I asked her to go to the store and she said I didn't. I feel she and I had a whole conversation about the store and she says that never took place.

Last night, my hubby said its becoming a real problem and now I went totally blank during my blog topic. So...is it me or has my hubby rubbed off on my mom? I pick the later, lmao.

I think carrying another person zapped all my good stuff. My ability to think and say what i'm thinking out loud, my ability to tone up fat...especially in my belly, my ability to give a damn about most things, lol. Oh well...I guess the next blog will be Rae Pembroke loves...ginko golaba, lmao.

...Joke? or Real Life?

A married woman had lunch with 2 of her unmarried friends; one engaged and the other a mistress. Of course the married woman had been married for 20+ years. They were chatting about their relationships and decided to amaze their men by wearing a black leather bra, stiletto heels and a mask over their eyes. They agreed to meet in a few days to exchange notes.

Here's how it all went....

The engaged friend: The other night when my boyfriend came over he found me with a black leather bodice, tall stilettos and a mask. He saw me and said, "You are the woman of my dreams. I love you." Then we made love all night long.

The mistress: Me too! The other night I met my lover at his office and I was wearing the leather bodice, heels and mask over my eyes and a raincoat. When I opened the raincoat he didn't say a word, but we had wild sex all night.

Then the married woman shared her story: When my husband came home I was wearing the leather bodice, black stockings, stilettos and a mask over my eyes. As soon as he came in the door and saw me he said, "What's for dinner, Batman??"

And the above story is why I was terrified to ever get married!

I'm Baaacccckkkk and Crack is Whack

So, I'm back Bitches!

Yes, the Rae Pembroke is back...the same only...my water has been broke. I got caught up in the "crack" game and all that lovey dovey, rock the boat, new position shit landed me bare foot and pregnant.

Now after almost a year, I have resurfaced with a whole new perspective, kinda...on life, love, babies, music, it all.

As you know my posts are quite random and will probably be even more so because I have no idea what to talk about now. My baby, celebrity gossip, sex positions while pregnant, weight, my severe hair loss...who knows where I'm going but ride wit me.

Today, I want to discuss Jodeci. Where are they and why did crack have to be their drug of choice? I know people who have smoked weed and never felt they needed to take it to the other level. Maybe even pop a pill or do a line of coke and keep it moving...but why crack. Haven't we learned its whack? Damn. On the way to work I heard "Stay" the remix. And you know the break down at the end..."oh, i'm sorry i left you so wrong, so wrong, but I really need for you to come back home...whhooooooooooo, i'm begging you baby, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooooo" That part? It just made me remember first hearing that in like...6th/7th grade, and though I didn't get it then, it was so awesome. They made music that we loved. I remember my Jodeci boots I would wear with my stretch pants...man, classic! And crack took them away.

Below is my memorial of all those greats we have lost to crack:
Jodeci
Whitney Houston
Bobby Brown
Rick James
My Uncle Charlie
David Ruffin
Randolph Cook - Oprah's ex boyfriend in the 80's who says they got high and had good sex togehter...true...maybe
Darrly Strawberry
Christan Slater
Noelle Bush - Jeb's Daughter, Ex-prez neice
Robert Downing Jr. - almost but he made a crack comeback
Amy Winehouse - so sad, she even did an instructional video on how to hit the pipe
Donnie - My neighbor who used to shovel our snow

October 11, 2008...The Day the Earth Stood Still

Kennedy,

You are here!!! You were born at 2:28 PM on October 11th 2008 by C-Section. I went in for my induction on October 10 and after trying to get my cervix to move all night and half the next day, Dr. Sikand decided that we were both better off to go in for surgery.

The surgery was about 20 minutes after I got my epidural and then after some tugging, and while talking to your daddy, out your little head popped...and I heard you cry. It was the best feeling in the world. After that, they pulled you out and I saw you for the first time. Your Daddy took pictures of you and then they brought you over to me.

Though I was tied down because of the surgery that was still going on, they put you close to my face and I saw you up close. I felt your face close to mine, I smelled you...you cried and I cried. It was the day that my life changed for ever.

After we bonded briefly your Daddy took you out and they finished the surgery patching mommy up.

You are now home and I'm finally getting a moment to updat and say you made it here, but I'm so happy. I will post pictures of your arrival and many pictures of the days throughout.

You are so perfect...everything in its place. Lips like Momma cheeks like daddy and a head full of beautiful black hair. You are more of a blessing than I could ever have asked for. You are everything to me and I vow to work hard to make everyday a better day for you and to be the best Mommy you will ever have.

I'm watching you sleep right now and though my nights and days have been hard I would not change them for the world and love you more than I love myself.