JJ Ghatt's Old Stuff

Here are the articles I've written in the past

ode to Garlic

September 16, 2007 by JJ

Garlic. Oh Garlic. How do I hate your scent? Let me count the ways.

Pungent. Offensive. You make me want to barf. You waif through the air

Attach to my clothes, my skin. No amount of spearmint, peppermint or vanilla mint toothpaste of mouthwash can banish your aroma…

you stank.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

Size 9 Anyone?

September 14, 2007 by JJ

Yup, my hammer toes are spreading. I could barely squeeze my fat foot into my favorite loafers this morning.

Let the continental drift begin.

I’m afraid this will mean someone. *eh hem* hubby will have to massage my dogs every night and I’m going to have to keep these puppies elevated.

no sexy shoes for me this winter. *sigh*

//pyfDUt8id0dbffC1qkog==

Celebrity Baby Bump Watch & the Miscarriage taboo

September 13, 2007 by JJ

So Jennifer Lopez has joined me and the host of celebrities expecting a child in the next few months: Halle Berry, Nicole Richie, Salma Hayek, Christine Alguilera, Usher’s wife Tamkea and Darma and Greg’s Jenna Elfman. Really, I don’t remember when celebrity baby bump watch became vogue: Was it Britney, Julia Roberts, Katie Holmes, Angela Jolie, Gwen Stefani who started this trend?

SERIOUSLY THOUGH,

I peeped this photo of J.Lo on Traci’s Fashionista and Baby blog the other day confirming that J.Lo is most likely preggers. She looks more than 3 months though to me which makes me think she’s been waiting to come out with her announcement perhaps because she has had a history of loss and miscarriage. She is older and has been trying for a while. Nicole Richie waited until she was 4 months to make her big announcement.
Then I thought about the recent announcement from rapper Foxy Brown’s manager that despite an August announcement that Foxy was 3 months pregnant, it was later announced that Foxy is NOT PREGNANT. No one is talking about the fact that she probably was pregnant but had a miscarriage.

Miscarriage is quite a taboo topic still. I imagine perhaps that most celebrities are well aware of the statistics and are waiting the requisite 3-months as suggested by docs. By 3 months, if you can see and hear the heartbeat, chances are the fetus will thrive for the duration of the pregnancy. Notwithstanding, those who know know and those who don’t won’t because it is a taboo topic that is not discussed much. Even when Whitney Houston suffered a miscarriage on the set of “The Bodyguard” after taking some private time to deal with the loss, she discussed it. She later sufferer through another publicized miscarriage in 1994. I vividly remember before watching her during a performance on TV in 1994 and noticing that she was chubbier and had an obvious bump. I was so sad to hear she had a second loss. This second loss was after she gave birth to her only daughter Bobbi Christina who she had with her husband Bobby Brown in 1993.

But back then, there wasn’t this big baby bump watch phenomenon and there weren’t big ANNOUNCEMENTS proceeded by stalker-like following of celeb pregnancies as now.

These days, celebs themselves are making public statements and strategically selecting how to announce their expectant arrivals. And still, not all celebs know the 3-month hush rule.

For example, there were early confirmed reports that R&B singer Ashanti was pregnant with rapper Nelly’s child and Kelly Rowland herself confirmed she was pregnant when she was merely two months pregnant. However, after 9 months passed with no baby from either, it must be assumed that they each had miscarriages. While early term losses are not really heard of, we do hear about the later term losses like that suffered by Tiny from the defunct-hip hop group Xscape and the full term still born loss of Rev. Run’s wife Justine.

It’s too bad more new moms aren’t aware of how prevalent miscarriage is so they do not feel alone, isolated or that they did something wrong for going through it.. I think of one particular holiday party I had at my home and after the party, my husband and I noted that there were at least 5 women there (including me) who all had miscarriages, and one woman lost her child at 5months and had a still birth delivery.

Anyway, that is it for my deep pontification of the week!

Pregnancy Test Kit

September 12, 2007 by JJ

HILARIOUS 50 second clip

Names we will NOT be going with…

September 11, 2007 by JJ

Flipping through the baby book recently and we’re thinking we will DEFINITELY NOT be going with any of those fashionable cute names of late.

Apparently, these are the “it” names among middle to upper income black women in my part of the world b/c I’m hearing these names at showers, on the playground, in the supermarket, tho a few are still sticking with the traditional names, doing the name combination thing or going with historic or family names. MY no no list of really cute girl names:

KENNEDY
MADISON
MORGAN
BRIANNA
JORDAN
PAYTON
BAILEY
HAILEY
MONTANA
REGAN
JORDAN
BRANDI
RILEY
TAYLOR
CHEYENNE
MACKENZIE
LOGAN

no offense to anyone who’s kid has those names, they all sound very cute and posh. Just a personal preference but I think I’m going to go for a biblical old school name (like we did with the boys)

The challenge now is to find a girl name in the bible that is not as ugly as Baal-Berizh, Bashemeh or Uphaz. HAHAHAHA!

21 weeks bump

September 10, 2007 by JJ

after taking this picture this weekend, I realize that I’m not as big as I feel. That’s my youngest in the photo. We didn’t even plan those coordinated colors or anything.

the pregnancy byatch is back

September 8, 2007 by JJ

…i’ve been fighting the Inner bitchiness that comes with being preggers, but apparently without success (Ask the hubby).

I’ve curesed out three clients (in a friendly, “where is my money” type of way).

I’m excommunicating myself from my parents and brother cause they will drive me crazy and induce me into pre-term labor if I mess around with them. I am officially convinced as my sister has always insisted that THEY ARE ALL CRAZY!

Yesterday, I was talking to my sister, complaining about something and ranting and she goes,

“oh Lord, the Pregnancy Bitchiness IS BACK!” hahahaha!

I think I need to pray some more, I’ve fallen off the wagon and I think I may need to talk to God more or make my way to church at least 3 times a week.

AND I think , find a friend who is practicing to be a masseuse and offer my services as a test dummy! I’m so tense these days with all the unknowns in my life and now the bitchy-symptoms are kicking into overdrive!

*sigh*

thnx for the header gift Yo

September 7, 2007 by JJ

what a wonderful birthday surprise. I love it!

baby girls are making a comeback

September 6, 2007 by JJ

there’s that old wive’s tale that in time of war more baby boys are born.

boy was this theory tested over the last 5 years as I dare say close to 75% of my friends, colleagues, family and acquantances who’ve had babies have had BOYS!!

If you had a boy already, chances were, your second would be one also. If you already had a girl, good for you, a baby boy was on its way!

HOWEVER, TO DATE, I AM NOW AWARE OF NEARLY 15 FRIENDS and family, acquaintances and friends of friends ALL HAVING BABY GIRLS!!

WOO HOO!!! MAYBE THIS IS A SIGN THE WAR IS NEARLY OVER…or AT LEAST WE’RE ABOUT TO BE RID OF BUSH! WOOPEE!!

—-

On this birthday of mine, I’m hoping my allergies not act up. After dropping off the boys, making a filing for a client this morning, I’m off to my mani/pedi appointment at Mei Ling’s followed by a Signature Facial, then lunch with the hubby, and shopping for fall maternity stuff before picking up boy number 1!

Hope all is smooth sailing!

klutz I am…

September 5, 2007 by JJ

Ummmm DID I DO THAAAAAT??

so it’s bad enough I’m already clumsy and a bit on the less than graceful side…throw in a bout of pregnancy-induced klutziness and look out world!

sometimes I feel there is a practical joke- busting ghost or spirit walking around just knocking stuff out of my hands for fun.

why else would I drop the entire bowl of cookie dough Caleb and I were going to bake on Monday or spill a half a cup of coffee on my lap while dropping off Jarrod yesterday for no apparent reason…really, I keep dropping stuff left and right. Is my equilibrium off or something? Do I need glasses?

geez! I’m feeling quite Steve Urkel these days that’s for sure.

nonetheless, I’m cool. Baby girl is rolling and oblivious.