Reality Check: Kendra

Sunday night the new season of Kendra premiered on E! Everyone knows Kendra as part of the original Girl's Next Door Trio (including Bridget and Holly) and watched her for numerous seasons during her stay at the Playboy Mansion. In season 2 of her show, the cameras continue to follow Kendra and her husband (NFL baller Hank Baskett) as they enjoy the birth of their son and life as newlyweds.

The first 2 episodes showed Kendra and Hank's search for a babysitter and quest to reignite their romantic flame with a date night. Another topic that was tackled was Kendra's insecurity with her post baby body. Running with a crew of playboy bunnies wasn't an issue for Kendra's size 23 pre baby body... but she found herself struggling to feel sexy and confident when 3 of her friends came into town to visit.

What I really liked about this storyline was how reassuring and loving Hank was. Never once did he make Kendra feel bad about her body (which some men can do) and I loved that. He was the constant supportive, loving, doting husband. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing but it can wreak havoc on the female body. I think it's definitely a sacrifice to carry your baby and risk having all the "battle wounds" to prove it. Kendra wasn't scared to show her stretch marks or stomach that was leftover after having the baby and I found it refreshing. I mean, she JUST HAD A BABY!!! It took 9 months to put the weight on and it doesn't come off over night.

In the media we are always bombarded with ways to "lose the baby weight" in like a month and the pressure women can face is ridiculous. You want to get your body back in shape, not only for yourself, but you want your spouse to find you attractive again. Not that they don't (many men LOVE the pregnancy body) but as a woman you want to feel, as Kendra said, like you'd wanna "fuck yourself" lol... and it's true.

My question is for mothers out there, how did you handle (or how are you handling) your pregnancy body? What role did your spouse play in helping you thru the experience?

Adventures on the CTA: Special Delivery

Pregnancy is often a joyous time for many woman. In addition to fussing over whether it's a boy or girl, picking a name and devouring all food in sight, many focus on what kind of birthing plan they want to follow. I've seen everything from natural births, at home births, highly medicated hospital births, water births...there are many options. However, I have yet to see a "CTA birth" on anyone's list.

Today on my way to work I had the pleasure of experiencing this first hand. The X4 Cottage Grove Express pulled up and I was thrilled to have my wait at the bus stop cut in half. I boarded the bus and noticed 2 women sitting in the front. They were the typical hood chicks...talking loud, etc. I didn't pay them much attention but couldn't help but overhear their conversation. One of them was teasing the other, holding up her camera phone and shooting a video of the other. Her friend kept talking loud...which turned into cursing loud and lots of moans and groans...but they sounded painful. At first I thought she was being dramatic but soon she called out to the bus driver "Okay, can you call them now?" I sat there puzzled. The bus immediately pulled over...halted to a stop at Congress and Michigan! What? I needed to get to work. Why the hell were we stopping! This was the X4! An express bus...get me to work, in an express manor! Another passenger asked what was going on and the bus driver informed us that the lady was going into labor and she had to wait for the ambulance to come.

I understood that an emergency was happening but I still needed to get to work. I hesitated a bit, unsure of what to do. Should I stick around and watch the miracle of life? Step over the people and get off the bus to catch another? Well, I managed to do both. I hung around briefly and watched the lady get coached on her breathing. It was actually interesting to watch as a life was about to enter the world...enter the world kicking and screaming on the floor of a dirty, cta X4 bus! A few moments later an X3 pulled up!

I was left wondering where was her boyfriend? husband? baby daddy? Why was she taking the CTA to the hospital? Why didn't she catch a cab? Was this her birth plan? I heard her friend mention that she had been in labor since the night before and that made me think to all of the tv shows on TLC: A baby Story, Bringing Home Baby, etc. They always check into the hospital when they go into labor. Did she have insurance? Wouldn't it be cool to be a nurse and help deliver babies! I stopped my wandering mind there.

I managed to get to work...and with the best excuse ever: Sorry I'm late. Someone went into labor on my bus and I had to catch another.