Indulging in formerly forbidden treats

HAPPY ALMOST BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

I love birthdays! And not just because my amazing husband spoils me pretty (right from the get-go, he’s known how to win this princess’s heart) and not just because I get to tear into wrapping paper, which is always a great time, and not just because I get showered in love, which I do so love. Nope, there’s more to it than that. When I was a kid, post-diabetes, my birthday was the one time of the year where I was allowed to indulge in a sweet treat, and by golly that sweet treat became my all-time favourite birthday sweet treat: Ice Cream Cake from none other than Dairy Queen!

Ice cream cake and bad fashion at 15!
We tried an ice cream cake from Marble Slab Creamery for my 30th birthday, but it just was not of DQ standards!

When I was diagnosed with diabetes 23 years ago, which when you think about it, really isn’t that long ago, diabetic doctors were like nazis when it came to sugar. They gave me a big, fat, stern ‘NO!’ when it came to chocolate, cookies and 5-cent candies. For a nine-year-old kid, who had a pretty hefty sweet tooth going into the hospital, I’m sure you can imagine, it was the saddest day of my life. And while I was pretty traumatized about a life of needles awaiting me,  I was far more traumatized by a life without chocolate! I couldn’t do it. I tricked my parents into thinking I was entrepreneurial at Halloween and would go out and get candy to “sell” to my older siblings, which I did. But I also sneaked away a nice little stash of the sweet loot, and hoarded it in my stuffed animals (I’d poke small holes in them, and stuff the mini chocolate bars inside) and then I’d hide the wrappers between my mattresses, so they wouldn’t find out. And that was just one of many sweet transgressions!

But my birthday, that was the one day of the year, where they allowed some flexibility with the rules. Every year my ma would get us birthday ice cream cake, which both my big brother and I loved. I was only allowed to the eat the ice cream part of the cake, though, and was forbidden from eating the chocolate fudge and chocolate cookie middle … sorry ma, but some of that goodness may have somehow found its way into my belly. Yummmmm!

Over the years, the docs have come to their senses and become more flexible with their initial no-sugar stance, realizing that a good amount of exercise can offset a person’s sugar content – thank goodness! I still don’t eat five-cent candies, but I do eat cookies, and I do eat chocolate, and I most certainly do eat ice cream cake. And for the past week and a half, my mouth has been drooling in anticipation of some of that ice cream cake goodness with all the fixings. I’ve just got to figure out how to calculate the carbs for that sucker 😀

What are your favourite birthday eats?

Ever since New York, I’ve been really struggling to get myself back into the gym for strength training and cross training … in fact, I haven’t been back. I keep coming up with excuses: I’ll end up being too sore and not be able to run the next day; I can’t find the machines I like to use; I’m too tired; and when all else fails, I have to clean 😉

What tactics do you use to get yourself back on the gym bandwagon?

3 thoughts on “Indulging in formerly forbidden treats”

  1. Happy Birthday Katie, you are too cute for words…enjoy your cake! Get back to the gym…it’s good for you! DO IT!

    Love ya miss ya, birthday hugs and kisses!

  2. Hey! i love the first pick of you, when you were 15. totally remember when you looked like that. You should grow out your hair again. It looks good on you=)
    -your fav niece

  3. we don’t like confessions later on in life, each one of you enjoy letting me know what you did that I had no idea offffffff……better to keep your secrets!!!

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