Whenever I mention the fact that for the first 4 months my son ate baby food, I was the one making it, women are always shocked and always say the same thing: ''That must have been time consuming!'' Recently, I spoke to an older woman in Target about this subject. She was buying food for her grandbaby and sparked a conversation by asking which kind my son liked the best. (This happened about a week ago & Connor has since refused any type of baby food) I explained about my making his food for the first few months and she, as if on que, mentions how time consuming it must be and if I bought a Baby Bullet.
Why is this the first question people ask me? To me, making my child's food seemed like the obvious way to go: it would be cheaper, it really doesn't take up too much time and best of all, I know exactly what he is eating. I can remember passing baby food jars and seeing them separate and looking just plain unappealing. So I would just cook and puree fruits and vegetables with an $18 personal smoothie blender from Wal-Mart. It was literally effortless and I felt like a super mom with my fridge full of organic goodness for my son.
So many things are wrong with our bodies, so many diseases are because of our poor diet. I know I am not perfect, I love carbs and fast food hamburgers, but I do try to be conscious and healthy, especially now that my son is refusing to allow me to feed him. I must be vigilant about the food my family consumes. Millions of people claim that autism rates are on the rise because of the vaccinations in early childhood, yet some experts claims it begins in urtero. Pregnant women are notorious for their need for food and in modern day society, a working pregnant woman would hardly have a problem with a quick stop to pick up dinner for the family, rather than stay on her feet.
In my vow of increasing healthiness, we ate baked lemon pepper chicken, black beans, spinach salad, steamed carrots & grapes for dinner last night. It felt good to know that I was eating for fuel rather than gluttony. Tonight, we are having chicken stir fry with brown rice. Making positive changes can only bring out positive experiences! It is often difficult for me to heed my own advice, and the road to absolute health is going to be a long and rugged journey. Yet in the end, after all the hills and valleys, knowing my son will reach for an apple over a bag of chips when he's older will make me feel great.
So people judge me sometimes. Tell me I am overprotective. Tell me that I am a ''food Nazi,'' strategically crafting each morsel that enters my son's mouth. To me, this definitely is not the case. I do not feel as though I am losing hair over what my son ingests, although I am aware of what I purchase and put in front of him. He has had tastes of ice cream and french fries, but his meals are avocado and chicken, spaghetti with organic, grass-fed beef. Many times, his meals are vegetarian and those are usually vegan, as well, though he does enjoy the occasional grilled cheese sandwich.
Kids have to be kids. My son is going to eat ice cream and candy and he is going to eat fast food (hopefully not for a long while!) and drink soda. Can I help how much of this he gets? Hell yes I can and one of the most important choices I feel a parent can make is what their child ingests. Really, what kind of child do you want? I hear everyone say ''Well I turned out just fine!'' Well, you know what? I have no clue how I am not 500 pounds. I am a carb-addicted salt fiend who developed a sweet tooth after pregnancy. I want my son to crave good food. I want my family to be healthy and thriving and playing sports in the front yard rather than watching television all day. The best part about this dream is that I can make it a reality. And I'm halfway there.
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