Feeding a child is a big responsibility. And sometimes, a lot of work. With the warmer weather it’s felt like more work than usual, particularly coming up with healthy home-cooked meals with enough greens, iron, protein and calcium to keep baby growing (not that baby seems to mine – baby is getting bigger and bigger, as the feet sticking out of the right side of my belly indicate). I have had a few set-backs – a dinner of candy one night is a noticeable exception to my general diet. And sometimes I get bored of my cooking.
I went to the naturopath on Friday for my itchy ear, and the vega test (allergy/food sensitivity test) indicated sensitivity to citrus/acid foods, wheat, and definitely sugar. So, sugar is out. Healthy food back in. I plan to combat potential leg cramps with bowls of yogurt and banana (yum!) and will try and have green salads more often, and throw something green into my morning shakes.
At my grad reunion last night (20 years – amazing! – not a horrible experience to be there) I avoided the delicious-looking probably unpasteurized and definitely soft cheeses, eating pieces of margarita pizza and some cashews and blueberries. And many glasses of water (it is HOT around here).
Today I ate granola for breakfast (home-made yesterday; organic ingredients mainly, lots of seeds) with banana, yogurt and almond milk, then fried an egg with cheese. Not bad. Off to a good start.
The mini-stress of preparing food is compounded by garden guilt. We’re not eating enough from the garden; I don’t have the energy to care for it like last year; the beets are going to seed; and I can’t believe we still don’t have any lettuce, so we should plant more, but where and when. And why haven’t the tomatoes started producing yet? I’m pruning them. The most we’ve really harvested is some beets and herbs. Blech. I would much prefer to be self-sufficient food-wise, but I don’t know how to grow more or better.
But (to wrap up multiple threads of pregnant thought), the last 3 months of pregnancy, which include another 1.5 or more months of full-time work, including training a replacement, and renos, and wrapping up a community volunteer project, and maybe, maybe actually tackling one of my writing projects, is NOT a time when I can reasonably expect to become a productive gardener. Especially with the slug-inducing weather. Accept and move on and enjoy my Sunday off without a burden of guilt.
I’m off to read, visit mom, see M at work (yes, all weekend this weekend unfortunately), run a few errands, and RELAX.