My Little Foodie

“This smells like it already came out her other end,” I thought as I spooned pea green sludge into my daughter’s mouth. I expected her to turn into The Exorcist spewing pureed peas all over the place. But she actually liked it and opened up for another bite.

I don’t think I’ve EVER eaten peas in my life — except for ones hidden in a lasagna or casserole. I’m not a fan of vegetables unless they’re raw, and then they have to be smothered in a mayonnaise-based dressing for me to even consider them. The smell of steamed vegetables takes me back to being six-years-old and a victim of my brother’s stinky farts (my mom made a lot of broccoli back then.) This is just one reason why certain veggies trigger my gag reflex.

As I sat feeding my daughter her first taste of peas, it got me wondering how could I expect her to eat vegetables when I don’t even like them? I must admit that I don’t have a refined palette and I’d rather eat Skittles than brussel sprouts, but my tastes have matured over the past ten years. I used to survive on a diet of Frosted Flakes and candy but now I’ll eat asparagus and bell peppers…big steps for someone like me. I want to set up good eating habits early for my daughter — heck she’s already got me beat by a long shot. In my mind she’s going to become an accomplished chef making dishes with sunchoke tomatoes and whatever else fancy ingredients they use on Top Chef.

I think I’ll invest in one of those cookbooks where the vegetables are hidden in the dishes…pretty sad when it’s for my sake and not hers!

*Funnymummy apologizes for the gross-out picture…but a visual was neccesary.*

Your Mom Goes to College

On January 18, 2011 I officially became a “your mom” joke. (“Mom jeans” and fanny pack to be issued at the hospital upon delivery).  I was, in fact, somebody’s mom therefore susceptible to this ever-popular comeback. A joke used by most males between the ages of ten and twenty or in my case, my twenty-nine year old husband. He likes to use it regularly. He’s also a fan of the ever popular, “That’s what she said,” which can, at times, be used interchangeably. Here is an example: “I like spicy sausage!” “Your mom likes spicy sausage,” or “That’s what she said.” Easy as pie and probably why the hubby likes it so. No thinking required!

It dawned on me that these two expressions might be going strong by the time my daughter is ten or so and I would be the butt of the joke. These little twerps running around making fun of me and I would be clueless. What’s a mummy to do? Grin and bear it? Tell them a grandma joke? “Your Grandma likes spicy sausage!” (Using their moms as jokes would be cruel, but grandmas would be fair game). But I couldn’t stoop to their level being the adult and all…or could I?

When my hubby and I were younger we bought shirts that read, “I heart your mom.” We wore them for a picture and our moms thought it was the cutest thing ever, totally missing the joke while we snickered in the background. Oh, if I could find that photo now… I guess everything comes full circle so it’s just a matter of time before my daughter laughs hysterically when someone says that her mom likes spicy sausage or that her mom goes to college and I’ll probably smile and think they’re just the cutest kids ever.