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A New Low

I’m back! We’ve survived. What a wonderful trip we had. So many exciting discoveries: Eva’s second tooth, Eva waves bye-bye, Zoe’s first swimming pool.  The food, though, that was the best part. It was a culinary adventure for children and adults alike. (Me to Gernot: you do realize that just because something is julienned, doesn’t make it a vegetable? Google “Wurstsalat” and you’ll understand). Last night I got home and whipped up a spelt salad with roasted vegetables and some lean pork loin, probably in an attempt to coax my body out of its pretzel and sausage coma. And yes, I do keep spelt in the cupboard. Which makes what I’m about to say all the more horrifying.

Eva slept through the Lufthansa sandwich and was starving by the time we made it through customs and baggage. As was Zoe. I had two small containers of baby food, not enough for both of them. (I’m trying to wean myself off the convenience of it) The plan was to sit and order a proper dinner for Eva in a café. Some nice pasta and vegetables. But I’d only brought enough diapers to last until morning. And our plane was late. And the stores in Germany close at some ridiculously early hour. Faced with a decision between nutrition and Pampers, well, there really wasn’t much of a choice, was there?
I ran into the airport shop and grabbed a packet of Swiss cheese and the only other thing nearing any level of appropriateness that I could find: a packaged ham sandwich. With a mixture of fascination and horror, I watched my darling daughter shovel her way through almost half an adult sandwich. She barely weighs 16 pounds. It didn’t seem right. But Eva loved it, even eating the egg yolks (I stole the whites for myself), which she normally hates. Then again, these probably weren’t real eggs from real chickens. I couldn’t bring myself to read the ingredients, but I guarantee the words “free range” wouldn’t have been on there.
So what’s the point of my confession? I am torn between immense pride (my little baby ate a ham sandwich!) and utter horror (what was that white stuff gluing it all together?) I try to provide my children with healthy, nutritious options whenever I can. Which means that 95% of what they eat is good for them. But life is too short to stress about the other 5%, isn’t it? If your kid is hungry, feed it. And if it wasn’t a perfect meal, get over it.

Dr. Lara Zibners, Aug 03, 2010

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