My mom raised me vegetarian until about age 7. I remember tofu and carrot cake and peanut butter and honey sandwiches- normal food altered to be more natural and healthy. She did a good job.
Then my parents separated and money was tight. We ended up on welfare for a few years and ate whatever we could. This seemed to be mostly canned soup and hotdogs. Welfare food wasn't as highly evolved in the 80s as it is now!
Then my parents remarried other people and with two two-income households, the quality of my food increased. But I was also left to make my own meals a lot so I set my own menus. I liked to make steak-ums and mac and cheese. We also started ordering food for family dinners. I was crazy for Chinese Chicken Wings from a local Chinese restaurant.
Then I went to college and applied to be in the Vegetarian Co-op. I immediately became a vegetarian and supported my decision with lots and lots of reading on the subjects of the environment, animal rights, and a healthy diet. They let me in, supported me, and taught me how to cook good food for myself. What a revolution!
That was in 1997 and I didn't eat a bite of meat until 2008.
I was 5 months pregnant with C. and I started to get cravings for chicken. I didn't have any real cravings with J. so I thought this must be all in my head. But it was a real craving. I'd zone out, thinking about just dropping everything to run and get chicken. I spent hours remembering the exact taste of the Chinese Chicken Wings. But every time I stood at a counter and contemplated exactly what I was going to buy, I chickened out (ha). A chicken sandwich from McDonalds was not going to be worth it. It had to be the perfect chicken if I was going to fall off the wagon for it. I would close my eyes and recall the exact look and smell of a coconut-orange chicken that Jeremiah once ordered from a Cuban restaurant in Los Angeles. I was going nuts!
I made it through 2 more months and then I was having visions of chicken even with my eyes open. One unremarkable day, I was driving home from work and I pulled into the Royal Farms near my house. I'd say it was spur of the moment, but I had looked at their sign for fried chicken for years and today it was a RESPONSIBILITY that I eat it. I NEEDED it.
And that was it. Jeremiah knew better than to give me a hard time about it, but it was uncomfortable eating a 3 piece chicken meal with his eyes on me, bulging out of his head. He said, "THIS is the perfect chicken meal that you've been dreaming about?" I know, right?!
And I honestly thought I could do it just once and then be done. But I tortured myself for a little while longer, caving to a chicken (and only chicken- other meat is still gross) meal probably about once a week. Then I gave into it emotionally and started confessing to my family and close friends. It was revolutionary! My siblings were so gleeful and amazed that I was no longer a vegetarian. Most of them had only known me as a vegetarian!
Cassie was born and I thought "that's it, now I can go back to being a vegetarian." But I still had cravings even though I was no longer pregnant!
During all of this, I kept thinking "the baby's making me do it." I think your body gives you signs and signals to get what it needs, be it sleep, relaxation, exercise, food, drink, what-have-you. During pregnancy I listened to my body like it was in charge (and it kind of was.). So I figured, the baby needs meat. And I doubled up on my complete protein intake and never missed a prenatal vitamin. But that still didn't help so I said, ok, this is for the baby! And pigged out- I mean, chickened out. (ha)
During nursing I still wanted chicken. Not an intense craving, but I still wanted it. Since C. was still depending on me and only me for all of her food, via nursing, I continued to occasionally eat chicken.
When nursing stopped, I thought I would stop. I even made it a birthday vow to become vegetarian again! But it's tricky to have limited time and need to cook food that pleases everyone and my family had gotten used to eating chicken sometimes. So I was intending to still cook chicken every now and then, but to abstain. Or maybe to only splurge on the all-natural, free-range, local chicken (which is not sold at Superfresh and would require an additional shopping trip). But I would do it to satisfy my ethics.
And then a few weeks later, we got the diagnosis that C. has thalassaemia minor and NEEDS at least one meat meal per day for iron reasons. Doctor's orders.
What is that all about?!
What vegetarian has a kid that REQUIRES meat on a daily basis? A vegetarian that's married to Jeremiah. It's like he finally won, getting meat meals at home. Very tricky, sneaking me a meat-needing baby.
And I think my meat cravings during pregnancy were caused by her need for meat. Ever since she was conceived she's needed meat! I'll never doubt pregnancy cravings again (Ben and Jerry's, here I come!).
Now I eat chicken sometimes. So I'm a sometimes vegetarian, if that is a thing (and I don't think it is).
best moment lately: let me count the ways!
- watching Lost and Chuck on netflix with Jeremiah
- making stepping stones with the kids and MOMS Club friends
- playing in the local creek with the kids
- watching the kids play together in the bath for 3o min so I could finally clean out the bathroom closet!
- celebrating Julie's birthday with her and Heather: hike, playground, Rita's Gelaties, amazing fresh veggie dinner, backyard campfire.
- almost winning the game on the Wii!
thoughts of the day:
I forgot what I was thinking yesterday and the day before. We're still really busy!
For Julie's birthday, we made a donation in her name to the Central Asia Institute.
Instead of a present, Julie always wants people to make donations or buy African villages sheep or wells or, really, anything. She's so good like that. She'll give everything in her wallet to someone else if she thinks it's a good cause.
And at Charlotte's kick butt wedding last weekend, in lieu of wedding favors, the bride and groom made a donation to the American Cancer Society. Great idea! No little candles or whatever to tuck in around the house and never use!
I know it's a good idea to have people donate to good causes instead of receiving gifts. But is it cool to give someone a donation-in-their-name as a gift if it wasn't pre-approved? Can you pick a cause for someone else or do you need to preplan so that they get to pick? Julie has a standing order of causes that she wants you to help her support. Maybe I should have a list ready in case someone ever offers. I've given and received a few surprise donations-in lieu of gifts before, so I have my list partially prepared already. And is it tacky (like having a birthday registry) to tell people that you want donations ahead of time? Does that go in the Christmas card for the next year? Do you make an announcement at an earlier holiday? (Thanksgiving won't work for my family. But then I'm already mostly done my shopping since I hoard pretty things to give as gifts all year long!) Knee-deep in my simplifying and reducing of household stuff, it seems like a great idea to me!
As long as it's not to the "Human Fund" , I think you're good.
ReplyDeletewhat about the "Citizens for Jeremiah Chiappelli" fund? Isn't that almost the same thing?
ReplyDelete