Photo: My belly with my oldest child
There is one early pregnancy symptom that should have tipped me off. I don’t know if this is common or not, but the nesting should have given it away. The nesting instinct is supposed to come before you give birth, but mine comes a lot. I get it when I realize fertility has returned (Holy moly, we could get pregnant!) when I find out we are pregnant (Good grief, nine months is not enough time!) at the onset of the second trimester (Finally, I feel good enough to get things done around here!) when we enter the third trimester (Where did the time GO?) and finally, before birth (*sobbing* This place is a disaster. We can’t have a baby like this!)
Part of my “We have to get our life in order NOW” instinct drove me to our family diet. The busier I am working from home, the less likely I am to cook. Unfortunately, eating out kills our budgets and our bodies. It’s just not worth it in the long run. Both my husband and I knew it was time to move back into a vegetarian diet, which would be vegan if not for our love for cheese (read: pizza) and the cheap protein goodness of eggs. But, there has always been a problem with sticking to it:
Accountability.
We will do really well for a few weeks. Inevitably, though, something will happen, and the conversation will follow like this:
Hon, I’ve had a horrible day. I really just don’t want to cook.
Aw, I’m sorry, what do we have at the house?
Oh, I don’t know…some stuff in the freezer, but that would take sooo long to thaw….
Well…
There’s always…pizza.
….*Sigh* Call it in.
See, whoever is on the suggesting end knows exactly what to suggest to get the other to agree. So the other can act put out that we “have” to do it, but really we both wanted the junk food in the first place. Works like magic.
I digress.
Tonight is one of those nights. Really, every Thursday night. It’s pretty bad. I’m so ready for it to be the weekend, and the last thing on my mind is dinner tonight. To top it off, we also plan to go for a bike ride and grocery shop, so it’s even easier to justify eating out.
I’m so ready for this meal plan…this accountability. It’s so difficult to have a healthy pregnancy, especially with a busy life. I would love nothing more than a day dozing on the couch, eating boxed macaroni and cheese from the pan. But babies need more, and mama is the only one who can provide it. So thankful for a good support system!
—Interested in joining me? You don’t have to be pregnant or vegetarian to enjoy wholesome foods. Grab a copy of The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook: Whole Foods To Nourish Pregnant And Breastfeeding Women – And Their Families
