There is something deeply satisfying about feeding a good eater. I just love it. I'm not talking about someone that wantonly gorges himself on mindless, pointless, calorie-laden concoctions. I'm talking about someone that loves every bite of wonderful food for the simple flavors and goodness of them. I'm talking about juicy grilled chicken and tart summer berries and chewy, nutty brown rices, and buttery, sauteed summer squashes, and crunchy crispy peppery salads, and cold smooth lemon sherbet with bursts of zest throughout.
ASH is a good eater and I just LOVE him for it. HY was a really good eater. I had him eating acorn squash and wild rice pilaf with relish at twelve months. EZ was a (kind of) good eater--of all things savory, that is. He would rather eat spoonfuls of spinach sausage soup than applesauce and rice cereal. But who can blame the kid? Aaron is a good eater and a particularly adventurous one too, which is oodles of fun.
I just love to feed people that want to be fed.
I'v been thinking about this a lot lately--the subtle differences between a good eater and an overeater. It has been on my mind as I've been journeying through the last several months on a diet. I constantly am watching family members struggle with the temptation to overeat (and the resulting unpleasant consequences...).
In the end, I have no desire to be, raise, or encourage overeaters (eating as a vice, obsession or whatever). But I do want to raise good eaters--people that appreciate and love the varieties of flavors that God has given us to enjoy.
When I think about the fact that I have three sons (three sons!!!), it makes me want to jump up and down and spin around and laugh and laugh and laugh. One day they will all be very hungry growing teenagers. My heart practically bursts at the thought. I will get to feed this hungry brood every day! Wow! What a day that will be! And what is more, maybe, just maybe, I will be blessed with more sons by that time. Maybe we will have to have several refrigerators and several deep freezes and I will really get to use all of my mass food production skills I have be honing over the years...but I digress.
Right now my little boys are still teeny and sweet and darling and little wonders of personality and grit. And the joy of feeding them is just a small portion of how dynamic and interesting and messy my life has become over the years as a new mother. I'm sure it will only get more so as time passes.
Tonight we tried a new baby food, ASH and I. It wasn't anything spectacular, just apples with blackberries, but the flavor was so fantastic for Gerber fare that I made Aaron try it too. "Not too bad...it would be really good frozen, like a sorbet of sorts." Exactly. The best thing, however, was the look on ASH's face. Pure bliss. It probably matched mine in every particular.
2 comments:
Well said. :)
You're so cute, Deb.
I can't agree with you more and I love how you said it. Deb you inspire me!
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