Food just doesn't taste good anymore

First of all, this post has absolutely nothing to do with pregnancy. For all the concerned and curious, I'm feeling a million times better than I was at this point last month. I've hit the magical 13-week mark, which means that I can stay up until after 10pm, get through the day without a nap, and let myself go for more than an hour without a frantic search for something bland to settle my stomach.

Today smartmama and I took the kids to the Children's Museum. After two hours of playing in Wonderland and battling the preschool-group masses, we headed to Central Market. She couldn't call a visit to Texas complete without visiting the best grocery store in the world. When people come visit Houston, there are usually three or four places I take them: the beach, the zoo or the space center, and Central Market.

After wandering through the aisles (imagine us, two carts with babies in the front and three older kids either monkeying in the basket or hiding in the bottom of the cart) and marveling in the culinary delights therein, we got a couple of sandwiches to feed the troops before heading home. We found some seats on the patio, surrounded by ladies who lunch and guys in business suits. Everyone around us looked relaxed, chatting happily with each other and drinking iced tea (which must make them impervious to the heat or something because no one was sweating like we were).

Anyway, we snagged a table for four, corralling all five kids into their seats and onto laps, and started to eat. Smartmama and I shared the most beautiful chicken salad sandwich: ciabatta bread, smoked mozzarella, sprouts, tomatoes-- the works. I fed Isaac with one hand, scraped the extra cheese off of Bryce's sandwich with my teeth, and tasted none of that beautiful sandwich.

The funny thing is, food tastes great after the kids go to bed. Or even when they're in another room. When we got home, we got the kids all settled down and broke open a bottle of Italian soda to share while we ate some chocolate. Both of those tasted great. We've been doing late-night runs to Sonic, and even Sonic tastes great. I'm sure the Mexican food we'll eat tomorrow night after the kids go to bed will be totally fantastic. But when kids are in the picture, between the hours of 6am-7pm, food is simply nourishment.

It's a wonder I'm not skinnier.

--originally published 6/30/06