Food and its Discontents

Fourteen weeks into pregnancy, my relationship with food has
changed slightly. I haven't had any real cravings*, but I have been extremely... suggestible. Anything I see anyone eating on
television becomes an immediate semi-obsession, and once, early
on, I wanted nothing but Eggos after watching a sitcom in which
the characters kept referring to frozen waffles... they didn't even
eat or show any frozen waffles, just kept talking about them. I
ended up satisfying that lust with homemade pancakes and maple syrup, which is so much nicer than Eggos anyway.

One of my first clues that Ben and I are having a baby was a strong aversion to my cherished morning coffee. The smell and taste made me want to retch. And, man, un-pregnant Aimee really loves coffee. But this is one of those aversions that's a boon to pregnant women, since we're really not supposed to have coffee anyway.** Recently I've had a couple of run-ins with what I think of as "spontaneous aversions" -- this, of course, is when I thought I really wanted to eat a certain thing, until I put the thing in my mouth and started chewing. I won't explain further.

Overall, my diet hasn't changed a lot, though. I still eat a healthy vegan diet full of veggies, beans, tofu, and other soy products. Ben and I continue our "Spinach Challenge" each week, buying an enormous bag of baby greens every seven days and challenging ourselves to finish the whole damn thing within the week (which we almost invariably do, by adding spinach to everything from pasta sauce to casseroles to soups).

There have been just a couple of other changes and additions. Instead of coffee, I drink a glass of chocolate soy milk every morning.*** And I've been eating oranges by the bag, because they are so gloriously sweet and delicious lately! Oh, and edamame with a little salt. I've added tomato juice once a day, because that stuff is seriously good for you. But it's not all roses... sometimes there's cake, and sometimes there's mango sorbet, and sometimes there's ice cream. I am pregnant, for Chrissakes, and the baby has informed me that he or she wants--nay, requires--more mango sorbet.

P.S. Sorry about the "puking" tag. I figure I might as well get that one established before our kid is born, so I can be ready--if one can be at all "ready"--for all of the vomiting children do.

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* I accidentally typed "crazings," which is also appropriate.
** Some experts say a little bit of coffee is okay. But who wants a little bit of coffee? And why risk it?
*** Still has some caffeine, but apparently far less than coffee.