At one of the talks I attended on the topic of Baby & Toddler Nutrition, we (the mothers who attended the talk) were asked to share the earliest memory of food when we were a child as we introduced ourselves to one another.

I thought it was a nice way to start a workshop on baby’s food. I did not even have to think very hard and immediately, my thoughts went to my mom’s home-cooked food. Even though it was so long ago, it felt like as though I was digging in to the last bit of cookie that was left in a very deep cookie jar. It was nice, it was rewarding and the memory still makes me feel warm and tingly inside. It was special. It was, actually, more than just special.

Image from Google

Still etched in my mind were my childhood memories where, I distinctly remember my mom whipping out food she prepared from home whenever we had a family day out over the weekends. It did not matter where we went; it could be the zoo, the bird park, the beach, the botanical gardens, the waterpark…and when it was time to eat, there was my mom’s home-made Nasi Goreng, Nasi Lemak or Ayam Goreng! I distinctly remember the Nasi Lemak being wrapped up in banana leaves in the old fashioned way, and the Nasi Goreng carefully packed in a tub of Tupperware.

As a kid, I did not understand why we never get to eat at McDonald’s or KFC or Burger Kings like the other kids. At such an impressionable age (I think roughly at 5- 8 years old), I remember feeling envious of other kids for having such privileges. I think I even felt rather mad at my parents for shoving only home-cooked food to us at that time!

I guess I was too young to understand anything then. But, looking back, of course I realised the reasons for my mom not encouraging us to eat “outside food” was not only because of economic reasons (they were not very well-off and it was extremely expensive to eat out) but for health reasons as well.

Up till now, I clearly remember us taking a break at whatever it was we were doing by finding a nice and cool shady spot to tuck in the food which my mom magically whipped out from one of the tote bags she totted along. I think I can still remember what the food smelt like! Little did I know that those habits nurtured at such a young age had actually made a very big impact to my life; especially now that I am a mother.

As time goes by, I realise that I’m being more like my mother. Thinking back, before Spud came along, I used to prepare simple food from home when we take a long drive out of Bangkok to get through the journey. It could be simple sandwiches, fried rice or Mee Siam and I would be more than happy to make the time to prepare it the night before we leave.

I guess I am a foodie by device and the appreciation of home cooked, healthy meal can be nurtured from a very young age.

It is my hope that Spud too will appreciate home prepared meal in her later years and that her memories of food is going to be as special as my memories of my mom’s home-made food that were all prepared with nothing but healthy ingredients and loads of love!

It has only been about 5 months since the Battle of the Bottle, yet it feels like ages and eons and eons of time ago since that happened. The only reason I’m bringing this up is because recently Spud decided that she no longer wants to have anything to do with the boobs anymore. Na.Da.

I’m afraid she has officially gone on a boob strike…and I think for good.

Once a very close and guarded ally, she now treats my boobs like a natural enemy. In the last two weeks, she no longer wants me to nurse her like I usually do when I come home from work before putting her to bed. She has definitely shown a stronger preference for The Bottle and she screams her head out, crying bloody murder every time I shove her The Boobs. She will tug, she will gum, she will twist and pull really hard; and she does not even have any teeth yet! She literally does not want to go anywhere near my boobs, and we both ended up distressed after every try. She only calms down when she gets The Bottle. Talk about coming from a humble beginning!

To be honest, I don’t really mind that much. It kind of makes weaning off the breasts a little bit more easier than I could ever hope for. However, I can’t help being two minds about it as well. I mean, being able to just “whip-it-out” as and when she needs it can be really convenient than having to pump all the time just to make sure she has sufficient supply for the day.

That being said, while I don’t mind Spud going off the breast sooner than later, I sometimes miss that closeness breastfeeding brings. (Ok. I admit I cannot believe I just said that! *blush*)

I suppose it is her little way of telling me that she is now truly done with my boobs; albeit in a somewhat violent way. 

Oh well! I guess it is just one of the littlest sign that our little imp is growing up…