Lamb chops and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, please!

I thought I had some odd eating habits when I was young and single. Years later, I see that description was so far from the truth. Now that I’m pregnant again, I’m amazed at what I crave on any given day.

Lately, I’ve noticed my husband giving me a lot of weird looks; and to top it off, he’ll sometimes scratch his head as he watches me prepare a meal. I can’t help it if I crave a big, juicy pickle and then turn around to eat a few spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream.

A week ago, for example, I had a taste for lamb chops. During my first pregnancy, my husband and I searched high and low for a restaurant that made them, finally finding a quaint restaurant in Dallas that makes the best lamb shanks. Well, this time I didn’t feel like driving all the way to Dallas, so I decided to make my own lamb chops. I called my mom in Colorado (the best cook I know) and she told me what to do.

I ate lamb chops for an entire week, happy as can be. And one night, while warming up my lamb chop, I immediately thought of the perfect side dish – a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! I couldn’t wait to put it on the plate, along with my juicy lamb chop. I almost skipped to the dining table, but I contained my emotions. Especially when my husband said, “What kind of meal is that? How can you eat those things at the same time?”

Believe me, I didn’t care. I was in heaven, enjoying a delicious meal. Then, all of a sudden, my baby girl started patting on my leg and calling my name (“Mama”). I reluctantly sat her on my lap, knowing I’d have to share my meal with Nandi. When she saw what I had, she started clapping and smiling. At least she knew a good meal when she saw one, unlike her father. That made me smile, so I begin to share my dinner with her. Now when she likes a particular food, Nandi will rock back and forth and say, “Mmm!” She evidently enjoyed the small pieces of meat and sandwich I gave her. Baby girl looked up at me with all eight teeth showing, along with her contagious smile, as if to say, “You outdid yourself with this meal, Mama!”

So, despite having to share a delicious meal with my little one, I did appreciate the fact that she seemed to enjoy it as much as her Mother. I have no idea what meals I’ll end up preparing this week.  But no matter how odd the combinations sound, one thing is certain – two individuals in our household (me and “Sweet Pea”) will have satisfied smiles on our faces while we eat.

Chandra is a Sr. Public Relations Specialist for Texas Health Resources who is 17 weeks pregnant and is glad her daughter can appreciate her cravings.