table for one. (day 26)

As it turns out, no matter what time of the evening we decide to have dinner, Henry believes it to be his dinnertime, too. There’s nothing wrong with his theory, of course, but it poses a little bit of a challenge to us as mom and dad. Dinner has always been our chance to catch up on the contents of the day, to decompress, and on weeknights, to connect for the first time since saying goodbye in the morning. Times have changed though, and our old dinner routine has flown.

Nowadays, I can try to time the making and eating of dinner with Henry’s last feeding, attempting to predict when he’ll nap and for how long. Stirring pots on the stove or checking items in the oven gets a little tricky though, with a newborn needing to eat in the next room. If I do get the timing right…prep dinner, feed Henry, finish making dinner, then Jason and I sit down to eat in just enough time for the little one to begin fussing about halfway through the meal. I’m learning to enjoy the art of reheating, as well as the art of “Oh well. I’ll just eat when I eat, and if it’s cold, it’s cold. Oh, and if it’s tomorrow, well then, I’ll appreciate it that much more.” Kidding. Between the two of us, we can at least manage to make sure we both eat a meal. The when and the how are simply in question.

It’s taken me a few weeks, but I’m grasping the necessity of high protein, quick-to-grab food items, and also the necessity of having them within reach. Arm’s reach. When Jason asks me if I need anything before he leaves for work in the morning, my go to answer is now, “Um, a glass of water and a power bar? A banana? Maybe two power bars?” I’m finding out that Henry and I can navigate the day much better if mom has a snack for herself up her sleeve. Henry has carte blanche where food is concerned, but without a few staples close by, breakfast for me might fall around 11am, lunch, at 2.

The important thing at the end of the day? We’re all getting fed. Henry will never go hungry, and with a bit more careful and patient planning, neither will we. In the meantime, while we explore these new parent waters, looking at this face all day helps to quell the frustration, the impatience, and possibly, even a hunger pang or two: