Well hello! I realize that it has been quite a while now since my last post.
I really miss blogging and still frequently find myself composing posts in my head, but when it comes time to actually post something, I skid to a stop. This is in large part because I’ve been struggling a lot with balancing/reconciling my new identity as a mother (a new mother, a working mother, a breastfeeding mother, etc.) with the identity of the blog and whether I even want to continue to write about “vegan” recipes.
You see, not long ago I stumbled across this post on one of my favorite blogs, Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows, in which Angela explained the decision she and her husband had reached with regard to their infant daughter’s diet. The comments on the post are exactly what you’d expect, and I don’t suggest reading them if you don’t want to get sucked down a black hole of holier-than-thou vitriole pitted against can’t-we-all-get-along sanctimony.
I bring it up only to explain the impact that this post had on me, particularly after years and years of trying so hard to ignore all of the hate the Internet has to offer, and instead focus on my own goal of bringing some positivity and light-heartedness into the mix. I think I have for the most part succeeded, inasmuch as my blog has never in the 7 years of its existence sparked a giant comment war or controversy. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t notice and react when these things blow up in other corners of the Internet that I frequent.
I know that I shouldn’t care what others think–and to a large extent I guess I don’t–but I am a diplomatic person by nature and I strive to please as many people as possible at all times, to be mindful of how my words and actions might make people feel, and not to step on too many toes.
However, I have come to realize how truly insurmountable these goals are, especially on a public blog!
What the above-mentioned blog post made me realize is that I will never be “vegan” enough for the vegans and I will never be “plant-based” enough for the healthnuts. Even after all these years, it made me feel defeated and less-than. Maybe that’s stupid but that’s how I felt. This kind of all-or-nothing and you-can’t-sit-with-us attitude can turn people off entirely from even dabbling in different lifestyles or ways of thinking, because why even bother?
I have resolved to remove labels from my life. I think it will have the effect of making me feel more comfortable posting about my life on this very public blog.
There will always be those who troll the internet looking for a fight or things to criticize. But I hope that by removing my labels some of those people will move along because they will realize that I truly don’t care what other people do or what they call themselves. All I can be is me.
And “me” is someone who right now is finding the utmost pleasure in taking her almost 7-month-old (!!) out to farms and farmstands to see the beautiful produce that grows all around us. Baby H is so curious about and aware of his surroundings now and it’s a joy to watch him taking in all of the different colors and shapes!
I’m also really enjoying making the little guy’s food now that he is eating solids twice a day. He is a huge fan of all foods so far, and I’m having a blast mixing up different flavors and textures for him to try. His most recent favorite has been zucchini that I steamed and pureed with garlic and a few basil leaves.
There might be some who will see this and be shocked that I am feeding my baby purees instead of doing baby-led weaning, or tell me that zucchini isn’t an appropriate early food because of x, y, or z study and zooomg SIDS!!1! or some other such nonsense. But let this post be exhibit A of me not caring. I’m going to post what I want going forward–no more labels!
A.Cook in the Making 