When you turn into your Mom

Are you ever in the middle of something and it suddenly occurs to you that you have turned into your mom (or dad)?  That was me the other night.  I was walking around the house in my apron (that my parents got me for Christmas 2 years ago) collecting jackets & hoodies that were hanging on chairs so I could hang them up in the correct closets while my Mom's recipe for tamale pie was baking in the oven.  And then I stopped and started giggling to myself.  Because it occurred to me that in that moment I had become my mother (and that's a good thing.  She's pretty great.).

I remember teenager-me walking into the house and hanging up my jacket on the chairs at the kitchen table instead of in the mudroom closet or in my room and then my Mom would gently suggest I do otherwise.  But I was lazy and didn't.  And then she'd often do it for me.  I must have driven her crazy.  My Dad did the same thing.  And I am pretty sure my sister did too.  We must have all driven her crazy!  And how do I know this?  Because now I am the one wanting things to hang where they belong.  I blame it on newly living in a house with so many closets that we can't fill them up!

As for that tamale pie?  Last time I made it, both kids LOVED it.  I wasn't surprised that Riley did because she was in her eat-anything-happily phase, but I was shocked Leighton did because he was in his no-foods-should-ever-be-combined-in-one-mouthful-even-if-individually-they-are-my-favorites phase.  I had high hopes dinner would go over as well this time around.  Sadly, it did not.  Oh what a difference a few months can make!  Riley has taken a page from her brother's book of eating rules, and now is a firm believer in one food at a time and no combo bites.  And she's a smart little thing and knew the corn and meat we were dissecting out for her had just been canoodling with the olives, tomatoes, and cornmeal.  She did eat 5 or 6 bowls of frozen corn kernels while I was cooking though, so at least she ate something!  And, luckily, I thought ahead and offered Leighton some plain corn and olives on his plate as well because the cooked tomatoes and messy look of the dish were a little too much for him to overcome, even though he did his best to eat a few bites.

So after this overwhelmingly unsuccessful dinner, you will be shocked to hear that I'd even consider serving it as leftovers for lunch the following day.  Oh, yes, I am silly like that.  But I had an ace up my sleeve this time around.  Corn chips.  Yes, that's right, I bribed my child to eat his tamale pie nachos.  He had so much fun topping the chips with pieces of meat and corn and olives and 'gluing' them on with sour cream.  The corn chips were made from blue corn.  And they were organic.  That makes it more healthy and acceptable, right??!!

Oh, and the little one?  I didn't bother giving her any more of the tamale pie.  I knew she could not be bribed or tricked.  She just got some yogurt and plain corn, beans, and noodles that were in the fridge from lunch a couple days before.

Now the question is, would my mother have bribed us to eat with chips?  I am not so sure.  So maybe I haven't truly turned into my Mom :)