textures change

Once I had a son to feed, I started changing my cooking a bit.  I like cooking, but sometimes I get tired of it, or bored with 3 meals every day, plus packing lunch boxes for me and the husband, plus parties and potlucks, and social group get-togethers and cookie exchanges.  Sometimes it's just nice to open a package of something or eat cereal for dinner or buy a bag of salad.  Well, now that I'm serving a toddler all day long I have to think about the texture of the foods, the size, the choking risk, the appeal of flavor.  Unfortunately I think I've lost a bit of crunch and rawness to my diet.  I don't want to make separate foods for all of us, so I usually make foods that my son can enjoy with us.  Soft, pureed, casseroles, soups, veggies all mixed together with the meats, and so on.  Today I miss eating raw vegetables, salad, and cereal.  I just want to look at my own food and eat it, uninterrupted, without worrying about what is being consumed over there in the high chair.  However I must say that my son is a really adventurous and good eater.  He tries anything and actually prefers foods with lots of flavor and seasoning.  Eating with your children is so important for them, so that they develop skills and tastes for real food, and not just think that eating is a chore they do while a parent observes.  And I'm proud to say that my boy will eat leftovers, so at least I've got that going for me!  :)