He has agreed to try a tad of chocolate pudding in a little bit, but has informed me that he will have to take a big, big breath. Earlier today, he was breathing in and out very loudly while eating his lime yogurt. I was perplexed. He did it an hour later while having another lime yogurt. Husband commented that he must have learned it from me. I was shocked, but apparently I breathe in and out loudly when attempting to eat food. I knew I measured my breath when trying not to vomit while having morning sickness, but I certainly didn’t realize it was so loud and annoying!

Nonetheless, knowing how sensitive my stomach can be (ironic since I love spicy food!) I am attentive to the Cat’s requests, even if they seem a bit odd. This morning, a lime yogurt had sat out just a bit on the counter, but he requested a new one because the open one was “old.” I understand that one completely. I always told my mom that my milk was old. To this day, I buy milk for myself in small containers so that it doesn’t have a chance to go bad. Instead of the usual “seven days is safe,” I am more of a 3 day gal. I couldn’t drink milk at all at our college’s dining hall because the dispenser just looked gross. Yet I imagine that the milk was “fresh” because there was a high turnaround. I put the milk on my cereal, though, because that is different. I will drink chocolate milk and egg nog with reckless abandon. Actually, I read that chocolate helps in the digestion of milk, so it may not be so wacky that I seem to tolerate it.

My odd food feelings aren’t just about milk. And as a child, I remember the tinny taste of pineapple juice as tasting like “noodles” in a nausea-inducing way. Grapefruit juice has an interesting place in my stomach, too. I enjoy it, but it reminds me of something not-so-pleasant: when I visited her house, my grandmother always insisted that I eat my grapefruit prior to having my cereal. Worse, she always poured the milk on my cereal before we had a daily devotional. At home, I never had a daily devotional, so that in itself was a bit bothersome to a hungry child, but to have soggy cereal that tasted sour after eating an acidic fruit? Yuck! I tried to reason with her that could I please pour the milk on my cereal right before I was to eat it so the cereal would remain crunchy, and perhaps may I eat the cereal before the grapefruit? But the cereal was considered a “treat” for finishing the grapefruit. Some treat, indeed! I love my grandmother very much, but this particular memory isn’t so terrific.

I have mixed citrus and dairy before with glee. Filling up a glass with chocolate frozen yogurt, pouring orange juice over it and mixing it together creates quite a yummy milkshake! Vanilla frozen yogurt creates a nice creamcicle flavor.

The Cat reprimanded me today for making toast. The smell wafted upstairs and disturbed him. I know exactly what he was feeling; I had the same sensation over the weekend when various food was being prepared below.

He is asleep now, surrounded by blankets and water. No napkins, toast, or other food particles are in the way.