Poor kiddos... Evil Mama... they want their pasta back!

Okay so.... I am about 9.5 months out...
I have made pasta but maybe 5 times since surgery, it was a main staple before...but well ya know its soooo carby!
Heres the deal.
My kids and hubby have never had weight issues... I never made pasta without a protein and fresh veggie... so its not the evil its always made out to be.... so what the **** why I am torturing these poor people...and heres the kicker... Its not like I'm super tempted by the carby delight anyway...  I think I just caught up in following the rules and forgot they are people with free will and desires... apparently desires for pasta....who knew?
It hadnt occurred to me that this was an issue until earlier this week. I took the kids out to dinner alone, which is usually a recipe for disaster... dining with Ambrose and Max (my 5 and 2 year old) is like a sitting down for a meal with Hitler and Stalin.... They're a hot, evil little mess. Kicking each other under the table, bored with the same old food. Maybe eating the crayons and dousing each other in salt.... really its that bad sometimes... short of beating them...I'm unsure of what to do. Alone with one of them they're great, with the hubby we each take on one beast and were all good... but alone... FML... what was I thinking. Well they wanted spaghetti... okay whatever... I'm not a dictator right... order whatcha want... Those kids ate and ate and ate and ate.... not a peep out of them... Never once did one try to impale the other... no one cried, ran from the table with the others shoe... it was ******g amazing... and it was in that moment that I realized... its not just ME.... and because I have a problem and need to watch what I eat doesn't mean I get to govern their food like some kind of Nazi. It was a little eye opener for me... perhaps I got wrapped up and I forgot that they're kids, pasta eating... cupcake loving... kids... who are super active, eat a balanced diet and a lil pasta is not gonna go straight to their ass like it does mine. Time to take a step back and find a new...  balanced normal.
So I made dinner (I know its early, I have class tonight) I added a pound of ground beef to the sauce, some Italian sausage, steamed two heads of broccoli and packed up their dinner of pasta covered in awesomeness for  tonight.. and for me... Broccoli covered in sauce filled with ground beef, Italian sausage and peppers... I can enjoy it too ......and now... I am no longer Villain Mama.... 
Just thought Id share some profound **** I'm learning along the way....
Now back to bottle number three of water for the day!

Use the pasta sparingly, when needed for peace and quiet

Do kids get carb coma? 

Bet ya it was whole wheat pasta, if not, switch over it is just as good.

Kids love them some carbs!  My daughter (4 years old) has a favorite meal of penne pasta covered in a meat sauce.  I'm going to take your idea after the sleeve.....use the meat sauce with some veggies (zucchini, brocolli, etc...whatever my sleeve would handle).  That sounds pretty good.

Sounds like pasta withholding is working for good behavior in public.

BTW I got spanked and it curtailed my behavior in public. I feared the belt when I got home. Perhaps fearing one's parents has some positive benefit. The rest can be dealt with in therapy years later! LOL

LOL totally agree! Haha...
Thats the problem... they know I wont swat their asses in public haha

I am right there with you Jenn.  My hubby has no weight issues and although we don't have kids at home anymore I realized I have been cooking for me.  I would thaw out a (A) steak and then expect him to cut some off for me when really he wanted to eat the whole thing himself. 
While he is not a big pasta eater he does love his potatoes and I don't think I have bought 5lbs of potatoes in the last 9 months. I even tried to get him to agree that yes spahgetti squash tastes just like the real thing!!  NOT..  I, like you, think I need to take another look at my menu's and food plans.  Who said I cant make his favorite cookie or bake him one of my world famous apple pies?  (ok family famous)  I can still be an adult and not eat it or I can make myself a dessert that I can eat while he devours a pie or cookie....a lot of miracle foods are being made with stevia as we speak...  Yes indeed you can share all the profound info you want...

Sounds like were on the same page baby... and uh, I want some apple pie~

LOL! you know being in the Bay Area you probably know that Apple Hill is going full force right now.  We are going soon to get our favorite Winesap and Arkansas Black apples by the case.  I make pies, sauce and dehydrate for snacks.  Its also a really fun day for kids if you hit the right places like Ables Apple Ranch which is the #1 ranch on the Apple Hill Map (downloadable)  They have a fishing pond, candy store, and  lots of vendors of homemade things like jewlery, wood crafts, tee shirts etc.   Its really a fun day...I think there are over 50 or so farms with public sales and goods...then we go back up in Dec to get our Christmas tree...cut it yourself..lots of kid fun.