Can I Take Your Order?

A year ago I checked out books from the library about childhood nutrition. It was right around the time Norm and I were making major changes to our diet to follow a heart healthy lifestyle. I figured if I could devote all of this time and effort to create a healthy diet for Norm and myself, I should at least try to learn a little about proper nutrition for growing toddlers. And I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a tiny bit hopeful that a change in diet might also cause Josie to listen to her mother and sleep 12 hours every night.

I skimmed through the books during nap times. I tagged a few recipes that I never got around to making. And pretty soon I got an email from the library saying the books were due. So me and my malnourished kids got in the car and returned the books on childhood nutrition to the library.

I decided to just keep it simple and try to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet and reserve meals purchased at drive thru windows to extremely long car trips or extremely long days.

One thing I don't have to worry about is ensuring my children have an active lifestyle. Josie, our cruise director, ensures we are outside as often and as long as possible. She has graduated from sitting in the stroller during long walks on the trail by our house to getting out and walking the whole way herself.

Today she was thrilled when I suggested we walk to the grassy area outside the gated community at the end of our block. Owen was thrilled I was bringing the stroller. He sat back basking in the sun as I pushed him down the sidewalk. Josie ran a few feet ahead of us, screaming, "C'MON GUYS" every time she looked back and we were lagging too far behind.

Finally we got to the big pile of leaves outside the gated community. I watched as Josie and Owen ran through the leaves, up and down the hill, around the large oak trees, laughing as they tripped and were engulfed into the sea of yellow and brown leaves. Watching them gave me a sense of pride and a new found confidence in the nourishment I was providing them. Clearly they were well-fed and full of energy. Maybe I didn't need to bother reading books on childhood nutrition.

As if Josie was reading my thoughts on a cue card, she wandered over to the bed of flowers underneath the call box outside the large, black wrought iron gate. She stood on her well nourished tippy toes and stretched her long well nourished arms up towards the sun that was beating down on her and filling her body with an etxtra boost of Vitamin D. I watched in wonder at the beautiful child she had become and took a moment to pat myself on the back.

"Excuse me," she said and I noticed she was speaking into the call box outside the gate.

No one answered, but that didn't stop her.

"Can I get a fries and a shake, please?" She said and looked over at me with a mischievous smile. I guess we'll be going back to the library tomorrow.