You are what you eat?

Sometimes things don't seem strange because they are a part of your everyday life. It's only when you mention it offhandedly in a group setting and everyone acts like it's odd that you realize your normal is not "normal." Specifically, I'm referring to my six year old and his love for salad. Yes, I said love, salad, and six year old in the same sentence without the word not. :) Jon started liking salad when I was pregnant with Will. That summer, Jon was four and a half, I was craving salad every afternoon. At some point, he tried it and really liked it. He began asking for it every day and often he'd want a second salad with dinner. I remember one night we had grilled and he wanted more salad. Pete said, "Finish your hotdog and you can have more salad." We looked at each other and started cracking up. Are we really making our kid eat a hotdog before he can have salad?? Since then, his love for salad had continued without fail. The only condition is the dressing. He has to have Italian dressing. His favorite kind is the Olive Garden variety, but he'll take most Italian dressings now.

One of my favorite parts of this salad love, besides the obvious health benefits, is that he likes making it for himself. He gets out the lettuce, adds some grape tomatoes and some croutons and tops it off with his favorite dressing. We have a deal that if I haven't gotten his lunch yet around 11:30 or later, he can help himself to a salad. Usually I take that as my cue to get the ball rolling on lunch for everyone. So far, he's the only one besides me that likes salad around here, but he keeps telling Sam that he will like it when he's four and a half. We'll just have to wait and see! :)