A Most Unexpected Meal

A minor miracle occurred at dinnertime tonight: Sean ate two bites of a carrot.

A carrot! Which can, I believe, be characterized as a VEGETABLE! Which Sean has not consumed in nonmuffinized form in 3 years. And when you're 4 and a half, that's a big old chunk of your life.

It all came about rather quietly. Every night I ask Sean if he wishes to partake in non-noodle food. Every night he gracefully declines. Last night, he said, "I'll try a carrot tomorrow night." I told him he had a deal, and that I would be so proud of him if he did, in fact, eat a carrot.

Tonight, I reminded him of our arrangement. Instead of turning multiple shades of angry red and denying he ever agreed to such nonsense, he said, "Okay."

He took one bite, chewed, made a series of faces indicating he was in his death throes from ingesting rat poison, and swallowed. I lavished praise upon him and encouraged him to try one more bite. He did, under protest.

The remains of the baby carrot could have fed a family of rabbits, so small were his bites. But still. A vegetable. My heart was singing.

And the good times didn't end there. A bit later, after Jeff got home, we were discussing middle names, well, Jeff's middle name, at least. "Do you know what Mommy's middle name is?" Jeff asked with a smile. "What is it, Mom?" Sean asked.

Ha ha, I thought. "I don't have one, actually. I just have my first name, Suzanne."

"I'll give you a middle name, then!" Sean said. "It'll be Superman!"

Has a nice ring to it, I think. And gender aside, so accurate, don't you think?