June 30 = Don't Wanna Eat Day

It is well known that I have never enjoyed vegetables.  When I found out I was pregnant with Liam I gave it a good effort.  I swallowed peas and carrots whole and gagged after a few bites but I really did try.  When Liam was born- although my nutrition affected him when I was pregnant- it was easier to see that what I eat makes it into the milk he drinks and so I tried a little harder.  I enlisted Zachary's help and we found ways to cook vegetables that added a little variety to my diet and made it so I didn't gag every other bite.  But the real kicker came when Liam started eating solid foods.  He loved everything.  He ate avocado, squash, zucchini, peas, carrots, green beans, asparagus... anything we gave him, he ate.  I was so grateful he wasn't a picky eater like I was but it hit me very quickly that he would one day, he may question why he had to eat his vegetables if I wasn't eating mine.  That was the kicker and now I'm a vegetable eating pro.  Now, I'm never going to order a vegetable as a side at a restaurant over fries or a baked potato but my kids won't be able to use my refusal to eat my vegetables as a reason not to eat theirs.  So I made a meal we call chicken and vegetables because we are super original in this house.  I pick apart a rotisserie chicken (my least favorite part) and throw in potato wedges, green peppers, onions and carrots.  It's a healthy meal I feel great about having Liam eat.  We had it for dinner the night before and then I heated up some leftovers for Liam the next day for lunch.

Well here's what he thought of my healthy meal.

In contrast, we went to Outback for dinner.  Anytime Kevin Harvick finishes in the top 10 in a NASCAR race, Outback gives free bloomin' onions to anyone who mentions the driver or his finish.  In other words, as bloomin' onion enthusiasts, we frequent Outback on Mondays during NASCAR season.  We don't give Liam any because it probably wouldn't be great for him but he's distracted by his love of the bread that he doesn't notice.  He has this new habit of wanting anything he eats to be dipped in something.  It makes sense when it's chicken tenders dipped in barbecue sauce or, as in this picture, bread dipped in butter.  When he tried to dip his grapes in ketchup the other day though, it became a little strange.  But if that what it takes to get him to eat, I'm all for it.