We must be doing something right

Jonah has always been a picky eater.

He would only take one specific type of formula as a baby. He does not like red meat and will only eat chicken if it is accompanied by a nugget. He will eat turkey and ham but only if it's between two pieces of bread. He will only eat the "dog" part of a corny dog. He likes "pepperoni pizza" minus the pepperoni. You get the picture.

When he turned three he decided that he really liked crackers. For a month all we could get him to eat were crackers. We begged, we pleaded, we rewarded, we disciplined, we called his pediatician. We tried everything to get him to eat something besides saltines and wheat thins.

Then one night at dinner as his peas and carrots sat untouched and cold on his plate, Josh casually said, "Jonah if you don't eat your vegetables, you will not get bigger or stronger. Healthy foods like fruits and vegetables help you to grow big and strong."

This was something we all heard growing up and why we had not thought to say it before is beyond me but that simple and rather obvious statement completely changed Jonah's view on food. So much that he no longer wants french fries from McDonalds. Instead he requests apple dippers. He no longer wants fresh baked chocolate chip cookies from Starbucks. He wants the "healthy snack pack". He requests a vegetable and a fruit at dinner. Now he only snacks on string cheese, apple slices, or yogurt. Occasionally he will ask for crackers with one of the other snacks but at least he is no longer asking for them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Since he is eating so healthy these days, I thought it would be okay to bring him a Hershey bar now and then as a little surprise when I pick him up for school.

Today was one of those days. I picked Jonah up from school and we headed to the mall with Meredith to do a little shopping. I handed him his chocolate surprise after he got in the car. He took one bite of it and said, "Will you wrap it up and save it for me?" When I asked why he said "It's not really a healthy snack and candy makes you little so I don't want to eat it right now" I quickly explained that we should not eat candy all the time but that it was okay every once in a while. That was the end of the conversation.

So as we were walking out the door of Neiman Marcus, Jonah tried pushing on the handicap door which of course would not open until you pushed the button on the side. But before I could explain, Jonah threw his hands up in the air and yelled "This is why I cannot eat candy! It makes you not strong!"