A Real Food Conversation with an Almost Three Year Old

Caedmon, inside the "fort-box" that he built with daddy.

Here's a conversation I had with my boy a couple days ago.

Boy, to dad: "My mommy has milk for me."
Mommy overhears and responds: "No Caedmon, but you got to drink my milk for two whole years, and now its Esther's turn. Isn't that cool?"
Boy thinks, and then says: "Do you have your milk in a jar that I can drink?"
Mom: "No, the milk in the jar is from cows."
Boy thinks again, then asks: "...Did they put grass in the milk?"
(ha!) Mom: "Well, they ate grass and then they made the milk."
Boy: "With their bodies?"
Mom: "Yes, with their bodies!"


I love this for many reasons. Here are a few of them.

• After nursing this very attached boy for just over two years, it's still unbelievable to me that he's okay with me nursing his sister and not him. Either I'm really lucky, or it's child-led weaning at its best. My theory is that because I nursed him for as long as he needed it, his needs were fulfilled, and now he doesn't need it anymore. But whatever the cause, I rejoice that he's not jealous of his sister! We talk about it and he just goes with the flow.
•  He remembers what I tell him! Last week on our way to do our milk run, I told him about how cows eat grass. Once. I wasn't even sure he was listening. His brain is a sponge, soaking up every word he hears. It's amazing to watch him grow and learn!
• As we try to live our lives connected to our food and the people that grow and make it, our children get to learn things they might not have learned otherwise. It is my hope that this lifestyle may result in them having a good relationship with food, an open mind to trying new things, and a spirit of gratefulness for all that we eat. I can't control my kids, but I can fervently pray these things for them, and do my best to teach them.

My son is always surprising me. If you have children, how have they surprised you lately?

This is part of Monday Mania, Hearth and Soul, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday