edible advice for sam

The list below is for a certain little black-haired boy...here's to hoping he'll follow it!

Things You Shouldn't Eat:

1.  Grass--the bright green color may be appealing and make you think it'll taste good, but don't be fooled.  There's a reason you don't see people eating salads made with the stuff.  Besides, grass is not on the list of vegetables that I feed you.

2.  Scraps of food set aside for Pepper--just because the food was on your plate the night before, this doesn't mean you still have a claim to it.  All food left on plates at the end of meals will be set aside for Pepper.  Knowing this, please, keep from sneaking bites of food scraps as we carry them to Pepper.

3.  Sidewalk Chalk--it's used to make lovely artwork on the concrete slab in our backyard and provides us with hours of entertainment.  However, it does not double as a handy snack to eat while outside and will only leave you feeling thirsty if you eat it.

4.  Butter by the spoonful--butter is so tasty and makes everything better when added to the pot, but it's not meant to be eaten alone.  Your waistline and arteries will thank me for this decades from now.

5.  Food off the floor--if you drop or *throw* food on the floor, you know by now that you'll have to pick it up.  When we tell you to pick it up, we don't mean eat it after getting it off the floor.  Pick it up and throw it in the trash or in Pepper's scrap bowl.  (We'll talk about the 5 Second Rule when you {and your immune system} are a little older...)

6.  Peanut Butter with a straw--eating peanut butter out of the jar makes for a much better snack than sidewalk chalk.  Eating peanut butter with a straw will get you no where and cause your hungry stomach to start wishing for anything to fill it, even chalk.  Save yourself some time and frustration by always using a spoon when eating peanut butter.

7.  Money--feeding your piggy bank coins you find around the house is great; putting a penny in your mouth is far, far, far from great.  Because I learned this lesson the hard way, I have a story that starts with, "When I was a little girl..." and I will make you listen to the telling of it until you wish you never found that penny if I catch you trying to eat money again.

As always, love your totally cool and awesome mama