Our Little Carnivore

Summary of tonight's dinner:

Appetizer: Steamed Lentils
Max is hungry, so he not-so-delicately smashes lentils into his mouth with his fork. As usual, fork is held in left hand while right hand decorates his tray with misfit lentil droppings from his mouth.

Course One: Plain Yogurt with Tofu, Carrot and Rice Cereal
Max is still smashing lentils into his mouth, so I take the opportunity to shovel in spoonfuls of protein and high-calcium foods. Note that nearly all vegetables must be mixed with plain yogurt in order for Max to eat it these days. Sigh. At least he eats broccoli and brussel sprouts.

Palate Cleanser: Sugar Plum Tomatoes
Okay, so it's not so much of a palate cleanser, but it bought me a bit of time to prepare Course Two. Max sucks out the inners of the tiny tomatoes, leaving behind a dainty trail of tomato skins, amid lentil droppings...all over his tray...the floor beneath him...and in his hair.

Course Two: Baby Borscht
Max LOVES borscht (beets, yukon potato, apple, spinach and pear blended with a savory sauce). He goes a bit gaga for the strong flavors and essence of dill. This is the one baby food we don't make from scratch, but at the rate he eats it, I am this close to hiring a live-in Russian chef.

Dessert: Half a Pluot
Our boy adores his sour foods. (Did I mention most things need to be blended with plain yogurt?) Though Max consistently spits out tomato skins, he savors his plum and pluot skins. (insert squinty smiley face)

Bonus Course: Pig Knuckles
What!? You're still hungry? Who are you, and what have you done with our Max? Daddy offers Max a bit of his "zhu-2 jiao-3"...that's right, Chinese pig knuckles. Sound appetizing? Apparently, Max thought it was the tastiest delight in the world and grinned with each bite like we've never seen before. He actually took whole bites and digested the stuff. Yes, the boy who rejects tomato skins can chew pig knuckles. Intermittently in between bites, Max would raise his head up high, clasp his hands together and thank the gods for such delicious creations. No exaggeration. We caught it on video.

I tried not to show too much disappointment that Max didn't react with this enthusiasm to his lentils and tofu. It looks like we may have a carnivore in our hands.