The Edible Everything

If there is one thing I have enjoyed since I was born (according to my mother) it's eating. 

I was eating Cheerios by the time I was a few months old (ask my mom if you're wondering if that's possible). In my middle school days when I was 6 foot 1 and 13 years old, I could eat 6 McDonalds double cheeseburgers, a large fry and a dessert in one sitting with ease. In my high school basketball days, I recall once eating an entire bag of 8 frozen chicken patties (cooked and put on buns of course), 2 full bags of family sized chips, a big bowl of cheesy potatoes, a whole sleeve of packaged fig bars and 2 slices of my mom's famous peanut butter pie-all in one sitting (my mom yelled at me, but all I could tell her was the typical teenage boy phrase, 'I'm hungry.') I don't quite have the epic appetite I used to have now, though every once in a while, it creeps up on me. 

I find myself currently watching cooking or food challenge shows often thinking 'that looks so good.'

My little girl has a similar desire to eat. She likes food. though the target is less than ideal. It's anything. And I do mean anything. Anything and everything. 

Everything must be tasted, everything must be tried, and everything must be attempted to fit into the mouth. 

Regardless of what the item is, the same reaction happens. Her eyes widen, she stares at it briefly for a few seconds and then makes the final pounce with her best impersonation of a toothless version of Jaws.

Mom and Dad's iPhones. 'I'm gonna eat that.'

A deck of cards. 'Yummy.'

A soft, fuzzy blanket. 'Interesting flavor.'

(Don't fret, worried people. She doesn't get near anything she could choke on).

And It amazes me how, to her, the bigger the item, the more reasonable it seems to be able to eat. 

Her hands and feet. 'These would taste good but might be better with some oregano.'

A basketball. 'Definitely gonna take that down.'

A guitar. 'Tastes like a smooth tree.'

And of course, her favorite, any flat surface that sits in front of her. Counters, tables, edges of desks, and the little eating area that sits on her high chair. She literally bends the top half of her whole body downward and tries to chew whatever yummy surface that apparently screams 'eat me!' and like the Cookie Monster nearly lets out a 'Num num num!' as she sinks down.

She must've heard the saying 'the world is your oyster' a bit too soon (oysters are gross by the way) and has taken it a bit to literally. But in any case, this I think can teach me one thing. Life is full of wonderful tastes around every corner that are waiting to be tried. 

I just wouldn't advise following this literally. It might be cute as a baby but it doesn't work so much as an adult or even a teen. You'd most likely get thrown out of every public establishment imaginable and then be questioned for what sort of physical and/or mental disease you might have with the possibility that you might lose friends because of your disturbing 'I must taste EVERYthing' problem.

Just stick to the metaphor of 'tasting life' and you should be fine.