On Friday night, Tom and I opted to do the lazy thing and get Chick-Fil-A for dinner. As we settled Abby in her booster with a bowl of leftover rice and mixed veggies and some chicken nuggets, she began to eagerly talk about dessert, and how she was looking forward to having some.
I thought it a bit odd, since we hardly ever have dessert, and when we do it's usually in the presence of company after she's gone to bed. I wondered what made her think of it, but brushed it off as the product of her wandering toddler mind.
Some minutes later, however, she mentioned it again, this time to ask for it. "Want to taste some of your dessert," she said. Suddenly, it hit me. The last two times we'd gotten CFA, Tom and I had ordered shakes, from which we'd shared sips with Abby, clarifying that it was dessert, and therefore she must eat some of her dinner beforehand and have only a little bit (we try to avoid crazy toddler sugar rushes if at all possible, especially late in the day).
This time, though, we'd each ordered a soda, which unfortunately comes in a virtually identical cup, because I've cut out dairy and Tom felt bad getting something that I couldn't have. As Abby looked at me expectantly, I found myself feeling terrible for unintentionally getting her hopes up. Sheepishly, I had to admit to her, "Abby, it's not a milkshake. It's just soda."
"Soda?" she repeated, rather unbelieving.
I nudged Tom. "Show her," I said. He lifted the top of his cup and tilted it towards her. "See, Abby? Soda. And soda is for grown-ups."
She looked to me, and I did the same, internally flinching for a possible outcry. Abby took it all in quite calmly and returned to her meal.
About a minute later, looking quite determined, she ordered Tom, "Want to see the soda again."
Tom and I exchanged amused, and slightly frightened, looks, and repeated our show-and-tell session.
"See, Abby?" I said. "Still soda."
"Still soda," she confirmed, quite professionally, with the slightest nod of her cute little chin.
Blessedly, dinner went on rather peacefully after that.
