Growing Up: Measured by a Hot Dog

Rio went to a school friend's birthday party last night and when I picked her up, the first question I asked was "What did you eat for dinner?".

"Hot dogs", she replied, and then rattled off a mile a minute about how much fun she had.

I gulped.

Hot dogs. Pretty sure not the tofu kind we eat, but the regular old lips and a$#holes kind of hot dogs.

I wasn't upset, how could I be? Most people eat hot dogs and I knew that sooner or later Rio would encounter one and not even know the difference between it and our "hot dogs" (I know, we're the weirdos in most people's opinions!).

It's not that Rio or any of us are vegetarians - we gave that up a long time ago. But we make choices in our eating and what goes in my kids' mouths is something that for the mean time, I have been able to control.

But apparently I can't control it forever so bless my girl's little heart, she had her first taste of hot dog. I'm ok with it - it's a sign of her growing up and doing things I can no longer control, which is apparently what's supposed to happen. But so help me God, the first time she tries pop, I think I might faint. Please let me stave off that one for a while longer.