horchata, arroz, y frijoles

Amado and I were in Chula Vista last week, hanging out with his Nana and Papa. We went to Mariscos de Mazatlan to get the kind of Mexican food you can ONLY get in Southern California (sorry Bay Area, but its time to face the facts) and Amado had a "nino grande" moment.

They brought him a kid menu! Now, forget the fact that he has been eating kid-size portions off of my and Jason's plate for 9 months or so. They brought him a kid menu! A list of deep fried things with fries, of course. But I was kind of floored by the fact that in the eyes of the rest of the world (or at least the waiter at Mariscos) he doesnt look like a kid who would pick food off of his mama's plate, but a kid who eats from his own plate!

I guess Amado must have been struck by this also because he tried to place his own order. The water came around to ask what we wanted to drink. I was getting Amado an horchata (special treat, this kid only drinks leche and water) but I wanted to be clear that it should be kid-sized, not a regular one. The kid meal comes with horchata or fruit punch. So I told the waiter that he would be ordering from the kid menu and he will take the horchata. I picked up the menu and was gesturing at it when I said this. As soon as I set it down, Amado picked it up, and pointed at it like I had done, saying "chata".

Then, when he came back to take the food order, I ordered for Amado, the only kid-menu item that wasnt deep fried: filete de pescado con arroz y frijoles. I was pointing at Amado when I said it. He waited for me to finish, got the waiter's attention, and said, pointing at his chest, "arozz, y joles".

What a nino grande we have. Wow, parenting a toddler is so deep. Each day is full of so many changes - so many gains and losses. While its so cool to watch this little baby grow into a person, its also filled with a lot of sadness for me. What a blessing this kid is.