Man, eater

[As far as I know, I'm still scheduled to be on CNN today at 10:30am EST.]

My son eats all day long.

At first, I thought it was just because he was bored. As good as Quinlan is at occupying herself, with books, blocks, heck, even a puny little scrap of paper or a pine cone, he cannot do anything except draw a tiger face on himself with a marker or cover the bathroom floor in baby soap.

And that usually only takes him about two minutes and he's begging for food.

"I need a snack," he yells, sometimes even after just finishing a meal.

It doesn't matter if he finishes his breakfast, or drinks more water, or does whatever everyone has tried to tell me to do.

He's still hungry.

I admit that it was becoming the bane of my existence, the constant fetching of snacks and packing of food for even just short trips to pick up Quinlan from school.

His devouring of two 6-packs of yogurt in four days has completely thrown off my grocery shopping, and I find myself having to go back more than once a week, which is a pain anyway, but with three kids, is like torture.

Even worse, in my attempt to start buying in bulk, I was feeling proud of the fact that I had bought the 12 packs of yogurt.

Don't even talk to me about the amount of "squeezy" applesauces and fresh fruit this child can eat.

But then last week we were invited over for dinner to a neighbor's house - a neighbor who just so happens to have three boys.

And when I saw them devour foot long subs, organic potato chips, and two pieces of apple spice cake, and then beg their mom for more food, something clicked.

I had found my son's people.

The man people.

Or testosterone charged little boys who burn more calories in five minutes then I probably did running that damn half marathon last weekend.

Don't get me wrong. Like my BFF's husband once said, "Kristen can eat me under the table any day."

Heh.

But really, I can put the food away.

On second thought, now I know why my mom used to lock the fridge.

Or why people worship at the church of Costco.

Comments

[buoyancy aids]

I love to eat snacks and snacks are prepared in the house. I am also feel hungry and want the snack even after taking the lunch.

[Karen (SubMommy)]

My little dude eats all day long too. He freaks if we won't give him the 'bag' of whatever - cereal, crackers, nuts....

He's in the 82nd percentile for weight, too.

Not having any experience with boys, I'm going to assume that this is how they operate.

[alyssa]

I love the look of your blog make-over and congrads on your book. You are someone to look up to for a newbie blogger like myself. I now have High Hopes...

[Lisa B]

It doesn't get any better when they get to nearly 18 either. My son hasn't stopped eating in the last 7 years, yet he's not got an ounce of fat on him. It really isn't fair! I've given up asking him if he's hungry or even how hungry is he. I just have to pile up his plate and keep the fruit bowl stocked. And somehow he manages to keep his beard free of crumbs too.

[Jane]

I am NOT making this up...Three sentences into your post, my almost 4 year old boy walks up to me and says "Mom, I'm hungry." Half an hour ago he had eaten an entire can of sliced peaches. I feel your pain.

[Issa]

My mom used to hide things from my brothers. Like cereal, because they could each eat an entire box for "snack" and then there would be none the next morning.

I'm already noticing that Harrison can eat more than Bailey and he's a year.

[Secretia]

The little ones burn calories we never can. They refuel constatnly, which we shouldn't do, ha ha.

[Carrie]

oh I feel your pain! I have 2 boys (6 and 4.5) and those 2 are constantly eating. My oldest polished off half a medium pizza Saturday night. And when that boy comes home from school everyday he snacks for a good hour until I have to cut him off.

My husband and I joke that we'll start losing weight because we wont' get any food once they are a little older.

[jaelithe]

On the day I feel compelled to complain that my son eats TOO MUCH food -- should such a glorious day ever come -- I imagine the heavens will open and angelic choirs will weep with melodious joy.

Of course, I used to say that about the day I would feel compelled to complain that he wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. And wouldn't you know, once he started making himself late to school with the sleeping in, I forgot to be thrilled . . .

What is it with kids and their total lack of moderation, anyway?

[Meredith]

My four-year-old daughter goes through phases where she is like this and it is just disturbing sometimes to see her devour that much food. And then she just shuts it off and will barely eat for a week. She's going to be a fun teenager.

[Kitty @ katscradle]

So glad I had a girl! I don't know though, they told me breastfeeding would help me lose weight, and maybe it would if I could stop eating, I think I'm channeling a 15 year old boy because I'm starving all the time

[Naomi]

My two year old son alternates between devouring all the fruit in the house to totally eschewing solid foods and only drinking milk. It's totally erratic and frustrating. His big sister was a much more consistent eater.

[SoMo]

Really? So this is normal? I have a 3.5 yr old, but I so understand. He eats breakfast and on the way to drop off his sister he is hungry. Begging for snacks? And it is non-stop for the rest of the day. And like you I thought he was bored or just wanted junk. I figured once I started offering him fruit,yogurt, applesauce, etc he would turn them down. Nope, he keeps right on eating. I started buying in bulk, because there is no way I am making more than one trip to the grocery store a week with 3 kids.

I thought I was smart and told my husband to give him protein for breakfast. I figured that would fill him up. Nope, I am really scared for our grocery budget. I may have to get a job just to feed the boy.

[BethB]

amen to the man people, I have 3 boys and my fridge does not stay closed for long!

[My Kids Mom]

I used to pour some raspberry vinaigrette over a can of green beans, then put them in a bowl on the high chair... while I cooked dinner. That was his appetizer (a word he learned at age 2). He has eaten more than I do since his first meal of adult foods. He's only five and I know that I should be saving up for his teen years already. Maybe stock in Kroger?

[Mary]

My older son is 4, and is constantly growing. However, since he has such severe texture issues, he only eats about 7 things. One of those is Tyson Chicken Nuggets (from the box, not from the bag, because the breading is different and only Tyson). We go through about 6 boxes of nuggets PER WEEK. We spend about $70 per month, just on nuggets. Can't wait until he gets older!

My husband said when he was a teenager, he never actually got full. He would just get nervous about the amount of food he had just eaten. He and his roommate in college would order 3 large pizzas (3 for $10 deal back in the day)... and have that for dinner on Friday nights.

[Mommy Spills]

My five-year-old girl is the same way. She asks for a snack literally minutes after finishing a meal...and I mean finishing, as in scraping the plate clean. She is a tall, skinny, beanpole of the thing with some kind of super crazy metabolism that leaves her constantly wanting more. (More cheez-its! Another apple! More Craisins! and so on...) The worst is that witching hour as I am preparing dinner and she is STARVING. The "cat in the alley" howling of hunger that comes from her mouth in a constant stream is enough to make me stick my head in the oven. In which case...she might slap on some ketchup and dig in.

[Mama Bub]

I am SO happy to hear this. My son is constantly, constantly asking for a snack. Woe be the day I forget to throw something in my purse for a trip to the post office.

[Courtney@ChaosIsUs]

I have 2 boys (age 3 and 4) and one on the way (due Wed) and they could eat you out of house and home! They eat 24/7. They wake up at 6:30am asking for food then go off to school to eat breakfast, followed by schol lunch at 11:30, then home for a snack at 12, then nap followed by another lunch/snack, and other snack, and then dinner followed by yet dessert and another snack! Somedays i just wanna close the kitchen and run away!

[Adventures In Babywearing]

Yes. Excactly. (I have three boys.) My four year old is teeny tiny but no one would ever guess he eats everysecondofeveryminute he's awake. We never shop at Costco but need to start. I'm at the grocery store every other day.

Steph

[Ruth]

I have 4 kids, the first 3 boys and yes we worship the church of Sam's club. I can never have enough snacks in the house and you should see my 11 and 14 year old sons eat dinner. They can consume 3 times more than me at least. You should see our grocery bill!!!!! Be thankful it's only one boy, it only will get worse!!! LOL Thanks for writing your blog, I love it :)

[Amanda]

Yes, I'm considering joining the church of Costco because we could single handedly keep the frozen waffle, cereal, applesauce, yogurt, and Ramen companies in business with our 2 young boys. When there was an Eggo shortage a the grocery stores a few weeks ago, you'd have thought the apocalypse was coming in our house.

[Chelsie]

Yeah boys eat like it's their job...good luck on stocking up on cheap fillings snacks.