M&Ms: Is There Anything They Can't Do?

Back in 1941 when Forrest Mars, Sr. started producing M&M candy he probably didn't expect that 70 years later I would be writing this post about his magical treats.  In fact he probably didn't foresee the coming of the internet at all. He was a smart dude, but I think this whole thing would have probably blown his mind.

Anyway, Mr. Mars got the idea for M&Ms from soldiers in the Spanish Civil War. These soldiers carried chocolate candy with a hard shell that kept the candy from melting. You know the whole, "melts in your mouth, not in your hand" thing. After getting a patent for his own process of making chocolate with a thin candy shell Mr. Mars brought the world M&Ms.

The candy was introduced to American troops serving in WWII during 1941. And today they are still fighting the good fight inside our home.

These magical candies are serving a two fold purpose in the Life of a New Dad home. First they are Braden's reward for using the toilet rather than his pants for disposing of bodily waste.

Second they are teaching him the colors. We don't just hand over the chocolate for a properly placed pee. The kid has to tell us the color too. He has known most of his colors for some time, but for some reason he doesn't like to tell us. Braden just says any color in hopes of moving on. Now, with the M&Ms, Braden is finally starting to play the color game rather than trying to drive me crazy. That is the magic of these little chocolate candies.

They fed the US troops in WWII.

They are teaching my son to poop in the toilet.

They are teaching my son his colors.

I don't think there is anything that M&Ms can't do. They can probably teach basic math skills and help kids learn to read. They may even be qualified as driver's ed instructors. These candies are special.

It is because of all these things that I would like to take time today to say thank you to the Mars Candy Company. Keep up the good work and don't let those so called health experts get you down. America needs its candy and we're counting on you.

Branded a Parent

I don't have anything particularly exciting to share today. Yes, every day with Braden is exciting, but sometimes the spirit of creativity just doesn't stir within. After all, how many times can I attempt to explain that Braden is a wild man by describing the way he uses his leapfrog train as a battering ram or by the way he says "I kick cars" and then goes around the house delivering Bruce Lee style punishment to his toys.

I guess I could do it every day, but I won't. Today instead I thought I would share something that I think absolutely, without question, brands us as parents. Being branded means there is no going back. There is no flip flopping from parent back to our prior life. Even when Braden is not around we are still 100% parents. That brand does not wash off. No amount of "Sons of Anarchy" watched while eating a meal that didn't come out of a box will change that.

Food is actually the driving theme for this post, so let's get to it. Let's start with Pampered Chef. Anyone heard of that?

Basically it's a fairly expensive brand of kitchen stuff  that is sold via parties. For a while before Braden was born Arica was invited to dozens of these parties. She even threw one once at our house to help out a friend. It may have been my cousin's wife now that I think of it. I don't know. When I hear the term party preceded by any word other than keg I instinctively get in my truck and drive away towards more manly pursuits.

Well through all these parties Arica acquired some things. One of which was a set of three very nice cake pans. They were a lot better than the Wal Mart type pans we usually used. Arica used them to make some awesome cakes. I liked to use them for corn bread because of the way the browned the bread. Anyway they are fine culinary instruments.

We still have those three pans, and we use them now more than ever. They are in a state of constant motion between cooking and washing. They never get a break.

Why?

Because Braden eats a lot of chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Having kids not only transforms you, but it transforms your cookware as well.

Eating Like a Kid

Today I would like to write a small thank you note to my son. Please don't click away just yet. It won't be any deep emotional stuff this time. While I have millions of great things to thank him for this one is just a little thing that takes me back to yester year.

I have mentioned eating all kinds of things since Braden arrived. I may be licking some sort of sauce off my hand or eating crumbs off the floor.

Sometimes I can be found polishing off a left over fish stick. We can't afford to waste food, even frozen sticks made of various types of fish.

Another of my favorite eating hobbies is flat out eating right from Braden's bowl whether it be chips, pretzels, crackers, or the subject of today's post, Honeycombs.

Thank you Braden for reintroducing me to the yummy goodness that is Honeycombs. Oh how I have missed you little crunchy combs of sweetness.

Now 3 or 4 times a week the first thing I do when Braden goes to bed is pour a bowl of cereal. Honeycombs make the perfect late night snack. All those years I was being all grown up and having a night cap were just wasted.

I should have been eating cereal and drinking sugar milk.  (compliments to Mr. Ron Mattocks)

Macaroni And Cheese Tears a Family Apart

When Arica and I first met I knew right away that she was a good match for me. Everything seemed in order right of the bat. And as I got to know her better that definitely held true. I only found one thing about her that seemed odd to me.

Arica absolutely detests macaroni and cheese.

I used to tease her about it and say she must be a communist. There is no way that a full blooded American could not like mac and cheese. I just couldn't imagine that.

Well, let me warn you to be careful what you ridicule. Now I am the odd ball in our house because Braden hates the cheesy pasta favorite of many a kid as well. I teased my wife, and God saw fit to add another anti-macaroni member to our family.

Braden dislikes the dish so much that when it's served at school he refuses to eat anything. He won't eat a single thing that is on the same plate as the vile cheesy pasta. We have to keep extra meals at the school just for the days when macaroni is served. Otherwise our child would starve.

An interesting experiment might be to serve him some macaroni and cheese with a side of chocolate. I bet he would eat the chocolate, but nothing short of that would be deemed edible.

So once again I open my mouth and show my ignorance. Not only can a full blooded American dislike macaroni and cheese, but my very own flesh and blood can despise it as well. 

For the record, I am not a communist.

Over One Billion Served

Last week we had another major milestone development in our family. We were driving down the road to pick up Arica's car from the body shop where it had some paint repaired. We passed a building that everyone in America would recognize, and on this day Braden recognized it too.

From the back seat Arica and I heard "nunnet, nunnet" as Braden pointed out the window. He had just recognized McDonald's for the first time, and he wanted some chicken nuggets.

Before all you health nuts go crazy you you should know that we only feed Braden McDonald's 5 times a week. I think it is good for him to have a well rounded diet so we save the other two days for pizza and burritos.

Seriously though he gets a Happy Meal from time to time like most other kids. In my opinion the bigger threat to our kids health is technology. Sitting inside with video games and computers day after day in lieu of exercise is much worse than having a cheeseburger or chicken nugget.

Either way it's fun to see your kids recognize the world around them whether it be a McDonald's or the organic tofu market.

A New Reason to Love Being a Dad

There are so many obvious reasons that fatherhood is great. There are the mushy things like hearing Dada for the first time, or seeing your baby smile when you come home.

Other less sentimental perks are an excuse to play with toys or watch cartoons.  I probably spend an hour a day shooting hoops on Braden's 3 foot basketball goal while watching various animated fare.

The added exercise gained from chasing a wayward toddler could be counted as a plus. The huge mountains of candy the kid acquires from loving family and friends is a perk as well.

Some might even think that having a little guy you can train to feed the dogs and mow the yard is pretty cool.

Yesterday I experienced one of my personal favorite benefits of fatherhood.  Several times a week Braden gets eggs at lunch. This is usually his first meal of the day so he gets breakfast. Sometimes those eggs come with pancakes.  A batch of pancakes contains far too many cakes for the little guy. Have you figured out where I am going yet?

On those days that my lunch time magically coincides with Braden's first meal I get pancakes and eggs for lunch.  This glorious lunch is of course courtesy of my awesome wife. It is also helped by the fact that Braden is not yet able to eat more than 2 or 3 pancakes. Breakfast for lunch is one of the perks I hadn't expected, and I am enjoying it greatly.

Of course the unexpected perks come up every day. Like I said way back in this more serious post, "There is no way you can ever understand what it is like (fatherhood) until it happens to you." You never know what kind of joy your kids will bring into your life.

When that joy manifests itself as a scrumptious breakfast, I make sure to bring my appetite.

Braden Insists That You Share

My last post was about Braden eating chocolate. This post is about dining as well, because eating is important. If you don't believe me just ask my son.

I've written here many times that the little man loves to eat.  I can't think of anything that he doesn't like. Once at a sandwich shop Arica and I let him try one of our dill pickles. Admittedly we did it to satisfy our own curiosity. We didn't expect him to like it, and we thought it would be funny to see the face he made.  Well, the joke was on us. He loved it.  Just yesterday Arica bought him his own jar of dill pickle spears for the house.

The kid loves chocolate. He loves dill pickles. He will eat anything that is remotely chewable. So what is his favorite food? His favorite is anything that Mommy and Daddy are eating.  If you don't offer to share he will seek you out and ask for a sampling of your cuisine.  It doesn't really matter what you are eating. It can be anything from a ham sandwich to beef wellington. Braden insists that you share.

For example, Last night I was sauteing some shrimp and veggies. Braden toddled over to the foot of the stove, extended his little paw, and said "bite".  I couldn't give him any of the spicy shrimp so I needed to feed him something else.  I didn't have any kid friendly fare ready at the moment so it was either distract him or get beat up by a 14 month old kid. I quickly gave him a spoon so he could pretend to cook with me. Disaster averted.

These types of things make dinner time at our house a carefully planned affair. If we don't want an angry kid on our hands he better have something to munch on while we are eating. Many times he eats the same thing as we do, but not always.  On those nights it is absolutely necessary to cook him something too. If not he will make us pay.

It doesn't matter if he just polished off an entire meal 30 minutes earlier, he will want a bite of whatever your are eating. Consider this a warning. If you ever plan on visiting the Life of a New Dad household, do not bring along your lunch unless you plan to share.

Baby's First Oatmeal

Not long ago I wrote here about Braden's impending food adventures. So far he has tried a lot of foods. He loves yogurt, bananas, green beans, and mashed potatoes. He eats oatmeal, carrots, and a little spaghetti. Last week he even had some chicken and rice that Arica made for the whole family. He had his own specially prepared serving with no salt or pepper and chicken that was processed into a fine dust. Braden loved that too. In fact the only thing that he has trouble with when it comes to eating is sitting still.

Braden's two favorite things seem to be eating and running wild. I guess this will serve him well later in life. He can eat whatever he wants because he will just work it off with his endless movement and exercise.

While I was away Arica and my Dad videoed the first attempt at feeding Braden oatmeal. He makes some really funny faces during the shoot. I thought I would share the experience with my adoring fans. Be sure to stick around until you see the Braden shake. He does this quite often when he first tries a new food. It cracks me up.

Here is Braden and his first oatmeal.

Dear Braden: Let's Eat

Braden went to the Doctor on Friday and had a great check up again. He is now 9 months old and the doctor has given him the go ahead to eat anything that is soft. That is to say he can now eat big people food. Everyone we know has wanted to feed him everything from popsicles to french fries already, but Arica and I have followed a strict program according to our pediatrician’s wishes all along. Now with his ok we are ready to start the feeding frenzy.

Braden, as your Dad I want to tell you a bit about the amazing culinary journey you are about to begin. The food on our planet is as diverse as the people who cook it in their kitchens around the globe. Since I began travelling I have developed a love for everything about food. I love trying out all the new things I see. Just now on this trip to Scotland I have discovered black pudding, haggis, pigeon, and even my first fat domestic duck. Up until now all my duck eating has come directly from me or someone I know shooting them out of the sky.

Your doctor has specified several foods that would be good for you to eat. Some of which I think warrant a mention in our little article today. Number one is pancakes. Before I met your mom I never really liked pancakes. They were too dry and boring for me. Of course I love maple syrup, but if I just wanted maple syrup I might as well put it on my hamburger or a boot. Your mom makes the most amazing pancakes and now we can share. Sharing good food with friends and family is one of life’s great joys. I learned that growing up, but really had it driven home in my time in Italy. They live for food, family, and friends. Now we can follow their example and share our pancakes. I am so excited. Of course you will have to wait a while for the maple syrup.

Another food is green beans. They are the vegetable of choice around our house many nights. Your mother particularly loves them. Granted as big people we put too much butter and pork fat in ours, but we are willing to give that up for a while in order to share. Once again eating from the same dish with my ever growing boy is a great step in our lives together.

Finally there is one of the all time favorite baby starters, mashed potatoes. I am your quintessential meat and taters guy. Growing up there were always potatoes on my table. More often than not they were of the mashed variety. They are simply one of my favorite foods, and of course Arica and I still eat them plenty today. Braden, you can now share in this southern family tradition. We will eat them over and over again. I sure hope that you like them.

In closing these are only three foods that we can now share. There are lots of others. I am glad to start my own little man down the road of enjoying good food. Your mother is quite adventurous as well. She enjoys trying new food with me. She never turns down an opportunity to try something new. I hope that you turn out that way too. I know in the early going you will be picky. I will probably eat more McDonald’s than I care to stomach, but this is at least the beginning. A great culinary world awaits. Now who wants some haggis?

The First Supper

It's Holy Week and the celebration of the Last Supper is only 2 days away. It seems like a good time to talk about eating. Add to that the fact that I am struggling for blog fodder today and you get this wonderfully insightful post. I dug deep into the archives of my home videos and found a clip to share. The clip shows the very first time Braden tasted the gooey goodness of baby food. That is what I call it even though I think the technical term is "solids". The genius that came up with this term obviously has a different interpretation of the various states of matter than I do.





This feeding was about a month ago. You will remember how excited I was to move on to solid food in this earlier post. The food in question in the video was green beans. Braden has moved on to peas, squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes now. At first we were feeding him twice a day. For whatever reason this interrupted his sleeping patterns. As all new parents know this is the worst thing that can happen. You work so hard to get them into a regular sleeping routine that also allows you enough sleep to sustain life. Any backpedaling in this area is an absolute nightmare. Arica figured out that Braden slept better the few times we only fed him once a day. That was enough to permanently change the plan. So we are comfortably settled into a once a day vegetable sludge feeding. Everyone seems happy especially since proper sleep has been restored.

Babies Try to Eat Everything

Since most of my regular readers are parents themselves the title of this post will come as no surprise. Everyone knows that a baby will put anything and everything they can get their grubby paws on directly into their mouth. Our pediatrician once told us that is how they explore their surroundings. They have very little feeling early on so they check things out by taste. Listen to me babies of the world. If the only option you have for exploration is tasting things then you are better off being ignorant of your surroundings. It is a dirty world out there. Exploration by taste would be the equivalent of us grown-ups picking out a new shirt by tyring to eat it. It makes no sense for people big or small. Of course babies poop their pants too. You don't see adults doing that either, at least until a very advanced age.

The more understandable reason that babies chew on everything is because they are teething. Braden has been chewing on things bringing on proclamations he was teething for quite a while. When we visited the doctor last week he confirmed that Braden was teething. He said it was on the bottom middle because he curled his fingers to that area. So far so good with that grand adventure. Braden's favorite trick is to try and put his entire fist in his mouth. He can nearly do it. Sometimes he changes it up and tries to get both hands in his mouth at once. He eats stuffed animals, hard toys, books, shirts, bibs, and blankets. All this teething and chewing leads to plenty of slobber. Living with a 4 month old baby is a slobbery situation any way you cut it. I don't mind it at all but I walk around constantly with a wet spot on my right shoulder. This is where I hold Braden most often and thus his favorite chewing spot on daddy. It dries quickly unless it is right after he has his green veggies.

Since Braden tries to eat everything in his path I decided to document one such occurrence. The video is a little dark. That is my fault. I am an engineer after all not a camera man. Here is Braden trying to eat one of those soft noisy books.

Free Entertainment

My wife and I went out to a restaurant Wednesday night to get some specialty tacos. She likes the carne asada tacos with fried onions and the spicy sauce. I like all the tacos (chicken, carne asada, brisket, and fish). This time I went for the fish tacos. It is a funny sounding thing to say but it sure tastes good.


We have taken Braden out to eat with us several times. I have always enjoyed food and my wife and I like to get out of the house and share some time together. This is one of the easiset things for us to do with a new baby at least for now. Before this trip Braden had always slept through our restaurant trips. This time he was awake for the duration. He sat on mom's lap and looked around the restaurant at the lights and the people. When our food came I took him from mom. I held him up against my chest and he looked out over my shoulder at the restaurant scene.


Little did I know that Braden was free entertainment for the restaurant. There was a table with two older ladies across the way. They watched him the whole time we were eating. After eating they came by our table on the way out and told us Braden was so cute and adorable. The waitress was about the same. Every time she came to check on us she had to talk to Braden. All of these people were just amazed that he was so alert at 10 weeks old. I always thought that the food was the number one attraction for people going out to eat but apparently if we are in the restaurant the food takes a back seat to our boy.