Big Texan

Dear Hagen,

There's a restaurant in Amarillo, TX called The Big Texan Steak Ranch. Here's what it's known for: If you can eat an entire 72 ounce steak in under an hour, you get it free. If you take a step back, it's a ridiculous idea...We're gonna give you this colossal slab of meat. If you eat it, you'll probably be sick for days. Your colon will hate you forever and your heart might explode. No charge!

I think I'm going to take you there and let you have a whack at it.

Boy, you can eat more than anybody I know of any age or size. I can fix your plate and in the time it takes me to walk back to the kitchen to pick up Laney's plate, you're done. I watched you inhale peach slices yesterday without chewing.

For the infant/toddler class at your school, the teachers fill out daily information slips for the parents to take home.  This is what your slip looked like earlier this week:

Sounds like a nice day. But then I started running the numbers. You only go to school from 9a til 3p. If you took a two hour and 45 minute nap, that means you were only awake at school for three hours, give or take. And in three hours, you were able to work in corn puffs, milk, fry bread, chicken curry, a banana and some pretzels. Dang.

Last night, I needed you out of my way so I could fix dinner, so I plopped you in the sink. Not wanting to let any opportunity to eat pass you by, you grabbed a smoothie off the counter and started to multi-task.

Your dad says I need to limit your servings, because if I put food down in front of a Burbach boy, he'll just think it's a challenge that must be conquered.

It's that kind of mentality that keeps The Big Texan in business.

Love,
Mom