The Vegan Child Who Started My Journey

"Mom, what do you blog about?"
"Recipes, mostly."
"You should blog that picture you took of me before gymnastics."
"Okay."

This is my first kid.  My only daughter.  The greatest red head to walk the Earth since Lucille Ball.  When I was pregnant with her, I took HypnoBirthing and read Eating Animals and suddenly it all clicked for me that I shouldn't be eating meat- or any animal products.  She asks me all the time, "How did you know I was vegan?"  I try to explain that it was a choice I made and brought her along for, but the truth is that part of me feels like she is the one who was vegan first, and taught me.  She's got one of those personalities that people just feel drawn too.  They tell me she's special, she's an indigo child, she's a fairy.  It's always been this way.  Strangers recognize a magic in her.

Either way, she's always been an ideal candidate for veganism.  She loves fruits and vegetables, is a proponent of justice for animals and humans alike, and has a natural affinity for activism, while maintaining an open heart of acceptance.  

Do kids make fun of her for being different?  
Well, she has fire red hair, tons of freckles, and she's vegan.  Really, the vegan thing is low on the totem of getting made fun of, and quite frankly, if you look at this girl and think she gives a crap about your opinion of her, you are sorely mistaken.  

Is she healthy?
Again, please refer to the first picture.  She's always been very strong, from excelling at tummy time and being advanced in neck strength to doing the monkey bars and gymnastics with ease.  She started swimming as a toddler, and was a strong swimmer by age 3.  She's got some seasonal allergies like her parents, but otherwise is usually the least likely in our home to catch a cold or flu going around.  She's a math whiz and makes friends quickly and easily.  She's fine and exceptional and, yes, healthy.

What does she like to eat?
One of her quirks is that she gets into very particular routines.  She's my more adventurous eater overall, but given a choice she likes repetition.  So her ideal day is:

• Oatmeal for breakfast (I cook it with half water, half soy milk, then top with brown sugar and a little Earth Balance Buttery Spread)
• For lunch she's very much a creature of habit.  Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich (no strawberry, a classmate has an allergy), snap peas, fresh berries (again, not strawberries!), and an almond milk.  Sometimes some carrot or celery sticks too.
• After school, she's a sweet hound, so fresh fruit is preferred, cookies are her ideal.  
• Her dinner favorites are tacos and salad or spaghetti, but she is also a big fan of big veggie and bean soups with fresh bread
• If we are out and about she likes Subway with all the veggies and sweet onion sauce or avocado maki rolls from a sushi place (or a grocery store if we are in a pinch.  If there are people working the sushi counter they are usually happy to make a roll with just avocado for the kids)
• Her favorite foods are melon, artichokes, asparagus, tacos, Chinese Tofu Stir Fries, miso soup, avocado sushi, oatmeal, cupcakes, cookies, chocolate, and french bread.

What about birthday parties?
Ugh.  Here's where things are getting tough.  My kids have never minded me making and bringing our own slices of cake/cupcakes when we go to a party, but in school it's a bit tougher with cupcakes getting passed around.  Recently she's been saying that she wants to eat the cupcakes/cake at parties.  She's 7.  I don't feel like it's time yet to hand over that decision making, but I also don't want to have a big battle/resentment/sneaking.  So we're struggling with that for now.  We will see.

So that's the girl in the picture.