Let him eat cake!

Sometimes my boys are just too cute for words.

We were having dinner over at my folks and Nathan dutifully ate his steak and broccoli and baked potato, without much enthusiasm but without much of a protest either. But clearly it wasn't quite enough. My mom got up to get something else from the kitchen and in a movement worthy of one of the cats, Nathan stands up on his high chair and grabs the half finished steak off her plate and crams it all into his mouth. It was over almost before any of us realized what had happened. He gave us a great big grin full of meat.

We have a bit of a chuckle over that and my mom offers to give him a piece of cake for dessert. "Since he's obviously still hungry."

Nathan gets a small slice of chocolate cake and his eyes light up. He digs into it with real enthusiasm and it vanishes almost instantaneously. He gets a second small slice and it vanishes a little slower but still fairly promptly. I, being the mean mother that I am, call a halt on the refills and conversation continues around the table. Nathan is despondently picking through the crumbs of chocolate and dabs of icing on his plate and casting longing glances at the cake across the room.

About now, my father, who is sitting next to Nathan, finishes up his dinner and puts aside his plate for the dessert one with a large slice of cake already there and waiting.

Nathan's eyes light up and his mouth forms a tiny "o" of surprise. He very carefully lifts up his plate and places it on top of my mother's empty dessert plate. Then he reaches over and slides Dad's plate in front of him. Dad takes it back with a bemused grin and Nathan reaches right back on over and takes it again. This time, he takes the precaution of grabbing a big handful out of it and cramming it into his mouth. I am trying desperately not to laugh and encourage him but he's staring up at Dad with huge eyes and a mouth full of chocolate with an expression that says "Am I really going to get away with this?"

Dad starts to laugh and that's enough for Nathan to relax and grin. The two of them share the piece of cake amid many shared giggles.

I know it's not good that my son is a food-thief and it's something I'll have to work on. But as far as I'm concerned, it's still an adorable story.