Lunching with Miss Menzie

Today, McKenzie needed some excercise (aka, she was a little hyper) I dug her plastic slide out from the basement and she was SO excited to see it after a few months of being put away. I let her play with it for a few minutes while I made lunch, and here is what happened after she walked into the kitchen to check on me:


McKenzie: Menzie eat!
Me: I'm almost done cooking your grilled cheese. Are you going to eat like a big girl?
McKenzie: Me help!
She walked over to her play kitchen and pretended to cook. I looked over a second later, and she had a plastic hamburger bun in the frying pan with a piece of cheese on it. I was sufficiently impressed she knew how to make grilled cheese. Although, later she added a banana to the pan for good measure.
Me: Good job! It's ready, so let's sit down and eat, okay?
McKenzie: Okay, mommy! (she takes a bite) CHEESE! BIG cheese! Thank you, mommy! (eats a little more) Five, mommy! (The very first time someone has given me a high five for cooking lunch) Muscles big! Grow Menzie!
Me: Yes! You are eating good food and its going to make you strong. Good girl!
McKenzie: Good girl. Cat no cheese.
Me: Thats right, the cat can't eat cheese. It would make him sick.
McKenzie: (looking really disappointed) Okay, mommy. More this?
Me: Okay, here are more peaches. (trying to hide my shock that she wanted an extra helping of fruit after eating a whole grilled cheese sandwhich, minus the crust)
McKenzie: Me muscles BIG! (Loud grunt and muscle flexing action) Menzie slide big!

For those of you who dont know, McKenzie doesn't eat. She picks a few bites from her plate and instantly wants to get down and keep playing. Lunchtime is frustrating because I feel like I'm not doing my motherly duty - my child CAN'T be full, and is she really getting enough food to grow up strong? I know, I know, experts say... Anyway... I guess I found a secret weapon! Today I really praised how great she was doing on the slide, and tomorrow we'll have to get the slide out again before lunch. I'll tell her she needs bigger muscles to slide fast, and see if that might encourage a little eating. We'll see! Wish me luck!