Vegetable juice

We had leftovers for dinner last night, which is always a fun adventure. The children were claiming things left and right: "I get the last waffle!" "I want mashed potatoes!" "Dibs on the spaghetti!" And every time we emptied a container we boasted (if we happened to get the very last of something that everyone wanted) and cheered (because we emptied a container). 

Alexander was particularly vocal about snagging the last of the mixed vegetables. 

"I'm going to finish the mixed vegetables!" he called out, then he paused and waited for someone to object. Oddly, not one of his siblings objected.

"I am!" he insisted. "I am going to eat them right out of the container!"

"Go for it," we told him. 

So he proceeded to eat the rest of the mixed vegetables right out of the container (with the big spoon!). Mixed vegetables is one of his favourite dishes in the world—he likes regular mixed vegetables and California mix, both. It's the potpourri of flavour that he's after, I guess. He likes them to the point of hilarity (I think it's funny simply because most kids don't get quite that excited about vegetables). 

"I did it!" he announced when he was finished. "I ate all the mixed vegetables. This container is empty!"

"Good job, buddy," I said, but no one else reacted so he tried his announcement again.

"I finished all the mixed vegetables!"

Again, no response from anyone but me. 

"You guys!" he said. "I ate all the mixed vegetables. They're gone!"

He still wasn't getting much of a response, so I called everyone to attention (knowing that he wouldn't give up until he got what he was looking for) and asked them to respond to his announcement with an appropriate level of excitement (ie. high). 

"Go ahead, Alex."

"I finished all the mixed vegetables!" he said.

This time his siblings whooped and hollered and clapped for him.

"And," he added. "I drank the juice!"

"You what?!" Rachel gagged. 

"I drank the juice!"

"Oh...yum-meeeeee..." I said. 

"Drinking the juice" is another high honour in our house. We don't have juice very often, but when open a can of peaches or pineapple or whatever, the children are always clamoring for the privilege of drinking the juice (we only buy fruit-in-juice, not fruit-in-syrup). 

Drinking the leftover vegetable water is somehow...not the same.

But we'll let Alexander keep thinking that it is.