Natalie's "Big Apple"

Hi everyone. Niki has asked me to document an amazing event that I witnessed just a few days ago. I had recently returned home from work on a pleasant New York evening, Niki was making dinner, and I didn’t want to waste the good weather. I gathered the kids, some bubbles, and sidewalk chalk and took the kids outside to the stoop. As I was entertaining Caleb and Natalie with bubbles and sidewalk drawings, Caleb was eating a fist-sized red apple. After he had eaten his fill, he kindly gave the remainder to his little sister who had been eyeing the apple the whole time. At this point, Caleb took over the bubbles and chalk, allowing me to sit next to Natalie on the steps of our stoop. My attention was initially directed to Caleb, but it quickly swung to Natalie who cupped the apple in her two little hands and nibbled away with her six baby teeth like a chipmunk. I watched in awe as she rotated the apple in her hands chomping around the perimeter. Soon she made her way to the apple core, then she began to eat the core. My first impulse was to stop her, but my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to see how far she would go. I just watched her as she ate the CORE, SEEDS, and even the STEM! I couldn’t believe my eyes! My 17-month-old daughter had eaten the whole apple! She just sat there with her contagious smile. I scooped her up and took her straight into the house and told Niki, “I think this little girl is ready for some dinner.”