Coke Is NOT It

Pegs has always been very particular about what Sofia eats. She breastfed Sofia for 12 months, and since she introduced solids into Sofia's diet she's always made sure to use organic fruits, vegetables and meats wherever possible. Heavily processed foods have always been a strict no-no, as are foods containing too much sugar.

This morning Pegs and I were sitting around the kitchen table having koulourakia (little Greek cookies) for breakfast. Pegs was having hers with coffee, and I was having mine with a glass of Diet Coke. Diet Coke in the morning is classy, I know, but we didn't have any fruit juice and I was too lazy to make hot chocolate.  

Sofia came up to me and reached for my cookie, so I sat her on my lap and gave her a piece. Koulourakia are pretty dry, and after she finished her cookie Sofia started smacking her mouth a bit to indicate that she was thirsty. Pegs got up from the table to get something off the shelves behind me, and I offered Sofia a sip of the closest drink available: my glass of Diet Coke. That's when the proverbial shit hit the fan.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!?" I felt more than heard Pegs bellow in rage from behind me. "Are you giving her Diet Coke? DIET Coke? She's one year old, for Christ's sake!"

"What's the big deal? She was thirsty, and I only gave her a sip."

"What's the big deal? You NEVER give a baby Diet Coke. NEVER! Do you know all of the crap that's in it?"

"I didn't give her a whole glass of it, but even if I did, it's not like it's dynamite or something. It's not going to blow her up."

"I don't care; you NEVER give a baby Diet Coke!"

"Well, why not? My mom gave me Coke when I was three months old to help settle my stomach, and somehow I still managed to survive."

"That's different," she retorted, although she didn't bother to explain how. Perhaps she assumed that Coke was only made with all-natural ingredients back in 1976. "I don't want my child drinking that stuff."

"Well, last time I checked, she's my kid too, right? I mean, she does kinda look like me. Don't I get a say in this?"

"No," Pegs stated firmly, like that was going to end the debate. "I don't want her drinking Coke and that's all there is to it. I feel very strongly about this. If you felt strongly about something, I would respect your wishes."

My thoughts immediately went to all of the issues in the last seven years that I had felt strongly about but had given up to avoid fighting, a list that seemed to go on and on.

"Look, I only gave her a sip...."

"The worst part about this," Pegs interrupted, "is that I know you'll do it again."

"Of course I will; I'll just make sure that you're not around the next time I do it." From the look on Pegs' face, I could tell that it was too soon to crack wise on the subject. "OK, fine," I sighed, "if you feel that strongly about it, I won't give her any more Coke. But don't yell at me like that again. She's my kid, too, and I have just as much of a say in the matter as you do."

Pegs was obviously still peeved, but by agreeing not to give Sofia any more Coke I had lowered the threat level from DefCon 1 to DefCon 2.

"Are we cool?" I asked.

"I guess," she mumbled. "It's a good thing I love you," she said in conclusion, "barely."

For those of you who'd like to know what the argument must have looked like to a neutral third party, I've posted the video below: