A Carnivorous Dissenter

Good day everyone! It was birthday all up in my ass last weekend, so I'm relieved to be in our regular routine again, regardless of the fact that I have 2 midterms next week. How they can even call it a "midterm" when there are 3 of them a semester, I don't know.

Anyway, I have lots of pictures and stories, but they will probably have to wait until after my midterms next week.

However, I do have pressing news that can't wait until next week. We took LB to the Monterey Aquarium on Saturday, her actual birthday. Afterward, we stopped off at Sweet Tomatoes for dinner (which is a salad bar buffet, like Fresh Choice. It's without a doubt her favorite restaurant, probably because they have ice cream). My MIL had a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and LB demanded to eat the chicken.

I haven't blogged much recently about it, but we are in fact still vegetarian. Or least, 2 of us are. It seems that there is a carnivorous dissenter in our ranks. I have never wanted to make our vegetarianism something that we forced on LB, but I certainly thought it was something she would want to do with us. After discussing it briefly with DB, we decided to let her have the chicken. In all these months, she has not once asked to eat meat. So I was hoping it was just a brief curiosity.

Unfortunately, LB has gone to the dark side.

In the past, when we've asked, "Do you want to eat meat?"
She would enthusiastically say, "No! We don't eat meat! We're vegetarian!"
But since the night she ate the chicken, she has not been a willing vegetarian.
I asked her about it today, and she said, "Yes. I want to eat meat."
When I inquired further, "But you're vegetarian. Do you eat meat?"
She replied, "I don't want fake meat anymore." (Fake meat is the vegetarian meat we've been eating, like Grillers, Boca burgers, etc.)

*sigh* I don't know what to do. Clearly, she has an opinion, and she wants meat. I feel sort of guilty forcing her to be vegetarian. On the other hand, I feel guilty serving her meat, since DB and I are still vegetarian, and obviously we still feel that eating animals is wrong.

And my guilt is compounded by the fact that I have put on 5 fucking pounds since becoming vegetarian. This may not sound like much, but I was already trying to lose 15 pounds before becoming vegetarian. I don't want to go back to meat, but honestly, my ass cannot take much more of this.

DB is committed to being vegetarian. I am too, except I wish I could stop eating bread and cheese. LB has apparently left our crusade long ago in spirit, and only remains vegetarian because she has no opportunity to eat anything else.

But, LB is starting a new preschool tomorrow. They serve lunch, and most days they serve meals with meat. My plan was to bring something vegetarian from home for her to eat, but now I wonder if her being around all that meat will make her want to eat it, and I'm not sure how we will handle this. Should I just let her eat meat at school? Should I try to continue this vegetarian charade? How long will it take for her to demand that she gets to eat the school lunches like the other kids?