Kids in the Kitchen/ Knowing you are a "Foodie"

Kids in the Kitchen - Friday night is generally the night I don't cook that much, so I spent some time thinking about my kids and cooking. This was inspired by the contest being held at What's Cooking . I have always tried to encourage them all, but I am always amazed at how different kids are.
My oldest truly appreciates the finished product - she likes new flavors and is up to try anything. She understands what is really good, and what is just average. She also understands and appreciates the process of creating great food, but she really does not have the desire to do it herself. I think she wishes to be a great cook just for the connection with me, but for no other reason. She would be a fantastic food critic, but may never strive to be a great chef. That is ok. If I can just teach her to go a few things really well, she will be fine with everything else (I know you read this and I luv ya baby!).
The middle one enjoys cooking and eating. He is not always as open to trying new things, but is certainly open to learning how to cook anything. He likes to try new things and I sense in him the desire to make dishes that people will enjoy. He also asks a lot of questions and wants to make things that look and taste good. Right now, his best dish is an omelet, but he is always interested in learning something new, and seems to really listen when I show him new things.
The baby - well, he is the pickiest thing I have ever seen, but what he loves to eat, he really loves. In fact, he is as addicted to cooking shows as I am. He has perfected his Sunday night supper of pancakes and sausage. That may be because he realized that if he did not cook, Sunday night is automatically FFYN (thanks Mo) Fend-For Yourself Night. He loves to talk about recipes and techniques he sees on TV.

I really saw the differences in their cooking aptitude/techniques a couple of years ago when I decided that I would devote one Saturday to each child - we would go and buy a cookbook with recipes we had never eaten, and create a great dinner for the family. The oldest picked Chinese and we made an unbelievable meal - she mentioned it occasionally, but it was like "that was fun", maybe we will do it again. The middle chose a themed meal - Halloween - he enjoyed every minute, and occasionally mentions it,but he seems more interested in the day to day cooking I do. The baby chose Italian - even fresh pasta. He stuck with me all day (at that point he was only 6 or 7), ate almost nothing we cooked, but has talked about it, what everyone did or did not like and when he sees something on TV that might be better than what he cooked, he tells me to remember.
That is so crazy to me. How can you have 3 kids who are so different? I guess if I look at myself and my sister, I should understand. In general, most of what I cook is really good. I use experience more than I do recipes, but I am always seeking way to improve and learn new techniques. When I was 10 or so , I started cooking for my family, and by the time I was a teenager, I cooked 3-5 meals a week. When we were kids, she was happy cleaning up after me - as long as I cooked. When she married, she acquired a few dishes that she does fairly well - as long as she follows the recipe, but I never see her as being an adventurer. Given this, my kids should not surprise me. Even so, all of them enjoy making homemade pizza, so I may enter this int the What's Cooking contest.
OK - on the "Foodie" thing. Last night, the bubble bath and book never happened. It was after midnight before things were done. So my crew knows that if it is not "steak night", they can count on Fridays being easy on mama - homemade pizzas, nachos, frozen chicken strips, or something I do not really have to cook. Tonight, it was my laziest - frozen pizza. The boys (as usual) were happy with the Tombstone pizza. The girl child is watching calories, so I got her a Kashi pizza - it wasn't that great, so she only ate a slice. Oh well - it was worth a try - next time, we will do homemade so everyone can control what they want.
ANYWAY, frozen food means that I finally get the bubble bath I wanted last night! It occurred to me that I might be a "foodie" when I realized that I carried a book, a cooking mag, and a decorating mag with me and ended up reading the magazines for cooking ideas! The new Gourmet magazine has some fantastic recipes, but I may have to go Greek first a recipe from Ivy at http://www.kopiaste.blogspot.com/ . Her food looks like it is exceptional.
Enough for now - I am sure I will have something good on the stove tomorrow - the boys are going fishing!