A Lesson in Humility

Um.....have you guys noticed that I don't complain about my child that much, if at all? That I act as though he is literally perfect. Literally, not figuratively. Literally. I even once compared him to Baby Jesus, saying "This must be what Baby Jesus was like!" While I still firmly believe that my child is the best thing in the world, I have recently been quite humbled by him.


Here's the thing: Declan is picky. With his food. Like his mother. Damn her....


Or at least he is right now. I pray so hard to the dear Baby Jesus that this is just a phase and will go away, but while I'm smack in the middle of it, I could go crazy. When we started real solid food, not the cereal stuff, I decided to go with veggies first, so he would learn to like them, and not necessarily get a sweet tooth off fruit. After about a month of this, I introduced fruit. And then I did something that I think set me up for the pickiness: I made so much of the same food and fed it to him for about 2 weeks straight, he got so used to it, he didn't want to try anything else. He mostly won't like new veggies, but even avocado he didn't like.


What he does like:
V-sweet potatoes, sometimes carrots
F-apples, peaches, bananas, pears, plums



What he does NOT like:
V-peas, green beans, squash (yellow, green, butternut), cauliflower, cucumber
F-avocados
Meat-turkey


I have some AMAZING videos of Declan trying these foods, and the awesome faces he made. I've been requested to post them....soon Jamie. Soon.


So I am at my wits end. I have returned to feeding him is old faithful, but only because I feel like if I force him to eat what he doesn't like, it will only make it worse! But, am I giving him too much starch with all the potatoes? Am I forming a sweet tooth with all the fruits? Argh! This part of parenting is not my favorite!


Case in point: Here we have a scenario in which my patience ran out. I did not get mad and yell at Declan, I know that would certainly not have helped. Instead......we got in a food fight. Poor Declan though, it was kinda a one-sided fight. But I can't say he was too put-out by it. Take a look:

I started with just dropping the spoonfulls on the tray when he wouldn't eat them. I believe this was cauliflower that I had mixed with sweet potatoes, hoping to "trick" him into thinking they were good. Then I set the bowl and spoon down and let him have at it.

He then preceded to drag his arms, and thus, the sleeves of his PJ's, through the mess.

This one looks like he's thinking "doot doo doot doo doo....la la la la laaa....playing with the spoon..."

After throwing the bowl off the tray and looking to see where it had gone off to.

I then tried, unsuccessfully, to feed him a few more bites. When that didn't go well, I decided to drop some spoonfulls onto his face....and spread them all over. And into his hair.

It's still funny to see him discover stuff that sticks to his hands.

"I don't want this."


"You take it!"

"Hey....give it back!"

I think he figured out how silly he looked when he turned to me and said "Now what did you go and do all that for?"

I can't say that I'm too proud of my reaction on this one. But it did make for some fun pictures, and I don't think it was too harmful to him.....right?