Monday, November 17, 2008

A two part, very long post: Part One: To eat or not to eat? Part Two: Am I nice enough?

Part One:
On Saturday night Ross and I went out to dinner sans Monkey (Thank you Aunt Haley). We were supposed to do dinner with his parentals but his dad was sick so we took the opportunity to go out...do you call that a "date?" Um, sure...okay, whatever.

At dinner we planned out our Christmas agenda (who will we visit when), figured out some gift ideas and had a generally nice time. We didn't argue with each other once - which is rare - and it was nice.

On our way home to pick up the boy though, the argument started. I'm not sure how or why, but (not in a mean spirited way at all) we started discussing with vigor our son's eating and food habits. It got a bit heated at times and I still don't know where the discussion came from, but I wanted to let the Internet know that my boy is as good or better an eater as any other almost two year old and he gets enough protein AND - he doesn't just eat fruit snacks all day long.




This morning for breakfast he ate 1/2 a banana, some pop tart and some crackers. Yes, not the best or most nutritious, but that's what he wanted. You see, were in this phase where he insists on picking his food out himself and who am I to argue with the king arguer? I'm not so I let him.

For lunch today he at a corn dog (it's my mom's fault, she introduced them and he loves them) - baked not fried, a few french fries, also baked, and grapes. That's a lot for such a little guy, don't you think?

Yesterday he ate pasta salad and pickles and ham, and cheese, and bread and olives and anything else he could get his little hands on.

Here's the question though - a lot of you out there that read this blog have kids the same age or about the same age as my monkey - the 18 months to 4 set. Are your kids picky eaters or do they just cooperate and eat whatever you give them?

I told Ross that all kids this age put up fights against food and gravitate to their favorite snacks, etc. and he says that isn't normal. Thoughts?

Part Two:
We had an appointment with the stake president. Our stake split a month ago and yesterday Ross was asked to accept his old calling back. He did. Extra blessings from voluntary church service are good, right? Right.

The new SP doesn't know us at all so we chatted a bit. I was distracted through much of the conversation because my boy was wandering around looking for a garbage, emptying all the diapers out of his bag and throwing pez all over the floor. A bit stressed out.

At one point I was asked to say something "nice" about my husband. As I was distracted and a bit upset at an earlier incident (Ross let Elliott take a huge chunk out of a cake that I took to the claustrophobic open house yesterday and it left me a wee bit agitated) so even though I don't really remember what I said - I apparently didn't say anything nice, and mentioned the cake incident in a manner I thought was humorous.

Ross didn't think so and got mad at me in the car afterwards. And brought it up again that evening. Sorry Ross.

He says I never say anything nice to him.



The boy that I married almost six years ago is a very good dad. He is a hard worker and a dedicated parent, husband, and church member. He tries to balance all his different hats regularly and generally does so very well.

I love to watch the husband and the Monkey greet each other every day when Ross comes home from work. They both light up and their excitement to see each other often makes the day seem right. I love that he takes over in the evenings and that I am free to spend some time by myself with my own thoughts, and that he puts Elliott to bed every night and gets up with him if he wakes up...I don't think that there are many dads who do that.


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He is good and honest and trustworthy and opinionated and smart and talented. He takes care of his parents and our little family...he even goes outside when it's cold to do stuff I want him to do with little or no complaint. I can only image how difficult it is to be married to me - and he seems to like it, sometimes. As anyone in my family would attest - that's worth a medal right there.

Everyday I look forward to our online chats about nothing and everything while I'm working.

Sometimes, he even rents movies that I want to watch.

5 comments:

.::still blinking::. said...

Um. Gentry is just barely starting to branch out in the food department and we usually have to bribe or threaten him. Also, we also have something at every meal that he will eat. Like bread. Or a gogurt. You are supposed to think about kids nutrition in weeks, not days. Eventually, hopefully, they start to eat more.

I do wonder though if we are dealing with spoiled rich kids. Because there has got to be kids somewhere who are happy to have beans and rice for dinner and don't throw a fit. I don't know what to do about it though. I do limit the amount of candy and crap Gentry can have.

I have a small bin on the counter and I let Gentry choose 2 treats for the day. He can eat them anytime after lunch, but not before. He can have them together or apart. But once they are gone he does not get more. That is all.

Harlene said...

Monkey is perfectly normal, you are very nice, Ross is very nice.

I know this not because I have ever had a conversation with Ross mind you, only you, and you have had very nice things to say about him.

My oldest monkey was extremely picky, now he's in the Army and they fixed all that.

Erin @ Two More Seconds said...

I swear we have the same "argument" about Mase's eating habits all. the. time. He's a pretty open eater - he'll eat almost anything I put in front of him, BUT he doesn't have a big appetite (right now). So a scant two bites of a pb&j and 2 carrot sticks will be his lunch. Marc sees that and automatically thinks he's not getting enough to eat and/or has the mentality that he needs to clear his plate. How could he clear his plate when his serving is as big as mine?! I am not in the least bit worried about him - sure, he could always eat more healthy - who couldn't? but he's HUGE for his size and is relatively healthy, so I try not to stress about it. Plus, his eating habits change so quickly - one week he's totally into grilled cheese and the next week he won't touch it and screams if it's on his plate. Try not to stress about it!

Unknown said...

ok so part one:

seriously i worry that avery doesn't eat enough all the time. but if she didn't eat enough she would show it in her health. she seriously barely snacks on cereal and crackers and maybe eats part of dinner. she mostly still drinks things. so i wouldn't worry about the monkey. he seems to be growing & developing pretty fine. if ross wants more proof, take him to the pediatrician and let him tell you guys. but i think he's totally fine. and that's coming from the mom of 3 kids. two of them being boys.....

part two:
well, i can't tell you how many times i have had that issue. and even had the bishop tell me that i needed to be more affirming and nice to nate and even talk about him to others in a positive way. and in reading your blog you seem to like ross and awful lot. i like nate but sometimes it's easy to get into a rut where you don't want to look at your own faults so you start pointing out his. I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE DOING THIS...that's what i was doing. but anyway i think you are nice....you are just not a bubbly cheerleader in your face nice type of person. which is WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU. and what ross likes too. i'm sure hallmark has a way to say what you don't say to him......just get him a card every once in a while.....that way he knows you are thinking of him....but hey what do i know....my life is retarded. ok so nevermind on all the stuff i just wrote - you should totally listen to someone else regarding marriage issues.....i'm kind of bad at it.

Harried Mom said...

I think that sounds pretty normal. Sounds like he will try different things and that is what I find important. My two will eat just about anything that I will, but when given a choice they'll typically pick the normal kid stuff. Weird things they do eat includes: Chinese/Japanese (Hot sour soup, pot stickers, kung pao chicken, moo shu, sushi (tuna and salmon)...greek, they love gyros and hummus...French, Riley actually liked the escargot Brian gave him Wed. night when we went out for French, brie (any cheese really). I could go on but they may not eat all of these things regularly, but they do eat them. As to fruit snacks, mine have to actually earn them and that doesn't happen very often!

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