If you know my Alexander well you know he is my spirited one. My crazy, strong willed, life loving, lets run laps until one of us passes out child. Little does he know his Momma is just as strong willed as he is...or I use to be before my babies. The past 6 months have been a BATTLE when it comes to the dinner table. No matter what we put in front of him he, "can't eat it." When he finally gives in and decides he is hungry enough to eat it, he wants someone to feed him. We use to give into feeding him, but after months of feeding myself, feeding the baby solids, feeding Alexander and trying to pump all the same time, I decided something has to give. Today was the day I was going to put my foot down.
At breakfast he gobbled up his PB&J oatmeal with a smile on his face. "Okay," I thought to myself, "Maybe this won't be so bad after all." Then came lunch. I heated up some roasted chicken, peeled a clementine and proceed to call him to wash his hands for lunch. As soon as he spotted what was on his tray he stared to whine. "But I don't like chicken Mommy. I don't like oranges Mommy. Ugh that is yuck!" I could feel both of our frustration levels begin to rise instantly...the battle had begun...and we were both going to put up a fight!
I took care of my business, fed Camden and myself. I looked at the clock to find 35 min later he had still not touched his lunch. I proceeded to tell him if he didn't eat it soon he would go in time out. Ten minutes later his lunch still remained untouched. When I went to get him up to place him in time out he began to throw his tantrum, I ever so lightly popped his little bottom and sat him in time out. He sat there for all of 3 min and I placed him back in his booster seat to "try again." He still refused to touch his food. I gave him 15ish min and got him up. That was an hour total of refusing to eat his lunch when I know he was hungry. Then it came..the Momma guilt. A thousand thoughts went through my head...."You aren't possibly going to let him go hungry are you? He is going to be starving by time he gets up from his nap! What if he refuses to take a nap because he still hungry. Then I might not get a chance to catch my breath during the boys afternoon nap. Sarah this is so wrong of you..he is 2.5!" I pushed away the thoughts, got him up, took him potty and put him to bed. As I was leaving he said, "I'm hungry Momma." My first instinct was to grab him up, fix him a PB&J and let him have his way...but I resisted. I reminded myself that this battle had gone on long enough. I told him I loved him and that he could eat his chicken/clementines when he got up from his nap. So here I sit typing, feeling guilty, wondering if his little tummy is rumbling, wondering if I got anywhere with him. Do I think its his age, absolutely. Do I want to nip this in the bud as fast a possible..you betcha! But the Momma guilt, oh the momma guilt..its getting the best of me. I'll probably fix him one of his favorite dinners tonight and love on him a little extra this afternoon knowing good and well that the battle will begin again tomorrow, at 11:45 am to be exact. :)
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