Eating Europe

[lollardfish]

From late May to early July, feeding Nico went from bad to worse. He cut some back teeth. He got better at throwing. He got surly. His world closed to "jar-food," fruit, chicken nuggets, and fish-sticks. And when surly, even those could go. He'd turn his head and bury his mouth in the back of his high chair. He'd close his eyes and cry. Sometimes you could sneak in something he liked, and then he'd eat more, but he began every meal from the perspective of "not eating."

For the last week or so, though, it's been sunshine and smiles. Today he ate shredded sharp cheddar. He's been eating little ravioli (a perfect package for toddlers). Shredded sharp cheese is extra fun because you get to eat it, but you can also mush it under your hands and spread it around like fingerpaints. Edamame and sweet peas remain favorites. I'm cautiously optimistic that eating in Europe isn't going to be a disaster, and grateful that we'll spend the first few days with B & K in the Loire valley, acclimating.

Nico is becoming more vertical. His main mode of locomotion is awful (pulling himself with arms, one leg under his bottom) because it uses no core muscles, but he's standing a lot, cruising easily, and even doing a few seconds of unsupported standing. What I can't get him to do much is supported walking (where I hold arms or hips and he walks). We'll get there though. There's been a lot of breakthroughs, small but real, in receptive speech, motor skills, and so forth.

Now if only the Euro would lose 30% of its value against the dollar in the next few days. This trip is going to hurt the pocketbook, even though Dominican is subsidizing a lot of it.

Comments

[bellebonnesage.livejournal.com]

My kids both refused to be fed after a while, long before they had the control to feed themselves anything messy. I figured out many kinds of finger foods, but I didn't know what would replace babyfood veggies. My father solved it! I would get a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and microwave a little at a time. Perfect finger foods! Both my kids also really took to broccoli florets, and I didn't have to panic about choking :-) And as a bonus, I still get shocked looks from other parents, who cannot believe how much my children (now 8 and 11) love vegetables. To them, vegetables = self-determination!

Good luck in Europe!

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Edamame are our big win, lately. I don't think we've done the mixed veggies recently, as Nico seems to be a one-food-at-a-time boy. I should try some again though.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Radishes?

Probably too crunchy.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

And spicy.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I wonder what he'd think of a beet.

B

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

We tried a day or two ago and he wasn't amused by our antics.

But a week from now he'll be entirely new. I mean, currently (and I mean right now), he's devouring blackberries. They have a weird texture and are a bit sour, but he's loving them.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

France'll have good berries.

B

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

fear not he needs very little to actually sustain himself when super hungry many things become appealing that weren't before.

We use to have kids at daycare who would eat all sorts of things for us they wouldn't eat at home. This really annoyed their parents. I'm pretty sure I've yet to see a child starve.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Nice timing, child. We'll have you eating Brillat-Savarin and rillettes de porc before you know it!

K.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I put a little pulled pork (non-hot, but flavored a lot) in his mouth the other day. He was not entirely pleased with me.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

That's American pork. Totally different.

B