Wearing the green

Before the day finishes, we had to post some of Elisa's wearing of the green. She must have been in the St. Patrick's Day mood because she only wanted to eat kiwi for lunch. Go figure. Lately, many of our tried and true foods are getting thrown on the floor, smeared in her hair or otherwise destroyed with smashing fingers. To say it's frustrating is putting it mildly. I don't know why her eating habits annoy me some days or have the ability to set me off like my hair's on fire, but they do. I try to remember that this is all part of the game of toddlerhood. That what she likes today has little bearing on what she will eat tomorrow, but that's so counter intuitive it's just more reason to flip out. Since I am the sole person responsible for feeding her--I mean, let's face it, Nacho can prepare a meal, but he needs guidance and does not shop for her food--it falls to me to make sense of her daily dietary intake. And so I try, and try, and try to find things that are accessible and nutritious and appealing. And it ain't always easy.

Forget that I made a kid's pasta dish today that I saw Giada make on Everyday Italian. It was a simple baby farfalle with peas and cream cheese sauce. Delish. But did she even try it? NO. So I ate some with such gusto that I was sure she would take a bite. No deal. I don't know why I prolong the pain sometimes. So finally, I just switched tactics and offered the kiwi. Devoured. She was handing me the bowl back in a matter of minutes with a look that said, "Duh, mom." So, once again it's the ability to stay mentally flexible that matters most. And not obsess about what she's eating--even if that means kiwi for lunch. Hey, at least it was green.