she always asks for cereal and doesn't eat it. but she says she will. so i offer scrambled eggs and she says yes. but they sit on her plate and she smiles when i ask her why she's not eating them. they're cold, she says. i have tried to bribe her and threaten her and she's three years old and she tells me um, um, mommy? do you know why this sticker is orange? her brain lights up like sparklers and chinese new year and her mouth spits out words with shocking clarity, syllables and synapses dancing together and i wonder when exactly she learned how to correct her own grammar. we have dance parties at night and right now it is adele's new album and track number two is her favorite. boomer has it, she sings. rumor has it, i say. but WHY, mommy? why is it roo-mer? and i take a deep breath because we have reached a point now where i have to actually give her the correct answer to questions because she is silly putty. she will later stretch herself out and show what she learned and if i am not careful the words will get mixed up and she will tell her teacher how she drove to target with mommy and teacher? what's a douchebag? she picks out her own clothes and gives us a running update in the car of what her baby brother is up to. he's sleeping, mommy. daddy? the baby is sleeping. she kisses him over and over and over and he still lights up like the fourth of july when she walks in the room.
~just write~
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
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Kids are generally picky eaters. Thank goodness they somehow seem to get what they need. But yes, their minds are sponges which don't seem to get wrung out until they are teenagers. Then all you've said comes back like a Halloween haunting.
ReplyDeleteI survived it! I think I deserve a Mommy award. I survived my teenagers. Ha! But they are worth every gosh darn minute and every long explaination I had to give. Motherhood ain't for sissies. *Sigh* neither is getting old.
The good news is the 2nd time round you don't care as much. Well I don't. Eat, don't eat, whatever. Her sister grew up big n strong on juice and air so she will too.
ReplyDeleteLove this just write, it came along at just the right time too.
You are a genius. Oh my.
ReplyDeleteSteph
I remember the times when your sister wouldn't eat ANYTHING on her plate - I tried making her sit at the table, giving it to her warmed up for breakfast (sorry Kim), (I know, I know, but what did I know back then - I was an instant mother of 3 when I married your Dad) and then I got to the point where I figured if she was hungry she'd eat, so I just left her alone about it and she eventually found her appetite. You weren't a very picky eater so I was lucky there. All I wanted was to make you understand that you couldn't say you didn't like something until you tried it - I know that seemed pretty harsh and maybe that's not the way to do it. I still feel parenting is a crap shoot - you either try to incorporate some things your parents did into the equation or you choose the totally opposite route or you do as much research as you can and then adjust to see if that works better.
ReplyDeleteYou, my dear sweet daughter, are doing such an amazing job with Finn (as you will with Dash) - (AND I'M NOT FORGETTING YOU ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT BRYAN)and eat or not eat, she'll only remember the answers you give to her questions - the food part will fade into the background as quickly as she smiles and says "I love you Mommy". Food for the heart....... xxoo Mom
This is beautiful. It's a real pleasure to read your writing.
ReplyDeleteOh how I loved this! Thank you...
ReplyDeleteYou Just Write very very well.
My son lived on apples for his first ten years.
ReplyDeleteI would put the plate of food in front of him and when he wouldn't eat it I would offer him fruit which he always ate.
He is now a strapping fourteen year old who eats almost anything (everything?) and questions me about the ridiculous answers I gave him.