But...That's MY Food!!

Willow is 13.5 months old and she eats Stage 3 Gerber foods for the most part. I mean we give her a TON of real food and snacks but she always nibbles and grazes and it's never enough for her to get the calories she needs for the day. And by a "ton" I mean she gets mini-pancakes for breakfast and yogurt and crackers for snacks and then eats some of whatever we are eating for dinner (or lunch or whatever meal she is there for).

And that is where I sometimes have my beef...

We had this brilliant idea to feed her before we eat our dinner to try and make it easier for us. While we are eating, which is less than an hour after she eats, she usually gets crackers or yogurt melts or something to snack on. And, we ALWAYS try to give her some of our food so she can taste it and get a feel for the textures and whatnot. But when she eats, she takes very tiny tiny bites. And by tiny I mean she will take a yogurt melt (which is the size of about two chocolate chips) and get several bites out of it. Never mind that everything that goes into the mouth must come out again for an inspection until it can officially be swallowed.

At daycare, the other kids her age get their food from the toddler room. You know, typical toddler food like chicken nuggets or a sandwich. Their parents don't bring jarred food for them to eat. And every day, they give some of the food to Willow for her to eat as well, which I totally encourage, and she loves it. But, she is just not ready for real adult-type non-jarred food yet. She is, however, ready to eat my food. No matter how much she eats or when she ate last, she wants some of what I am having.

This can be bothersome at times because every once in a while, you just want to eat in peace without a toddler tapping you on the knee or pulling on your pants. No matter how cute they are when they are doing it.

Maybe I should try eating in the bathroom? Nah, I can't give up my magazine reading time. And besides, if it's just me and her there is no closing the bathroom door unless I am in the mood for a tantrum. Oh and subsequently there is also no magazine time. (No wonder I am more than a month behind on reading People)

I guess, for now, it's a no-win situation for me. One day, she'll let me know when she is "done" with jarred food. Until then I can deal with the tapping and that smile because they are the reason I became a mom in the first place.