So what are some of our goals for him this year? Well, potty training is obvious. Another big deal is getting him to expand his eating horizons beyond bacon in the morning and only neutral colors for lunch and supper (chicken, pasta, hamburger, rice, chips, and cheese - glorious cheese). So today it began. He wanted more bacon for breakfast. I said he could if he ate one bite of toast. You would have thought I told him he would never hold drumsticks again! He cried and cried. He immediately abandoned the idea of wanting more bacon, but I was determined that he should eat one bit of toast. Christina was only too happy to see if I could win the battle.
Soon, the scene in Dining Stadium's battle of the wills deteriorated to this: one minuscule bite of white toast remained on the plate of a desperate, crying three-year-old. Tears were streaming down his face as he demanded to be allowed to get "down." I got some reading material and hunkered down.
Realizing he was unable to convince me to release him, he called for his Mommy. Then his sister Bu came into the room. "Bu," called the forlorn toddler, to no avail. Twenty-five minutes went by. Grandma walked by and announced she was headed for the shower. "I hope you're finished before I am," she called said in a sing-song voice. Progress! He picked up the toast and took it to his mouth. He actually nibbled away a small crumb from his tiny bite-sized piece of toast.
At last his bigger sister Sizakele arose from her slumber and made her way into the room. "Geh-lay" he called out. Alas, he got a more sympathetic response from Bu. Forty-five minutes had passed. Another nibble was taken at the piece, making it about 50% smaller than when the battle began.
After an hour, Grandma came through - showered, fully clothed, hair done. Dumisani was still in his breakfast chair. Sixty minutes passed.
Finally, the took the rest of the piece to his mouth. I helped him pop it in, and we did a big dance together - he ate his toast and I let him get "down." The battle only took an hour and twenty-two minutes.
But that's not all.. there was the Green Bean Battle tonight. Aunt Sarah got her nephew a special plate called "Food Face". The supper menu was mac and cheese and green beans (and a tossed salad for us old people). I gave Mr. Food Face a green bean mustache and a head full of mac and cheese hair. Mr. Food Face was eaten bald twice and when there was a request for more mac and cheese I suggested that he eat his green beans. Again, a response equal to me suggesting that I blow up his favorite little Ohio State football. So, to make his choices clearer I cut a small piece of green bean for him (about 5 millimeters long)He cried for his Mommy who came and cut his tiny piece of green bean in half. After a brief 15-minute standoff, not willing to put everyone through another hour-plus ordeal, I grabbed half of the tiny bite and "encouraged" it into my son's mouth. Then we all gave him wild applause while I put half-a spoonful of mac-and-cheese on Mr. Food Face's forehead. After he ate more mac and cheese, he picked up the second half of the green bean bite and stuck it in his mouth, to more (and more enthusiastic) applause. He spent an hour or so after dinner saying "I ate green!"
I'm not sure he gets cause and effect yet, but so far the score is Daddy 2, Dude 0. And the second score resulted in him realizing that it's ok to eat green. We shall overcome!
