Eating Habits

"She's going to turn into a carbohydrate!"

This was my lament to Nate as yet more vegetables were being stealthily hidden under folds of baby fat legs and my very sweet, VERY stubborn toddler had me fully engaged in a staring contest, her little hands urgently making the baby sign for bread. I blame myself for teaching her baby signs. I can't pretend like I don't understand what she's asking for. It is very clear. "No sweet potato, thank you. Don't even think of peas. Sure, I'll eat those bites of strawberry and apple with pleasure. But what I could really use right now are carbs. Pasta, rolls, biscuits, bread...it's all manna from heaven! Load me up, Mama!"

A friend from church told me that the trick to parenting is being more stubborn than your kids. Sounds simple enough. Bossy and stubborn seem to be my spiritual gifts. It appears, however, that they are also Selah Grace's. To this, my darling husband just laughs because he knows what goes around comes around.

I had such dreams of control over my child's eating habits. Now, 17 months in, I'm doing a circus act in my kitchen to give veggies some appeal and finding myself in fervent negotiations with a 24lb bundle of baby who can't really talk yet. What happened here?

Even as I type this, my beautiful daughter has just climbed into my lap. She's spotted the fresh loaf of homemade bread cooling on the counter and is very adamantly asking for some. Truthfully, that's sounds like a wonderful idea...

Parents out there who ever feared your child might become a walking dinner roll: got any tips?