Today, once again both Tenley and Mommy had different ideas on how breakfast should go. This day did not start off auspiciously. Mommy did not get a cup of coffee before Tenley woke up. This is never a good sign. Mommy had chosen a delicious sampling of food for breakfast including oatmeal and mango. We're not sure what Tenley wanted but it certainly wasn't that. Tenley ate about six bites of oatmeal and six bites of mango before the signs became evident. First came the grabbing at the spoon. Followed by the desire to play with the food. After that came the clamped lips whenever the food was presented. Then the kicking of feet and head turning. Then the real fun began. The full on wailing was only seconds away. It was preceeded by Tenley pushing at the tray of her high chair to get away. That was followed up with her grabbing at her hair and trying to pull it out. (She does this when she is angry) Mommy had to grab her wrist to keep her from hurting herself and told her very sternly "NO!" This is what led to the complete yelling fit that you see above. Her food was smeared all over by her grabbing hands.
Determined to actually get food down the child's throat, Mommy took this opportunity to stuff another spoonful of oatmeal or mango in her mouth while she opened it ever wider in the screaming fit. The mouth would open to wail and another spoonful would be stuffed in. What fun! Mommy decided to stop stuffing the food in when Tenley decided to stop swallowing it. At this moment Mommy took a look at Tenley's fingernails and toenails and decided that this was a good time for a manicure and pedicure. She figured it couldn't hurt since Tenley was bitter anyway.
The manicure/pedicure stunned Tenley into a curious silence. "What was happening to my fingers and toes?" This whole procedure went surprisingly well and Mommy took advantage of her momentary good mood and stuffed a couple more willing bites of food into her mouth. However, not wanting to push her luck, Mommy opted to give Tenley the 5oz bottle with formula and cereal that she presumed Tenley wanted. Once again, not on the same page, Tenley showed little interest in the bottle. Thus concluded breakfast on Friday, August 5th.
5 comments:
Better make that a table for two. It sounds like mommy is more bitter than Tenley. Try offering your baby something else, maybe she didn't appreciate having oatmeal stuffed down her throat. Parenting classes may help!
Oh my! I am not entirely sure that I wouldn't have found Zeus' removed response highly entertaining!
Hang in there Michelle, the lovely and sweet Amanda has decided to reward her mother for returning to work by waking up at 3:00 am every morning to sing! And eating has improved; but she now isn't all that interested in her bottle either!
I know from experience it can be frustrating and upsetting when I have it one way in my mind how things will go, like breakfast, and baby has something totally different in mind (or simply has other needs that cannot be voiced) I have to make sure I do not take out that frustration on baby. I have to remember how hard it must be for them to not be able to communicate their needs (tummy ache, painful rash, toothache etc...) Something that has worked well for me is to learn to be very flexible and try not to have expectations of anything going a certain way. Hang in there it is a whole new way of living and thinking. Don't be afraid to ask for help, millions of us have and become better parents for it.
ohhh,, poor Tenley...those pictures break my heart!!!!
please don't traumatize her over food...really...Meigan used to flip out, and I mean flip out in earth shattering proportions when put in a hichair when we were first home last August.....and I decided that having her associate food with me as a bad experience, wasn't going to come to anything positive..so we ditched the highchair for a good long time...
try something different...and if she doesn't want to eat what you're giving her at the time, try a few different things and take a step back from it...having her react like that isn't going to do Tenley any good....
I KNOW it's frustrating...I've been there...2 times..
just give her a break, she's not been home for all that long...it takes time!!!
and you should take a break, have someone come over and help..take a break from her...it is OK to do that!!!!!
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