Lil’ Biscuits? Yes, please. Diced carrots, mixed with prunes? I’ll take ‘em. Apple Wagon Wheels? You bet. Peach and blueberry puree? Done and done.
If you have a young one, you may recognize some of these food items. If not, I highly recommend going out to the store to stock up for your next party.
What have I learned over the past six months since my daughter started eating solids?
- Babs doesn’t care for food that much (unless it’s toast or milk).
- My dog will eat her leftovers any day of the week.
- I will eat whatever my daughter and dog don’t eat.
Bo, you want a treat? Some chicken?
Mr. BoJangles, our Wheaten Terrier, sets up camp right underneath Babs’ high chair and patiently waits during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He knows Babs isn’t going to eat most of the food. And Babs knows he’s there. When my daughter is frustrated with the meal options, she slowly starts dropping one piece at a time onto the ground. Bo gladly catches all. When Babs is really mad, she’ll sidearm swipe everything on her tray to the ground. Often times, I won’t realize this until the next day when taking Bo for a walk.
That's not Babs with me, but that IS baby food on my face.
Bo’s not the only guy in this house that benefits from Babs’ lack of appetite. The author of this column does too. The thing is, I’ll often feed my daughter just before I eat myself, so I’m pretty darn hungry during the process. Here are a few examples of what I have eaten just over the last couple of days:
- Yesterday for dinner, I found myself eating a combination of peas, carrots, and turkey off my baby’s tray with my bare hands.
- Two days ago, I literally licked the leftover oranges off the high-chair tray. I unsuccessfully tried using a fork first, but they were too sticky. I washed the oranges down with toast covered in squash.
Babs will eat three meals a day (as long as 90% of those meals are toast). Since she is mostly eating toast, she’ll leave everything else behind. This has in turn led to my diet becoming more balanced. I’m eating the fruits and vegetables that Babs doesn’t finish. I’m eating baby cookies instead of adult cookies. (They have to be healthier, right?) I’m seriously considering having a baby formula latte right now.
Babs is still asleep as I write this, but below is my projected breakfast for today.
- Diced peaches. (Babs won’t touch ‘em).
- Cheerios. (Babs likes these, but not as much as me).
- Toast with a mixed vegetable spread on top. (Babs will have half a piece; I’ll have the other half).
Parents out there, please send any food suggestions that you think my baby (when I say my baby, I mean me) might be interested in. Thanks for reading!