Whatever it Takes

Last month I posted about how I hadn't yet started Tate on baby food as part of my grand scheme to try and keep him a baby longer. That very night I realized the silliness of the situation and sat him down to a good old fashioned meal of pureed squash. But he just wasn't interested. I tried again the next night. No interest whatsoever. My motherly survival instinct began to kick in and I started to panic and picture him at a business dinner 25 years down the road with all the other distinguished gentlemen around him ordering a hearty steak and him opting only for a simple glass of milk.

Over the next few days I tried sweet potatoes and carrots. He took probably 2 bites total! Now mind you, this isn't our maiden voyage as far as feeding babies baby food. We successfully cultivated interest in the jar o' mush for our girls. We knew all the tricks, techniques, and sneaky ways to get that spoon into their little mouths. In fact, Drue loved her baby food so much, once she finished the first jar, she would cry until we could get the second one opened. Yes, we finally did learn to open BOTH at the same time to prevent her squeals of starvation.

It's not that Tate isn't interested in food or doesn't find it attractive. He stares at our plates with a longing in his eyes and drool on his chin from licking his gums. He has nary a tooth in his head. The other day I made myself a hamburger helper singles snack (not as good as the full dinners, but filling nonetheless). Tate was in my arms when I pulled it from the microwave and set it on the counter. He watched intently as I took a bite. I seized this opportunity to try and fake him out by making him think he was eating what I was eating. I hurriedly heated up some carrots (they were orange and so was my hamburger helper so I thought that might aid in the deception) and tried to scoop a spoonful into his mouth. He turned his head the other way. I tried again. Head went the opposite way. He then strained his little neck to look all the way around me at my plate of hamburger helper!

I resigned myself to just keep trying to introduce baby food to him until at which time he either begins growing teeth and can eat table food with us, or the rapture occurs. I broke out some sweet potatoes tonight and plopped him in his little seat and wearily began our little feeding charade. I got a little in his mouth, he assumed the appropriate look of total disgust and I was about to throw in the towel (literally, because his cherubic face was already covered in orange from just one bite). I started trying the old I'm a helicopter coming in for a landing trick and laughed at myself because he doesn't know what the heck a helicopter is, let alone, that he is supposed to respond by opening his mouth then close it gracefully around the spoon.

I'm not sure how or why I started clucking like a chicken. But as soon as I did, Tate looked right at me, smiled a big smile, and I was able to slide the spoon right on in. And he swallowed the entire spoonful down without a fuss. Somewhat skeptical of what just took place, I tried again. "Bawk Bawk BawkAA!!". Big smile, swallowed another bite without a fuss. I continued this with each bite until 3/4 of his little container was gone. Aaahhhhhh, progress.

Obviously I haven't had a chance to experiment with other animal sounds to discover whether or not he is partial to chickens or animals of the farm variety. To quote Scarlett's famous line, "Tomorrow is another day." And I'm sure after reading this uninteresting post about baby food you are quoting Rhett's equally famous line in your head, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a $#&@".

So if you happen to be out to dinner at a fancy schmancy restaurant and hear a faint clucking sound coming from the booth behind you, turn around and say hello, we may just be out eating with the kids.....