I have finally faced the facts. I have a toddler. A toddler who wants to be independent. A toddler who is 'spirited', stubborn and somewhat short tempered. With us as his parents can we really expect any different?
Earlier this week I was getting frustrated with feeding Jackson. Every meal consisted of him screaming, craning his head away from the dreaded spoon in mommy's hand, clamping his mouth shut, and glaring at me. If I could manage to cram a spoonful into his mouth he would thoughtfully eat it, then start clapping and happily eat more. Until the next course, then the whole process started again. It was frustrating and irritating. After asking some other moms of toddlers for suggestions or insight I realized that all these dramatics were simply because he wanted to do it himself. He wasn't my little baby anymore who couldn't feed himself. He can and wants to do it himself.
So for the past few days I have been putting his food in his little plastic bowls and handing over his chubby little fork and spoon and watching him go to town. He's doing a remarkable job and makes only a slight mess. Luckily he hasn't started throwing his food on the floor yet (knock wood), and only occasionally runs his fork or spoon through his hair. At the suggestion of one of my friends, when he is wearing a long sleeve shirt then meal time become naked baby time too. But for the most part he ends up with a messy face and hands and that's it. But he certainly enjoys doing it! He is so proud of himself and enjoys the constant praise from mommy whenever he gets a big spoonful into his mouth, or when he successfully stabs something with his fork and gets it into his mouth.
He's getting to be such a big boy. Bittersweet.
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