Finger Lickin' Good
Eli has never really enjoyed food or eating. Even as an infant he wouldn't have ever eaten if I didn't make him eat. He was not a baby that wanted to nurse all the time. That hasn't changed as he's grown. Mealtime is generally more of a chore and an interruption to his day.
It is hard work for Eli to eat. It was only a few months ago that he mastered the skill of feeding himself things like cheerios and other finger foods. We work on feeding skills in therapy each week. His therapist has begun by trying to spark an interest in Eli for food. She encourages playing with food! Who knows, maybe we are starting all kinds of bad habits he'll have to break before he goes on his first date or meets his girlfriend's parents for the first time- but we have plenty of time before that ever happens, hopefully!
Eli's plate has become a smorgasbord for his imagination. He pretends his cheese has become a balloon, his watermelon chunks have suddenly morphed into cars and tractors, his plum slices are now boats, (Yes, Eli made all this up on his own!) his turkey slices have become airplanes, and he builds a great tower out of his kiwi slices.
Amazingly this tactic has really helped Eli to become more interested in food. Not to mention it is quite entertaining for us both. We laugh a lot more during meals, which is wonderful since at one point they were very challenging for both of us. I am hoping his new interest in food will help him gain the weight he needs to gain.
We made a good stride towards weight gain today- one step at a time right. Eli and I made brownies together for the first time. He helped me pour in the oil and water and then he had a big spoon that he swirled around in the mix. He thought it was great fun, all until he got a little on his finger.
You see, Eli hates to get dirty- I know it's just a matter of time before that completely changes, but for now nothing irritates him more. So when he was freaking out at the brown mystery substance invading his finger I just told him to lick it. Looking at me in bewilderment he gave it a try and then immediately asked for more- smart kid!!!
At this point it was time to put the brownies into the oven and not on Eli's finger. So I told him to wait on the counter while I put the brownies in to bake. When I looked back up at Eli he had already made his plunder. There he sat, perched on top of the counter in his pajamas with evidence written all over his face. He took the giant spoon we used to stir the brownies and shoved it into his mouth...and all over his face. He thought it was the most wonderful experience.
He was so stinkin' cute and enjoying himself so much that we laughed and I let him go right on ahead and enjoy licking the spoon, on one condition- that I could take as many pictures of the event as I wanted. We both were very happy. It was such a fun morning. Eli was covered in brownie batter literally from head to toe by the time it was all over- but it was so worth it.
I remember licking the spoon was always a big deal for me when I was a kid. Well, actually it was still a big deal the last time I baked something, when was that...oh ahhh last week- but now times have changed. It is time to pass on my spoon licking joys to my son. What a special moment in time. It is like handing off the baton, only, it is a spoon. Eli will now be getting all the batter covered spoons in this house. More power to him. Ahhh, the simple pleasures of being a kid...and being a not so adult, adult.
posted by Kellie # 9:14 PM
