Hunger Strike

The tot is on a hunger strike in protest of the lack of progress on the oil spill. Or maybe it's in support of all of the starving children in third world countries. Or it could even be because there are no new Sesame Street episodes on. But I am sure there is a purpose behind his sudden refusal of all but a few foods. It couldn't just be that he is becoming a picky eater or going through some phase or developing yet another way to make me feel inadequate as a parent. Could it? 

He will eat the following foods: cheese, sweet potatoes, bananas, yogurt, raisins, mandarin oranges, eggs and bread. He has now refused: mixed vegetables, anything with chicken in it, beef, rice, pasta, green bean puree, pasta bites, pears, apples, pineapple, and sometimes strawberries and blueberries - depending on his mood. Oh and anything that takes me more than 15 minutes to make. I have poured over internet sites and cook books galore trying to come up with some new yummy baby recipes for veggies or meat that he might like. Nothing can frustrate faster than spending 1/2 an hour making something called "Groovy Grape Chicken" (it looked yummy, I swear!) only to have him spit it out and fling it on the floor. 

At yet another of our recent food standoffs at lunch time, he was spitting green beans every where and engaging in his new favorite past time: yelling at the top of his lungs (no, there is nothing wrong with him. He just likes to scream really loudly and laugh. Then wait for everything to get perfectly quiet and do it again. Joy.) So there we were, he in the high chair and I sitting across from him. Each sizing up our opponent. I attempted the "here, you practice feeding your self with the spoon" trick and was completely denied. This kid is getting crafty. Then he began squealing for more yogurt (of which there was none) and the squealing turned to whining which turned to fussing which actually turned to crying big giant tears. I was defeated. I sat with my head in my hands, closing my eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to count to ten. All of the sudden I hear this sound "snnnnfff, snnnffff" and I open my eyes. He is sitting across from me with his head on his hand, taking such deep breaths he is making a snorting noise! I couldn't help it - I started laughing. We called it a truce...until dinner time anyway.