My Son, The Gourmet Eater

Okay, maybe not really.

Let me explain.

I've officially tried all the Stage 3 Gerber meals with him.  He just will not eat their chicken, turkey, or beef dinners.  We get about 3 spoons of food into him and he begins to gag and choke.

He has thrown up once.

At first I thought it was the bits of veggies and noodles.  They are tiny, but maybe it was too much.

Over the last 2 weeks that theory has gone out the door.

First it was bologna.  Then we bought all beef, nitrate free, hot dogs.

He INHALES those without any qualms at all.  I think he is chewing, but can't be 100% on that one.  All I know is that he eats and eventually shakes his head at us when he is done.

By the way, is that an instinct?  The shaking of the head?  Because we don't do that, at least not that I can recall.  And all of a sudden, there he is, shaking his head and closing his mouth and eyes.  It means he is done, and 2 minutes later he has walked off to play.

This week alone, he ate about 1/3 of a frozen meal of mine at lunch.  It was breaded fish, and he LOVED it.  He actually preferred it to the macaroni and cheese that was on the side.

Wednesday night, I made spaghetti for us.  He was at my knee, wanting to taste what was on my plate.  So I rolled up a couple of noodles on my fork and let him have at it.

Is that another instinct?  The slurping of noodles?  Because he proved he could get anything hanging out of his mouth into his mouth by sucking and slurping.  He did it so well on that first bite that I moved him to his high chair and commenced to give him spaghetti.

Last night, I made a box of macaroni and cheese just for him.  We ate our dinner, which he tried as well, and then a small bowl of his pasta.  The rest is in the fridge, and will be eaten later for lunch.

This is all on top of the French toast and pancakes he is eating after his oatmeal in the morning.

James apparently just wants more flavor.  And real food.

The only frustrating part of all this?

He still WILL NOT put anything in his mouth.

This comes in handy when he is carrying a leaf or pebble that he has found outside and insisted on carrying in.  Or when he is in the kitchen and finds onion peel and decides it's a prized treasure.  We don't have to worry about him swallowing those things, and it is one less stress.

But when I'd like to eat my dinner while he eats his on his own, it's frustrating.

Also on the frustrating list?

He won't drink.  As in, I have to pin him down on my lap, force a bottle in his mouth, and hold him there to drink.  This isn't just milk, it's juice and water as well.  I know he isn't dehydrating himself, we make sure he is peeing regularly, but there has to be an easier way.

Anyone??