My Picky Bug

When I started feeding Addi food I mushed up whatever fresh fruits and veggies we had and she gobbled it down. As she got older we continued to grind up or cut up for her what we were having for dinner. She ate everything. She tried new foods. She loved veggies, all veggies and she ate well every time. As she got older she would, on her own, order a big salad for dinner while out to eat. She is very conscience of eating healthily and chooses healthy foods because she likes them.

Landon however is the complete opposite. He refuses any food that looks different or has a new texture. If the food is gooey, mushy or sticky on his hands he will not put it in his mouth. He loves a fork and spoon and learned to use them early because he cannot stand food on his fingers. Getting him to eat veggies is usually impossible. I've been forced to get creative. I hide veggies in muffins and smoothies, which he LOVES and eats every time. He will not eat meat. He picks it out of any dish I prepare. He eats well when it is something he already knows he likes. He's a snacker. I've had to move the snacky food out of his reach. Oh, and the kid sure loves sweets. He has had more sugar in his little life than Addi did her first three years!

He eats well at breakfast and lunch. I don't mind making for each of them what they prefer but I've really always been against preparing a dinner and then preparing a separate meal for my kids. I make healthy, (usually) yummy food and I expect them to eat what I make. But with Landon, in order for him to get a full belly of nutritious food, I've had to make him a separate plate of the few foods I know he'll eat and I'm tired of doing that.

Parenthood is sometimes about celebrating the small victories. And at dinner the other night he ate what I prepared. He took big bites of fresh, steamed veggies, sautéed chicken and a brown rice/quinoa blend! He took bites, we cheered and he clapped! He finished his whole meal! Yay! Go Landon Go!

It is a very common thing for babies born prematurely to have struggles when it come to eating. I'm not sure if his extreme pickiness can be attributed to that or not. But we work through it every day. I'll never stop encouraging him to eat a large variety of healthy food. Sometimes its just about finding a substitute that gives him the same nutrition., i.e soy milk instead of cow milk.

"Ok, Mom. Can we finish eating now!?"