Picky Eating

Over the past couple of weeks I have noticed Calleigh is becoming a bit of a picky eater. Picky eating is something most toddlers and young children go through so I have been expecting it. I was quite the picky eater myself when I was younger. If I didn't want to eat something because it looked funny, or smelled funny or even just because my friends didn't eat it, then I didn't eat it. In fact it was only this past year that I started eating steak and even then I order it pretty much burnt to a crisp (I don't like blood in my food) and refuse to eat it if it's a little bit pink (I know, that is like the worst think to steak connoisseurs). So I can definitely see where this phase of picky eating has come from. 

Daddy on the other hand will pretty much eat whatever you put in front of him apart from coconut and liver (don't blame him there). So I'm hoping Calleigh will follow in Daddy's footsteps instead of mine, don't think I could handle two of us being so fussy. 

As a baby Calleigh was really good and happy to try new foods and different flavours but I did notice that, while she liked most of what we gave her, she knew straight away if she didn't like something and would refuse to eat it even if offered again and again. 

One of these things was broccoli, she would not eat it, even when I tried to hide it in her mashed potato she knew and checked every spoonful before it went anywhere near her mouth. She loved mashed potato, she would eat it until it was coming out her eyeballs. 

She also loved sandwiches when she was younger, especially with cheese spread and always finished her lunch. 

Now I am beginning to find it hard to put things on her plate that she will eat. She no longer eats mashed potato and no matter how many time I put it on the plate, it is always still there when she has finished. 

She doesn't eat her fish fingers anymore and will only eat chicken nuggets bathed in tomato ketchup. 

And no matter what fillings I put in her sandwich she doesn't eat them. 

It's not all bad though, she still loves her vegetables, especially peas (and even Broccoli) and she adores her bananas. 

I tend to find myself just sticking with the things I know she eats as I get worried she will not eat enough if I try her with new things. Hopefully it will pass soon and I will be able to try out some new and interesting recipes and take her out to restaurants again. 

Eating her peas (I don't know why the play icon won't go away???) 

Eating Out with a Toddler

When Calleigh was a baby it was really easy for us to go out for a meal. Most of the time Calleigh would remain asleep in the pushchair and if she did wake up a bit of milk would normally keep her happy. She was very good as a baby.

Even when she grew a bit older and was big enough to be put in a high chair she would sit there and look around quite happy. I never purchased any kid's meals when she was that young and normally brought some kind of bowl or packet food with me  for her to have. 

Now though, it is a completely different story. 

Calleigh is older, more curious and much more of a fidget bum. Because of this we tend not to go out very much anymore. 

On our recent trip to Florida we didn't have much choice and had to eat out. 

Our preferred sort of place to eat with Calleigh is somewhere that offers a buffet and the option for kids to eat free. That way we are not restricted to a less than exciting kids menu and don't have to pay for something Calleigh is not going to eat. 

Seating wise we try to get a booth if we can, that was Calleigh can sit next to us on a booster seat instead of in a high chair. Calleigh doesn't stay sat in the high chair very long now and tries her best to climb out of them unless we can keep her entertained. Restaurants that offer crayons for kids are great!

On my birthday we went for a meal at TGI Fridays and I was very happy to see a more exciting kids menu, with more than just chicken nuggets or burgers. We brought Calleigh the spaghetti with marinara sauce. She loves spaghetti! When the meal arrived it was huge! 

That was a pretty successful experience. 

Others have not been so good. We went to one restaurant and Calleigh would just not sit still. Everything was thrown on the floor, she kept shouting and was generally just a nightmare. Although some bloke sitting across from us found her hilarious. I partly blame him Calleighs behaviour, his laughing made her think it was okay to carry on what she was doing and she acted up for the crowd.

We plan to try and go out more often as if we don't get her used to the environment and how to act then she will just carry on. Don't get me wrong I want it to be a fun experience for her too so I don't plan to just have her sit there in silence, only able to move her hands but I would prefer a little less animal behaviour.

It seems to be hit and miss with Calleigh. Sometimes she will be an angel and eat all her food and really enjoy herself playing with the crayons. Other times, well let's just say we sometimes want to walk out mid way through our meal. 

We Went For a Meal

Yesterday myself, Calleigh, Mee Maw and Great Nanna went out for a meal. 

We went to a pre-opening of the Bull's Head in our village. They have been closed for about 4 weeks to do a massive re-furb and I must say it is looking very nice. 

My favourite addition is the kids play area. 

Although Calleigh would only go in if there was no other kids in there and even then she had to drag great Nanna with her. 

Whilst my Mum and Nanna opted for the Sunday roast, I went for a cheese tart and jacket potato and Calleigh had chicken dippers, mash and peas. 

Poor Calleigh (having refused to nap earlier) fell asleep just before her dinner arrived so I let her have 10 minutes while it cooled down a bit (I don't know why restaurants serve kids meals at 200 degrees). 

When she awoke she dug straight into her peas, that girl does love her peas!

For dessert we ordered a giant carrot cake to take away with us. We ate it that night when Calleigh had gone to bed and it was soooo good. 

Our Valentines Day

I know Valentines Day has long gone now but I just wanted to share with you what we did for Valentines Day. 

Paul made me believe he hadn't got me anything and even though I tried to pretend that I wasn't bothered the disappoint in my face when I woke up to no card or flowers was evident. Although he did bring me a cup of tea in bed, which was nice. 

When I got up to join Calleigh and Paul downstairs, Paul had carelessly left his phone on the table and just as I sat down his phone flashed up with an email. The preview read: "Your Interflora delivery is on it's way". I grinned at Paul and he instantly knew that the jig was up. 

Later that day I received a beautiful heart shaped box of roses. 

That evening we had booked in at our local pub for a 3 course feast for two. We took Calleigh along and also invited my mum and sister. 

The pub was beautifully decorated with hearts and roses and the tables were all set up nicely. Calleigh even had a heart shaped napkin on her highchair. 

To eat we both had a Combo starter, Steak for main and for dessert I had black forest gateaux while Paul gave his to Lana who happily scoffed down two desserts. 

Calleigh was treated to her favourite, fish fingers chips and peas. 

Yummy. 

Calleigh spent the rest of the evening running around the pub like a mad woman until someone said hello to her and she came bolting back to us, bless her. 

Just a quick one before I go, I have started up a new blog called Emigrating with the Eatons which will cover everything we do on our journey to America and whilst we are there (if we get there). 

You can check it out here. 

Calleigh's Menu: 12 Months

The time has finally come where Daddy and I get our table back. Good bye steriliser! Goodbye bottle's. Hello sitting down and eating meals together again.

 

Now Calleigh is a year old, pretty much anything goes. She eats what we eat, when we eat, 3 times a day.

 

For breakfast she is now on 2 Weetabix and a slice of toast (piggy).

We have tried her with Lot's of new food's for dinner, these include Chicken Fingers, Pizza, Brussels and other veg, Egg Mayonnaise, Tuna, Gammon and countless other things. She pretty much eats whatever you give her, although sometimes a bit funny with it at first.

I think her favourite foods are potato and beans.

 

She hasn't quite been able to get her head round a fork yet and just stabs at her food like a crazy person then throws it on the floor and goes in with her fingers instead.

Hopefully we will get there soon.

 

 





I was going to put some more photo's on from my iPhone but I accidentally deleted them all without copying or backing my phone up.

So now I am just going to have a little cry at my stupidity and all my lost photo's of beans :-( 

 

 



Calleigh's Menu: 11 Months

Calleigh loves her food, she's not fussy at all and is more than happy to try anything, very unlike me who has always been fussy about food.

Although she still has no teeth she can get through most foods using her gums so it's no problem.

Just this week we have introduced some new things so I thought I would let you know how it's going.

 

Breakfast: Calleigh always starts her morning with a bottle, then an hour or two later we will give her breakfast. This week we have introduced weetabix with cow's milk (blue top). Although it's recommended not to give you baby cow's milk as a drink until 12 months, she's not actually drinking it and she's almost a year old anyway.

 

 

Lunch: For lunch Calleigh now has sandwiches. I have only tried her with cheese spread at the moment but she loves it. There is hardly ever anything left over. Calleigh was not fond on the baby brand nibbles so I tried her on a few wotsits. She ate the whole packet!! (minus the two that Daddy stole).

 

 

Dinner: Calleigh will usually have a jar of pre-made baby food for dinner from the 10 month range. Her favourite at the moment is Beef, Tomato and Mashed Potato. This works for me better at the moment but pretty soon she will be eating what we eat, when we eat. She also loves yogurt, again we buy just normal kids yogurt, I think it's munch bunch.

 

 

We both went for a meal Halloween night with Mee-Maw and Auntie Lana. I ordered her fish fingers, peas and chips off the children's menu. I think it went down OK, although she had more fun throwing her peas on the floor.

 

 

 



Calleigh's Menu: 9 months

Now Calleigh is 9 months old feeding her is a treat, albeit a very messy one. I enjoy giving her little portions of what Daddy and I are having as well as using ready made jars.

 

She has become very fond of toast and happily sits there nibbling (well gumming, she still has no teeth) away at it whilst watching her morning TV.

More recently we have introduced her to scrambled egg and beans and she is loving them too.

 

 

 

Last week I was lucky enough to recieve a free sample from Hipp Organic of their new range of pouches. I got a pouch of Scrummy Spaghetti Bolognese and gave it to Calleigh for her dinner that day. She loved every spoonful and wiped the bowl clean.

This last week she has also tried a very mild Chicken Curry and a Pork and Apple Casserole both of which she finished off in record timing.

 

 

 

Dessert wise she loves fruit but is not so fond of chocolate. Although she is partial to a Jaffa Cake or two.

She also loves Victoria Sponges and apple and ginger biscuits.

 

 

Feeding is fun! Soon it will be time for turkey dinosaurs and fun pasta shapes woohoo.

A Guide To Etiqutte At The Dinner Table

As Calleigh is now over 6 months old (where has the time gone!!) I've stepped up her weaning routine a notch as there is a much wider variety now available to tickle her little taste buds. And as fun as it is introducing all these new foods it can get very messy, no, it DOES get very messy.

Having invested in a little seat with a tray, it has become much easier to feed her than on my knee. Although she has picked up some habits.

Here for you all is Calleigh's guide to etiquette at the table.

1. Once placed in the seat, bang on the tray until food is placed in front of you. This way you ensure food is delivered in the quickest time possible.
2. With the first spoonful always, always pretend you don't like it. This may just fool them into giving up.
3. If that doesn't work and no bottle is produced make sure you test the food fully by smearing it all over your face. Your mouth is the last place you want the food to go at this stage.
4. Once you have tested, give some to mummy to taste. To do this take the food in your mouth and attempt to blow a raspberry.
5. Now you are satisfied that there is nothing wrong with the food play along and eat, eat, eat.
6. Half way through, quickly grab the spoon out of mummy's hand and empty the contents onto the tray. This way you can smush your hand into and smear it all over the place.