"I want sumpin'!"

Ten months ago I never dreamed I would be writing this post. Ten months ago Sophia was labeled "Failure to thrive," and had fallen off the growth curve, down to the third percentile for weight. I look at pictures of her then (following a UTI and kidney infection, and about the time she was diagnosed with severe asthma) and am struck by how skinny she was . . . gaunt baby!

Now Sophia is a healthy, thriving two year old. Back up over the 25th percentile for weight, and growing like a weed. And her eating? It's like we have a teenage boy in the house. A VERY picky teenage boy, but one that can eat her weight in peanut butter and jelly and Annie's mac'n'cheese, her preferred menu.

Back in the day we used to finish up Sophia's dinner with a big scoop of peanut butter and a serving of Haagen Dazs. Not anymore!

She is still picky, but she knows what she wants. And doesn't want.

Just in the last week John and I have started making her try what we are eating. I didn't really think it was worth the battle before, but I have gotten a little tired of being a vending machine at dinnertime, so it's my way or the highway.

Last night we had black bean burgers. No amount of cajoling convinced Sophia that she wanted to try her bite of burger, so I finally dipped it in her Ranch dressing, held it in front of her mouth, and said "Eat it!"

And lo and behold, she did.

Beans were quickly followed by a swig of milk to help get the bite down, but at least she tried it. Then nice Mommy brought out the grilled cheese sandwich I had made in anticipation of Sophia hating the bean burgers.

Sophia has started this new thing related to eating. She says "I want sumpin'!" . . . code for "Give me something to eat now, I'M HUNGRY!"

"I want sumpin'!" is the most frequently heard refrain around our house these days, as Sophia is hungry 24/7. Unfortunately, it is usually followed by a very specific request . . . these days it is pancakes.

Sure, Sophia, let me just drop everything and make you pancakes. At 3 in the afternoon. While your brother sleeps on me in the Moby for another 2 1/2 hour nap. Right-o.

Another fun food behavior crops up every Wednesday, when we spend the day at my friend Carrie's house. Sophia has learned that Carrie has more fun food then we do . . . at her level anyway. She can open the pantry door and get into the Cheez-Its on her own. Hello! Fun times when you are two! If she opens the pantry at our house she just finds recycled ziplock bags . . . the fun snacks are much higher up.

So then when Mommy bans her from getting into Carrie's pantry, she follows Carrie around with her empty plate (where the heck did she find that???) saying "More food, Miss Carrie, more food."

It's like she's Oliver Twist, but I promise I really do feed the kid.

Then today we finally had to have the "You can only eat off the floor at our house" talk. You know the one.

We were out at my breastfeeding support group and I had forgotten to bring Sophia a snack. Duh. She was being a very good girl, but kept saying "I want sumpin', Mama!" or "I wanna go home" (because home is where the food is). Group started to wrap up, and as I packed up I saw Sophia put something in her mouth.

"Sophia! What are you eating?!"

She held out her hand and one of the other moms took a piece of chocolate chip cookie out of it. I asked the Snuggler where she got it, but no answer, she just kept chewing. So I picked up the cookie bit, and found that it was rock hard, obviously leftovers from some group that had met in that particular conference room a LONG time ago.

This is the kid that won't eat my delicious homemade black bean burger, but she'll eat the decrepit month-old remains of a chocolate chip cookie off the floor? And this group meets at the hospital, so this ain't any old floor!

Her tongue hasn't fallen off yet, so I guess she didn't pick up any flesh eating disease. We really have had the "Only eat off of our floor" conversation now. You know, dropped cheerios and the like . . . the thirty second rule.

I love that she gives me something new to laugh about pretty much every day. And going from "Failure to thrive" to eating off the floor? I guess I'm cool with that.