By the book...

I have always been a do things "by the book" kind of girl. So I, of course, thought I would be a "buy the book" kind of Mom. It wasn't long after Holden was born, I stopped reading the baby books. I found them depressing and the advice really didn't apply to our situation. But now that Holden is doing so much better, I have found myself referring to and reading the baby/toddler books again. The funny thing is, I've learned to read the advice, but ultimately you need to modify things to what works best for your child.

This certainly applies to Holden's eating. Now that he's walking, he thinks he has much better things to do than to sit still and eat. Everything I've read and professionals that I've talked to, say do not turn it into a battle. So I encourage Monkey to eat, but I know when to call it quits. Unfortunately, because of his medical issues, I also need to make sure he has steady growth. So I find myself following him around the house (following the meal) offering him more food. It turns out, once he's distracted with his toys, he'll open his mouth for Mommy. Not quite what I prefer, but I am doing what I have to do. So if you happen to come over and find a fruit loop or fishie cracker on our hardwoods, you'll know why!!

And while Holden may not be too much into eating right now, he likes to encourage Alex to eat. And when Alex doesn't eat, Holden likes to throw his dog food all over the floor! We are definitely working on the word "NO"!

Saturday is going to be a busy but fun day. We have the FL/GA game (go Gators) and then Holden is having some friends over for Pizza before Trick or Treating as a group. Monkey is going to be Mickey Mouse. I think his costume is adorable. I'll be sure to post lots of pictures next week. I hope everyone has a safe, but fun Halloween!!