I Think I’ve Changed
December 28, 2007 by Veronica Mitchell
With my first baby, I introduced new foods strictly by a doctor-recommended schedule. Rice cereal, then barley, then oats. Green vegetables, then orange vegetables, then fruits. Yogurt at eight months. She did not have cookies or chocolate or ice cream until she was over a year old.
Today I sat at the computer feeding my third baby the frosting off my donut.
My daughter and I are pretty much in agreement on how to care for her 7-month-old son. But over Christmas my far greater casualness about what foods were appropriate was apparent.
My second baby knew what ice cream was by the time he was crawling. Lucky later-born children!
Hee hee hee. This cracks me up. It happens every time.
We have four children and we had them in sets of two. So there is 14 years between the oldest and the youngest. People ask me what we are doing differently this go round. I say we are stricter on some things and more lenient on others. I would say food and germs are the things I have relaxed the most about. I would say I have pretty much relaxed myself into a coma these days.
So true. Not only food, but clothes. My first was always dressed to the nines when we were out in public. Darling outfits, matching bows and headbands, cute shoes. My youngest lived in sleepers the whole first year of his life. I don’t think I got him dressed more than twice. I even took him to church in footie pajamas…
I have 5 kids and can so relate! When the first dropped their pacifier I boiled it sterile. By the last one, I just had the dog lick it clean. Oh I kid— kind-of. Smiles!
Lysa TerKeurst
My third child, with whom I was the most relaxed about food and schedules, is by far my happiest even now that she’s an adult. I do believe there were times she ate cheerios off the floor. My first child rarely saw the floor, if you know what I mean and I think you probably do!
Too funny! Too true as well!
Yep (says mother of five). I think that’s partly what makes later-born children happy. We’re casual–they’re happy. Also, I’m a collector of studies on how healthy doses of germs and family conflict are good for children.
I wonder if that’s not why my second daughter is a less picky eater…mmm, I wish I could find a frosted donut.
I was a third-frosting-eating-child. The frosting helped to make up for the fact that I never got a new bike or had any pictures taken of me.
Sounds familiar.
Ah yes, I know this phenomenon well–I can only imagine what I’d be feeding a third child, but I do know that child #2 certainly had a taste of refined sugar long before #1!
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Ohhh so funny. I can totally relate this one. DeClan is the happiest baby I have had! Although it wasn’t my idea for the relaxation of the rules .. his big brothers are sneaking things to him … hehe … it’s ok .. they are forming a VERY close bond.
Ha! This post and Antique Mommy’s comment are being stored away for future reference pending #3’s arrival. Mmmmm, frosting…
heh heh
My second one has already had a few special tastes that his brother was deprived of until he was almost two!
Happy New Year. It’s how we survive.
Wait, am I reading my own blog? Oh, no, still on Toddler Dredge.
I could have written every word of this.