Eating Woes

Amelia is in the throes of becoming more independent. Most of you know what this means...we have a toddler. This week inside the house has been a trial of our patience. We accostumed ourselves to being outside as a diversion. Pretty much we spent most of the week inside, making little excursions here and there. Amelia was beside herself with impatience to get outside. Freezing cold weather did not permit more than a couple minutes outside. The outcome was a very cranky baby. She spent more minutes in Time Out than she ever has. Little stinker was hitting me, spitting out food onto the carpet, crying for no good reason, and yelling at me. I am not so sure Time Out really works for us. Amelia gets crankier and will often spend 30-45 minutes crying in the corner without stopping. This grates on my nerves to no end so now she gets one Time Out, and if the crying does not cease we go into her room, sit in the rocker, and cuddle until she is back in control of her feelings.

She is also going through the no eating phases. I am trying very hard to raise a non-picky child. She loves ramen, choco crispies, cheese, and pickles. It seems we battle through every meal, me trying to get her to eat healthy foods and her insisting on "Noonels" (noodles). Amelia will refuse to eat and come 8 pm she still has not eaten her dinner and is ravenous. Still she refuses to eat her dinner so goes to sleep cranky and wakes up cranky. I wonder if the battle is worth pursuing.

Beside the willfulness and independence battles she is a delightful child. She drags Cactus, her plastic horse anywhere she wants a leg up. Cactus goes to time out if he makes her fall. Amelia is also starting to put on her own clothes. She is delighted with her progress. When she goes down for her afternoon nap, she takes a book or two in with her. She actually reads/looks at the books until she falls asleep. I love this about her...since this is a favorite way I fall asleep. Wednesday she took her nap with a book in one hand and a pickle in the other. This week she called Justin by "Daddy Justin." He melts! I giggle!

Here are some videos taken this week:
Shake Your Booty Yah!!
Tuesday's Blizzard
Time Out Diva