Tonight I made tuna noodle casserole–not a family favorite, but occasionally on the menu nonetheless. Daniel actually likes it better than I do, I think.
I dished out the dinner–just for the kids since Daniel was not getting home till around 7 PM, and 3-year-old Micah surprised me. He said, “I’ll feed Carissa,” and went over to her high chair.
I almost said ‘no, she can feed herself,’ until I saw that before I could say anything, he had already put a bite on the fork and she was chewing it up!
Wow, I thought. Maybe he’ll get her to eat this, even though she had a bunch of animal crackers this afternoon for a snack. Unfortunately, Riss is not a fan of pasta. And she has just hit that plateau that all my kids hit about this age–when they go from inhaling everything in sight, and wanting seconds, thirds and fourths–to suddenly picking at their food and eating almost nothing.
Micah was impressive–he fed her so quickly that Mara was calling across the table, ‘Micah, let her chew the bite before you put more in her mouth!’–but that’s how Micah eats, so I’m sure he thinks that’s “normal.”
Between bites, Micah would say, “Great job, Caritha!” and “You’re doing thhho well! Just a few more bites!” What an encouraging brother!!! (Where is this coming from?!)
In mere minutes, Micah had cleaned up her entire plate! I plan to assign him to feed Carissa from this day on.
I couldn’t believe it. And I couldn’t stop wondering where this amazing display of goodwill had come from. Or why she was SO willing to eat the food if Micah put it in her mouth?
“You’re SUCH a big helper!” I exclaimed. “Thank you, Micah!”
“Yeth!” he agreed. “I’m a big helper!”
As soon as she finished what was on her plate, I said, “Okay, Micah, now you need to sit down and eat yours.”
He sat down at the table and instantly burst into tears. “But I really don’t like it!” he sobbed.
I was shocked. I was really not expecting that response. Especially after he had fed Carissa her entire plate without a word of complaint about the food.
Wow.
Soooo was all that a ploy to avoid eating his casserole? or am I reading way too much into this 3-year-old’s actions? . . . Some times I wonder what. on. earth. is going on in this boy’s head.
Mara and Micah began asking if they could have ice cream if they finished their casserole. Carissa–so excited–was calling, “Daddy! KEEM! Keem! [cream]”
With the promise of ice cream cones for dessert, they all finished their casserole.