Orange

We've been talking about feeding your family around here lately. But what about when the "family" is a seven month old?

As soon as he could hold his head up, my baby B howled with frustration at meal times because he wasn't getting any. As soon as he could move his hands he did his best to remedy that by swiping at our foods. As soon as the Pediatrician gave me the go ahead, I started him on solid foods.

Its been confusing though. Some days he'll gobble up the whole jar and start howling each time I take the spoon back to refill because it is now six inches away from his mouth and that is just Too Far. Other times when offered food he'll turn his head to the right and begin crying bitterly each time the spoon comes near, with a distinct tone of "you have got to be kidding me."

(Just for the record, I told my husband before B was born that this child would be more compliant but a horrible sleeper and a picky eater. No word yet on compliance but otherwise I'm 2 for 2).

In my sleep deprived state it took me until this week to recognize the pattern. He loves peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots, and squash. He screams with personal offense about anything and everything else.

Orange. I guess his favorite color is Orange.

My feeding-your-child philosophy has always been: Offer what is being served. If child does not want it, he can have a no-thank you helping. If that's all he wants, fine, he won't starve. If he's hungry enough he'll eat it. Under no circumstances will a separate meal be prepared. Avoid power struggles and slippery-slopes.

This is a seven month old though. Power struggles are still in the future, but the slippery slopes begin now. So I'm baffled - do I buy mostly Orange Stuff because he's a baby and needs to eat? (He is, after all, still a very little Bee). Or do I continue to buy and toss Other Colored Foods? (But what is the point of buying food I know will only go in the garbage?) Or, do I mix a variety of foods into a still-predominantly-orange blend resulting in a more balanced diet but not teaching him how to eat (and enjoy!) what is being served?

In the meantime, all our rags, bibs, and increasingly, clothes, are permanently stained Orange.