Meet Lucille

My very first day of blogging.  I have decided to notably dedicate this blog  entry to my persnickety daughter, Lucy, in recognition of her eating habits and randomness.  She is the epitome of our life.  Crazy and wonderful.  My family says she's a mini-me.  As frustrated as I get with her, I can see their reasoning.

Let's start with this morning... (yes, I like ellipses, get used to it!) Being Spring break, we are taking it easy for breakfast/lunch meals and playing hard all day.  This morning were the Chocolate Pop Tarts I despise and my children love, along with the "healthy" egg of their choice, followed by a glass of milk to pull in the dairy.  Noah opted for boiled and Gabriel and Lucille for scrambled.  A half hour after everyone is done eating, guess who I am still trying to compromise with about eating everything on her plate?


Her eating habits are one of the many reasons we butt heads.  She just DOES NOT want to eat, unless she's in the mood.  The sad thing is, I GET this.  Eating wastes time.  It cuts into play.  Simple enough.  Except I'm a mother now and she IS going to eat what she is served, regardless of how she is a reflection of me at her age.  My four-and-a-half year old drama princess once had an argument about this with me and it didn't end well for her. 


Here's the snippet:

Me: Lucy, you need to eat everything on your plate.
Lucille (head tilt engaged): Dad said I only have to eat the toast.
Me: Well, MOM, says you have to eat everything, and Mom wins.
Lucille (without missing a beat, head still tilted, one hand now on right hip): Dad's older.
Me (thinking, GOOD ONE...you got me this time): You will eat everything NOW because Mom's the boss.
(turn around and heading out of room momentarily to collect myself so she doesn't see my weakness to humor)
Me (returning): Now eat.

Ahhhhhhhh... this is Lucille in a nut shell. 

I found her "carrot!"  I took out the phone to pretend to take a picture and simply told her to eat.  She rushed for the fork and began eating! (She actually posed for the above picture.)  She did end up finishing her meal shortly after I let her pose for this picture (and the next).  In fact, she finished her meal with a new sense of gusto. 

 

Moral:

            Roll in the permission to be dramatic and everything works out in "Lucy's World," making Mom a happy camper, too.