Guacamole Moodle

This is the post where I brag because we are finally seeing some payoff in Moodle's eating habits. We've been struggling for more than a year now to strike the balance between offering her new, different foods and offering her foods we know she will eat, while simultaneously tricking her into eating vegetables and meat. And making sure she doesn't get bored with her food choices.

Eating is a requirement for living. Why is it so complicated when there is a toddler involved?

Anyway, we've been plugging away at it for a long time now, and we are at the point where we try not to make a big deal out of anything. We just put it in front of her, and then show her that Mommy and Daddy are enjoying it. Works maybe half the time. If I'm worried she didn't eat enough, I throw some fruit on her plate at the end of the meal. Parenting is about compromise, or so I'm told.

Yesterday, Moodle and I went out for our first dinner at a sit-down restaurant with just the two of us. Usually when it is just the two of us and we go out, it's more like McD's. But I really didn't want fast food, and I had a long day, and didn't want to cook either, even something easy. Max Powers and I had discovered a local Mexican joint, and it seemed like a pretty relaxed place. And nachos sounded delicious. Plus, they give you warm chips and mild salsa while you wait for your food, which Moodle would love.

I let her play on the bench next to me while we waited for our food and ate chips and salsa. And when they brought out the guacamole I ordered, Moodle dug in with a chip without waiting to be invited. Score! She's rejected avacado in the past, but seemed to enjoy this, especially when she realized she could dip the chip in both guac and salsa. She was enjoying it so much, I started to worry that she was going to fill up on chips before our dinner even got there.

It turns out I needn't have worried (which is usually true). When dinner came she ignored my crazy nachos (so delicious! amazing queso) and dove into her wet bean burrito. They were considerate to put it on a cool plate (they usually serve on hot plates to keep the food warm longer), and once I cut it up she ate half a huge burrito with her hands. She even settled into her booster seat with no complaints.

When the server came by to ask how our food was, he just laughed. "She doesn't need to tell me she likes the food. You can tell from her face!" Which was, of course, adorably covered in beans and red sauce. As was her sweatshirt, my sleeve, and the table. She grinned at the waiter through a mouthful of burrito. When we were done, I cleaned up as best as I could, and left a good tip.

As we left, I was feeling like parent of the year. Dinner out with no behavior problems, great eating, and new foods. But apparently Moodle REALLY liked this place, because she started kicking and screaming as we were leaving. Certainly loud enough to disturb other customers, and so I hastened my exit as best as I could.

Sigh. Bubble was burst. But as Meatloaf said, two outta three ain't bad.