Something in her voice

I'm still at work.  Previews... 

Just called home to check how dinner and bedtime were going.  Izz had just come out of the bath and was sitting on the potty.  Daniel put her on the phone and there was something in her voice that sounded tentative.  I asked him if he heard it too -- "yeah", he said, "she was a little cranky tonight."  I wondered if it was because I've had to work the last two nights... and he said, "I think she senses that big changes are coming."

Could that be? Next Tuesday she starts pre-school.  We've gone twice in the last two weeks.  Both times she's warmed up to it, but, initially she was very very shy.   I wonder if she senses that she is going to leave the only day care she has ever known and try something new.  

Sometimes I really wonder what's inside my little toddler's head.  I want to know so I can wrap my arms around her and reassure her that everything is going to be ok. 

Try It? Or ... be careful what you wish for.

Being a Mom on the heavier side - I'm very sensitive to what Izzie eats.  I want to make sure she has a good relationship with food, and that she eats good foods.  Daniel and I also don't want to force her to eat, or clean up her plate if she isn't hungry.  We just want her to at least "try it" -- and if she doesn't like something, she can put it down.

We find ourselves saying "just try it" often... and I guess Izzie has been listening because she does take a quick taste, and sometimes she keeps eating, and sometimes she makes a face and puts it down.  Good job Mom and Dad!  Except....

Now, when Izzie is eating something, no matter how messy, how sticky, she'll hold it up to one of us and say "try it?".  Oh no... what do we do?  We can't not try something she's offering to us -- that would make us hypocrites, right??  How can we ask her to try things if we won't.   ARGH!!!! PARENTING!!!

Perfect example -- this morning she had breakfast. She didn't eat all her oatmeal, so of course, a half hour later she was a bit hungry.  She took a piece of cheese, but, Petey stole it... so, she headed back to the fridge and picked out some yogurt.  I sat her down in her high chair and gave her a spoon.  Instead of using the spoon (which she knows how to use very very well) she dipped her fingers in the yogurt.  Must have felt great on her little fingers, because she dunked her whole hand in there and started scooping out yogurt to eat.  Fine with me -- she can have fun with food as long as it's not in public.  Well... then she holds out her chubby little fingers and says, "Try it?"... Oh gross! No..... 

I think these exchanges are the reason why Izzie's new word is "ewww"....  yup.. she's really been listening!