Letter to J: Calm down mumma...

Dear Jay,

It was lunch time. I have been feeding you your meals with on and off trials of helping you get independent in this area. But your efforts were totally depended on the menu, literally. 

I remember why I didn't let you eat by yourself in the first place, I didn't like the long hour of sitting at the table and waiting for you to finish. Neither I wanted you to sit all by yourself eating the same 'roti' you have in the plate since an hour, while I finish rest of the cleaning. staring at you while you eat or repeating the 'Hurry up' mantra for the entire meal was sure to make both of us nervous. No, I did not want that. I was not ready. The idea of Baby Lead Weaning aka BLW was only working in my head, not out on the plate.

Yet, the other day, I was reminding you 'again' to take the next bite, with higher pitch than normal, feeling helpless if you would ever enjoy your own meals eating with your own hands. You looked at me, peeping straight into my eyes, embracing me with the words, "Calm Down Mumma" and took a couple of deep breaths, showing me how to. At that moment, I felt loved and cared, more than ever. You knew, I needed that.

(The snack basket filled with some of your likes and some of mine)

And there came a day, when I made a snack basket for you. Filling it with three small containers of different food. I tried to keep variety of food and kept a note of what you like and what not. Also made sure to have something you would absolutely love in one of them, like a cookie or two, the sugery stuff you know, plus a small bowl. It totally worked. You taught yourself to take the snack in the bowl and put the empty container on the counter, so I know it needs a refill. It was a simple put together of what you can handle independently, in a little corner of kitchen cubby. We have worked on opening and closing jars and bottles before, so  I knew you could help yourself confidently.

To my surprise, you have chosen healthy stuff, home made stuff and tried more variety than I have thought you would, especially with that cookie right in front. Not that you left the cookie alone, but your choices were well balanced. In the past few days I have seen a significant change in your meal time self feeding as well, it is a good one. We are not Hundred percent there but we are moving forward with firm footsteps. The taste of independence is always sweet son, always.

Love,
mom.