Chef William

I was very annoyed with Wm's picky eating this weekend after I realized I had cooked a meal for Steve and I and then cooked an entirely different meal for Wm nearly every time we ate.  Cooking special meals was something I swore I'd never do. But I had fallen into the trap!!  Since Wm literally gags and/or vomits if forced to eat something he doesn't like, I know he's not messing around - and it really ruins my dinner to watch him over there gagging.  Not pleasant.  After I googled some tips on dealing with picky eaters a couple things happened....
- I discovered Wm is seriously not that picky.  Some of the other parents on there are dealing with crazy stuff that I never even dreamt about.  At least Wm eats a fresh fruit/vegetable with every meal.  Some kids NEVER do. And they eat So. Much. Sugar. Wm rarely even has dessert after a meal.
- I need to chill out about Wm's eating, getting upset doesn't help anything.
- Wm is old enough to deal with his own business.
So we started a new meal time program this evening!  Wm can eat what I have cooked - or he can cook his own dinner (he must include a main dish, at least one fruit or vegetable, and one side dish).  For now, I am supervising/helping, but I told him he has to be 100% self sufficient by his 8th birthday.  Tonight, Wm cooked himself a hotdog (all natural, nitrate-free!), baby carrots, and chips. He ate it all.  Happily.  And got Jello for dessert.  It was a pleasant meal.  Amazing.  He even tried 2 bites of the chili I made!  Of course, he didn't like it...but trying it is progress!  Usually he will just lick at something and then claim it's "gross."

We all have a yucky cold.  Steve rarely gets colds, so he is miserable (both feeling and to be around).  Wm has it too, but does not believe it to be so.  I made some comment about the whole family being sick and Wm goes, "I'm not sick!" Then loudly sneezed. He also fell down the stairs HARD yesterday - it sounded like someone had dropped a dozen bowling balls down the stairs.  I go, "Oh my god, man, are you OK?" and he goes, "yeah...why?" and got up and walked away as if nothing had occurred.  Yet it is drizzling rain and he keeps asking me if we are going to have a tornado.  He's a weird one!

Wm is very hopeful there will be no school tomorrow!  I figure he's probably right.  Probably Tuesday as well.  It would be very convenient if OSU closed as well so I could sleep off this cold.  Steve, meanwhile, says he is going to work no matter what - and he's the sickliest of us all!