The Great Tomato Soup Saga of 2009

Yesterday for lunch DuckyBoy acquiesced to eating tomato soup with Goldfish crackers and some cheesy munchie mix.

We began with the tomato soup mug about half-full, because I know he never eats too much of the soup itself.

He ate most of the crackers and a tiny bit of soup and then announced he was full.

I let him take a break, then told him he had to finish the soup.

Oh, the wailing and gnashing of teeth that ensued!

I put it in the subway-map mug. It was full but it's much smaller, so it looked like less.

Relieved that it was less than he thought, he agreed to eat/drink more while I read to him.

The book finished, he'd had the rest of the crackers and about a third of what was in the subway cup.

"Fuulllllllllll!" he complained.

As much for me as for him, I proceeded to pour the remaining soup into a measuring cup. It was a measly quarter-cup of soup. I was not going to feel guilty about making my kid have a quarter-cup of soup That I Know He Likes.

I put my foot down: We were not going to go outside, or play (both of which he wanted to do) until that soup was gone.

Now, I never do this. Many other people do, I know, it's not a new concept to make your children clean their plates, but I tend to be more laissez faire -- when he's hungry he cleans his plate, when he's not he doesn't.

But this is ridiculous -- he agrees to soup and drinks a tablespoonful?!

So it was a real OK Corrall-style standoff. After a few moments of his fussing I finally said, "You can eat this soup or go to your room!"

Oh, that was NOT what he wanted to hear! He went in and out of his room a couple of times, then --surprise, surprise! -- managed to drink the rest of the soup.

I think the novelty of having it from the measuring cup helped.

But good grief! It takes a cabinetful of cups to feed a child ...

Finding Time for God

Last week I truly benefited from doing a devotional early in the morning. I was looking forward to a slightly relaxed morning with plenty of time to read, since I was going to drive DB to school today. I got up at 6 am -- close to the usual time -- expecting to spend 5 minutes making a phone call, take a shower, then spend some time with God.

The phone call(s) took half an hour. (Click link if you want to know why.)

Then, I took my shower, and by the time I was dressed, DB was up.
I got him settled on the couch and went to make his lunch.

I spied yesterday's leftover coffee and poured it into a microwavable pitcher and started heating it.

Then I filled the coffee maker.

Then I had to refill the Brita water pitcher.

Then my leftover coffee was hot so I poured a cup and had to refill the sugar bowl.

I noticed my phone on the counter and put it in my pocket.

That made me think about where my watch was...

And I hadn't yet started packing DB's lunch... or snack... or breakfast!

Of course I also hadn't done my devotional yet either, which made me think of all the things we do instead of spending time with God.

Last week went so well for all of us, I absolutely ascribe it to being grounded by that prayer and reading time. I'm not going to let that habit slip away.

And yes, I've done my reading this morning. I sat down as soon as I got home from driving DB to school.

What Do Police Medals, a Chicken Cutlet, and the R Train Have in Common?

Answer: DuckyBoy today.

We had a great time at the NYC Police Museum today.

More accurately, we had a great time taking the subway to the Police Museum, walking several interesting blocks through downtown Manhattan to the museum, racing through the museum, checking out the gift shop, getting something to eat, and taking the subway home.

I could have spent longer looking at every photo and placard, but that's me; DB's dad has taught me not everyone likes to do that, so we usually compromise somewhere in between. Since he wasn't with us, I made DB compromise just a bit.

I never know what will pique his interest -- he was the most interested in the Medal of Honor on display in the 9.11 exhibit, awarded to the police officers who died that day. And all the badges. And he could relate to the exhibit about the School Safety officers since he sees one at school every day. He was interested in all the different divisions of the NYPD.

The pretend jail cell freaked him out because of the super-squeaky door. Whatever it takes, right?? So don't go to jail and the doors will never be that squeaky, yah!

The "getting something to eat" was a big deal, a big success: We ate at a deli, just a standard NY deli, but a good one -- one with yummy chicken cutlets -- which DB deemed nuggets and promptly ate enough that I was satisfied he ate enough! It's a good thing to drag the kid on the subway and through a (small) museum before he gets to eat. Come to think of it, maybe that's why he was in a hurry... no, he didn't mention being hungry till we left the museum.

The subway ride was nice on the way home; today was 94 degress or some such crazy number, so DB was pretty tired out. he actually put his head on my lap and closed his eyes, more than once! He never does that!

But he perked up for swimming. The cold pool probably helped.

After that we hooked up with Daddy and DB got a ride on Dad's shoulders the whole rest of the way home. That was a good reward for him to get, he did well today.

That is, once he stopped pushing me! Like, he comes up behind me and SHOVES me! What's with that?! I told him the next time he does it he owes me $1. Now he owes me $6 or $7 because after he forgot and did it again, he didn't believe me about his fine and kept doing it. I told him if he does all my shredding (he's the head shredder anyway but this pile is above and beyond his usual duties) I'll call it even. I just want to make him think.

Finally, bedtime!
Seems like it will never come,
And he drags it out.

What is with this kid,
We spent all day together
Still can't let me go?

Five years I wait for
Him to want to separate;
Still waiting most days.

Lunch Planning, With Autism

Kari had a recent post that included how she packed her son's lunch. Her son The Cat has long reminded me of DuckyBoy, and even though my comment on her post got posted twice (sorry, Kari!!) I thought I'd put my ideas here as well.

Kari was relating an experience about trying to pack her son's lunch and having him say no to everything she tried to put in. DB would do the same if I let him. I think he would have oyster crackers, potato sticks, and Newman-O's every day in his lunch if I let him decide.

I also don't have the time or the tolerance for the back-and-forth negotiating at 7 am, so now we decide in advance, in writing, what main dish I will pack each day of the upcoming week. I choose the sides and dessert each morning (or the night before) based on what he likes, occasionally trying something new.

Most weeks I remember to do it, at bedtime snack time on Sunday night, and it works pretty well. I post the list on one of the kitchen cabinets. It helps me as much as it helps him!

Some weeks I'll let him choose the same thing (like pasta) every day. Other weeks I figure, in exchange for giving him the privilege of mostly picking what he gets to eat, I get to pick the 5th day (and I tell him what it is immediately) or I'll say he needs to eat 2 different things over the 5 days.

So this week, for example, he has pasta today -- with Grandma's sauce, which is great since we were eating that for dinner as we made the list and it's an unusual lunch choice for him. Tomorrow is his school's Field Day, so no Thermoses, so he can have one of his beloved Uncrustables.

I told him that today or Thursday he needs to have a homemade ham sandwich, so he chose that for Thursday. (Poor kid, Boar's Head honey ham on Arnold whole-wheat bread, it's a tough life.)

For Friday he chose another Uncrustable. At $1 apiece, I try to limit those to 1-2 a week, which is why he has pasta today (his first choice was another Uncrustable). They're also not that hearty -- pb&j on white bread, I might as well pack him a candy bar -- but it has the appearance of being a Real Lunch Choice, so that counts for something.

It helps that we do this menu planning at a time when he usually wants to be doing something else -- he's finished his dinner and wants to go watch TV, and I don't let him until we have this done.

And he's good about it -- even when he doesn't eat the homemade sandwich, for example, as happened a couple of weeks ago, at least he knew it was coming. And I try to give him something hearty on the side those days just in case ... like peanut butter cookies for protein and potato sticks for the fat.