Friday Things
1. Dominic is TEN months old today! I have no idea how we’re already closing in on his first birthday, but each day he seems to grow up just a bit more. He started really clapping his hands this week; I had been working with him on it, but he did it totally on his own, in a fit of pure glee on Wednesday. We were in the bathroom with Joseph and I cheered for him using the potty. Dominic was sitting on my lap, got so excited and squealed and clapped like mad. Then I got excited about THAT, and he just kept going and going, ha! Ever since, he’s been clapping every time he gets excited, it’s so adorable.
2. We’re still trying to get Joseph on the potty regularly and sometimes he’s super enthusiastic about it, and sometimes he flat out refuses to go use it if I suggest it. We’re holding off on doing any potty training boot camp until he’s a little more consistent in his enthusiasm, but still getting him on there when we can!
3. And on a related, but different, note – I would love some ideas about what to feed a picky toddler. AHEM. Or just how to make some different foods more fun? He’s resisting a lot nowadays (including stuff he used to eat), and eating a lot of the same stuff all the time. Help me get creative!
4. I am in absolute and total awe of this carving… a giant lion was carved from a single redwood tree trunk and it took 20 people three years to do it. Seriously amazing!
5. Let’s talk jeans… I want to know your favorite pair!
6. I could not stop watching this video about a bread bakery in Montana; I want to go there!
7. If you’re on the unicorn bandwagon (or know a little girl who is), you’ll love this hooded afghan crochet pattern – super cute!
8. Did any of you give the no bake rosé cheesecake a try yet? If so, don’t forget to snap a photo, share it on Instagram, and tag @thebrowneyedbaker!
9. I can’t believe that the first preseason football game was last night! What are your favorite game day eats?
10. TGIF! I hope you can enjoy some sunshine with your favorite people this weekend!
The carving of the lion reminded me of a news story that happened near me. A CA Redwood was struck by lightening in April and the tree had to come down but the owners had an artist come out and create a bear sculpture out of the trunk. http://www.kcra.com/article/dead-tree-transformed-into-work-of-art-in-granite-bay-neighborhood/10327249
Smoothies are my saving grace right now it my picky eater. Yogurt and frozen straw berries cover a lot of other things ;-) or add some vanilla. I usually sneak in green beans or broccoli I to the smoothie. Pretty sure it’s the only veggie little man gets most days
Great idea Danielle, I haven’t tried smoothies, but Joseph LOVES bananas and strawberries and yogurt, so that might work!
There are Great Harvest bakeries all over Utah if you’re ever out here!
I’m from Montana and actually only live 2 blocks from a Great Harvest. There bread is great. If you ever get out this way make sure you stop by one. I think there are other locations around the country also. Another great product from Montana is flour from Wheat Montana. If you ever see it try it. It makes awsome baked goods.
Michelle, Thanks again for sharing your family with us… They’re adorable! Love the photos and thanks for the interesting links.
Aw you’re welcome Kathy, thank you for the comment :)
I LOVE Citizens for Humanity jeans at Nordstroms! 💜
Thanks, I will check them out!
I three sons. One in med school, one in college, one in jr high. They have very different tastes in food. I did not tolerate extreme pickiness. (For example, no nixing whole food groups or cooking something else for them.) They all eat a variety of fruits and veggies now though one is picky about how certain veggies are cooked–it’s a texture thing. However, they all have friends who only eat corn, mashed potatoes or french fries, macaroni & cheese, chicken nuggets and hamburgers (with nothing on them). Whatever you do, don’t give in to that! Good luck! And, don’t sweat the potty training thing! I don’t know one kid who went to kindergarten in diapers! :)
PrAna jeans- they are the best! Â Comfortable, cute, flattering. Â
Thanks, I’ll check them out!
When our kids were small, our excellent pediatrician told us there are two issues you must NEVER battle over with a toddler: eating and using the potty. You (the parent) will never win and you can cause a lot of heartache for yourself and the little one. I also subscribed to the idea that potty teaching can take a few days when the child is ready OR it can take a few years if he isn’t. It is super frustrating when you are in the almost ready stage but if you don’t make a big deal about it, the process will go more smoothly.
Thanks Ashley, totally agree with you! That’s why we’re not pushing the potty thing – if he’s excited and asks to go, awesome! But if I ask and he says no, I just say “okay”. I’ve had a couple of friends echo the same thing – they tried early on and got nowhere fast, then waited and when the child was ready it was quick and easy.
Banana Republic jeans..they have them at the outlet on the sale rack. As for your picky kiddo..I have 2 kids 7& 8. I rarely give them a choice for meals. If they don’t like it they don’t have to eat it but even to this day an hour later they want to fill up on all kinds of snacks. So then you have an unhealthy kid eating snacks all day..I’m not a restaurant. Eventually they get hungry at dinner and choose to eat. You should see the lunchroom nowadays what parents pack their kids for lunch because they don’t like anything…sugar and more sugar and junk. Then they wonder why they’re sick all the time..just a thought..
Yeah Joseph doesn’t really eat any junk food or sugary treats. He loves fruit, loves sandwiches, yogurt, avocado, pretzels… my biggest hurdle is meat and veggies.
Why would only a little girl (or one of your presumably female readers) be interested in that unicorn shawl? I see nothing inherently feminine about it.
The boys are so cute! Yay on the enthusiasm between them. The food issue is tough…he does have to eat a variety of foods….
I remember learning from a nutritionist when my firstborn was young that a child’s serving is one tablespoon per year of age. It didn’t help with the pickiness issue but it relieved my “Is he eating enough?” anxiety.
My favorite jeans are NYDJ–comfy and flattering; they have a higher waist so I don’t get a muffin top.
It was cool to see Great Harvest Bakery featured! I live in Seattle, and though they started in Montana, they have franchises all over our area. It’s so nice to be served a thick slice of delicious, freshly baked bread every time you visit. Their bread is incredible!
So jealous you live near one of those bakeries! Have a big piece for me next time!
Please check out Kath Eats Real Food Blog!!! Just yesterday she her blog was titled “How I Got My Four Year Old To Eat Vegetables”. It was great. Mind you, my kids are just about 26 and 22 :) but I am anticipating grandchildren one day and I found her ideas to be fantastic.
She has such a down to earth attitude, I just love it!
Thanks for keeping us an extended part of your family. I love my Friday Things, I really look forward to it! I love hearing about the boys…seeing a picture of Duke at the end….it makes my morning. Thank you!
Sometimes, it’s the little things that get you through the day….
Thank you so much, going to check out that blog post! And thank you for the super sweet comment :)
Elena Paravantes at Olive Tomato wrote a post recently titled 8 Ways to Get Your Kids To Love Vegetables. I’m a huge fan of foods of the Mediterranean, especially Italian and Greek, and have read a lot about them.  Her advice to start with vegetable purees and to make sure the food tastes good is an idea I’ve encountered in other readings.  Jeannie Marshall wrote “Italian parents make food taste so good the kids can’t resist.”
In addition, make sure that Joseph is hungry when it’s time to eat.  Over time babies put more and more time between feedings.  About the time they start solid foods, there are usually 4 or more hours between feedings.  Yet as soon as they’re weaned and eating solid foods only, we start feeding them every 2-3 hours.  They’re grazing all day long and really don’t get hungry.  They don’t need more than 3 meals and 1 snack.  Hunger isn’t a bad thing and it isn’t an emergency. Â
Serve him the vegetables and meat first.  If he’s hungry, he’ll be more likely to eat them then.  If he refuses them or barely picks at them, don’t offer a substitution.  Offer the food again in a few days or a week, maybe prepared differently. Â
I raised two picky eaters and have more ideas on that, but you’re dealing with a 2 y/o who has discovered he has the ability to assert his will.  Though he’s not conscious of it, he’s also aware of how you react to his actions.  Food shouldn’t be a reward, punishment or bribe.  You decide what will be served and when it will be served. He decides if he’s going to eat it and how much he will eat. Â
Yes! Our pediatrician said the basic rule to use is – you decide what and when, he decides if and how much. No forcing, no battles, just let it be.
My food thoughts. Have Joseph help you in kitchen, kids who have a hand in what they make are more likely to eat it.
Also a couple of food choices to pick between and letting them know you are not making anything else until the next time/meal (and sticking with it) is important. Of course visual presentation works wonders too. Besides eating out of an ice cube tray I have also seen 6 slot muffin tin. One of my favorites as a kid was being served small items and having a tooth pick to poke and eat. Simple.
This sounds so weird but when my daughter went through a tough stage I started cutting everything small and giving her a toothpick to feed herself with. Â I had realized the only time she wasn’t picky was at Costco/Sams with the samples. Â Worked for us!
Oh that’s so funny! Might be something to try!
Favorite jeans — William Rast by Justin Timberlake. These are my fav pair of jeans. They have the right amount of give, don’t give me a butt/back bubble and just feel amazing, plus the quality is awesome. I score them on sale from Lord and Taylor. Also 7 for all mankind is great too, also with a good amount of stretch and high quality. Big fan! Good luck and happy shopping!
Thanks for the jeans recommendations!
I feel for you with the picky eater. I went from having a 1 year old who would eat anything I put in front of him to a two-year-old who refused almost everything that wasn’t french fries, Goldfish crackers, and chicken nuggets. The good news is, at now five years old, he has come back around to being a pretty good eater. At least I can bribe him easier into eating and trying more foods.
Some of the things that works for me were more about display than actual food. My son loved it when I cut up food really small and put it in ice cube trays. I would also throw in a couple of things that I knew he liked, like Goldfish crackers or pretzels, maybe a couple of mini m&m’s at the end. He also became a fan of Lunchables. So I started making them at home and I bought a cool bento box for him. He will eat anything that I put in the bento box, and he likes to try chopsticks. I have cut sandwich components using cookie cutters. I also make sure I have bread for him to eat at every meal to fill his tummy, especially if I know I’m serving a potential no-go food. But I refuse to cook separately for him, and he knows it. So some nights he might eat just bread and fruit and a raw veggie (he only likes veggies raw, like sliced peppers, carrots, celery). Sometimes adding a dip helps too. I noticed for awhile he didn’t like thick sauces on food, so I’d take some of his meat out of the pan and scrape off sauces for him. This made a huge difference in him eating casseroles.
It will pass, that’s the good news. Especially with a momma who’s as great a cook/baker as you.
I’ll have to try some dips again… I tried ketchup awhile back but he wasn’t interested! Good idea about the display, as well.
My stepson is 4 and when he was 2 to 3, he straight up stopped eating anything but chicken nuggets and fries. Nothing we did or made could convince him to try anything else. He actually started losing weight and we were freaking out until his doctor said “You know what kids like- French fries and ice cream. Feed him those- all he wants. He doesn’t need to be losing weight and he’ll snap out of it eventually.” It was like a reprieve from the parent guilt of not doing enough healthy food. Sam ate variations of chicken, french fries, cookies (I would sneak some veggies and fruit into the cookies), and ice cream for about a year- happy as a clam and healthy. We also stop making him eat or taking to him about eating. We sat at the dinner table to be together as a family. If he didn’t feel like eating he didn’t have to. No pressure- completely his choice. Now that he’s four and a bit better at trying new things, our dinner time rule is you have to try at least a big bite of everything on your plate at every meal and every meal has a Sam- friendly component he can fill up on like plain chicken, canned peas and carrots (apparently the soft square carrots are the best carrots- ick), etc. Fed is best even if the foods aren’t great. Let him have as much control as possible and explain why you want him to eat certain things. Kids, even crazy young kids, can understand that this food will make you stronger and faster and bigger than that food and you want him to be as strong and fast and big as possible!
Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your experience! My pediatrician sort of a similar sentiment – he said not to force him to eat anything, and to even try smothering veggies in cheese since he likes cheese. He said, sure it’s not the healthiest, but it’s all about compromise.
Hi! In terms of a picky toddler, both my boys went through that picky stage.  Don’t push things or it can be a constant battle at home and even going out to eat. Maybe offer  foods he used to eat to make it more fun  (maybe use small cookie cutters to make cool shapes out them)? And try to remember it’s just a phase. It will pass. As long as he’s eating and happy ( even if it’s the same foods on repeat)  :)Â
Favorite jeans are Anne Taylor Loft Curvy Fit Skinnys… I wasn’t so sure about the skinny jean trend, but these are amazing. Fit like a glove with enough stretch to get over my hips and booty and not leave a big gap at the waist. I have them in three washes!
Ahhhh I got a crop pair of these this summer, will definitely need to pick up a regular pair for the fall!
Hi, ok my favorite pair of jeans right now are by Silver Jean Co. “mom jean”, please keep in mind I’m not a mom! Lol they are absolutely the most comfortable pair I own. They are button up,higher wasted, loose fitting skinny jean. I have been searching for a pair of skinny jeans that are not skin tight for awhile now. I love Silver jeans, I really don’t wear anything else. I would also love to know other brands – skinny jean w/out skin tight aspect…?
Love that description Tina! I also hate how skin-tight skinny jeans can be!
What stores carry this brand?
I am a picky eater & my 9 year old daughter is even more so than me. My two older boys ate everything. This could just be a stage for Joseph, toddlers go through that, esp. if he ate well before. Ride it out & it will get better. But if he’s truly a picky eater, not much will change that. I found it best to go with the recommended strategy of putting a food on the child’s plate many times, without making them eat. Eventually they will try it & either like it or not. If they don’t, you can still have them eat a couple bites every time you have it. But, please, don’t forcefeed. It can cause all kinds of food issues.
I hear you, Laurie… I definitely lean on the picky side. I’ve never, ever liked most vegetables and basically just make myself eat them now because I know I should, but I don’t enjoy them. My mom and sister, however, LOVE them!
I am 100% with you on force feeding, I do not believe in it at all. I don’t do the whole “you have to clean your plate” either. I just feel like if Joseph says he’s done, forcing him to continue to eat could create unhealthy eating habits, i.e. thinking that just because food is in front of you it has to be eaten, even though your body is telling you you’re full (this coming from a habitually slow eater who very, very rarely ever finishes an entire meal and always needs a doggy bag!).
A friend went through the picky toddler stage and found her pediatrician gave good advice. Offer plenty of choices on the table making sure there is something they will eat,but don’t make it a big power struggle since it is about them discovering they can have control over their body. And don’t worry if they seem to only eat three foods for months, they’ll get over it and it won’t hurt them permanently. Wishing you patience and perseverance.Â
Thanks for the suggestions! I do try to give him at least one thing that I know for sure he’ll eat, I just wish I could get him to eat more protein and veggies!
There words: Arizona Denim Co. ! They’re the only jeans that fit my waist and legs comfortably! I have like four pairs! By the way, I’m not sure if this problem is on your end or mine, but when I leave a comment every time I hit the space bar my keyboard switches to capital letters. Just the first letter of every word, So That If I Dont Hit The Caps/ Lowercase Button My Sentences Come Out Like THis. It seems to just be your site that’s doing it. Just thought I’d tell you!
Hi Zoe, That’s so weird! I haven’t heard anyone else mention the caps problem, but I’ll check it out.
It may sound weird, but I like the jeans, shorts, and pants from Bass Pro Shop. The Natural Reflections (their “store brand”) fits me perfectly. My favorite are the boot it that is a simple jean, they are folded on shelves. They last forever! There are some others that will be hanging up that have more style and pocket details that I sometimes like too.Â
The shorts are a nice length, not too short and not Bermuda style either.
Their pants can sometimes get too cargo for me, but they often have a nice simple and comfy pant.Â
Never thought to look there, thank you!
Last year I discovered Wit & Wisdom jeans. They are awesome!!!!! They are a middle of the pack when it comes to price…definitely not really cheap. I always buy them from Nordstrom since they always have free shipping & free returns (I don’t have a store near me). Right now Nordstrom is having their Anniversary Sale & some Wit & Wisdom jeans are in the sale :) Good Luck!!!!!!!
Thanks Julie, I will check them out!
From a mom with two boys in college and one starting the second half of high school, based on the potty training resistance and sudden pickiness with foods (esp ones he used to like), you’ve entered the “I want control” phase.  What worked for me was to start giving choices that I pre-selected.  Keep him in Pull-Ups type pants but act entirely uninterested when he chooses to go on the potty or in his pants. Even if he starts being dry after nap time – don’t get excited. He’s probably a smart kid who’s got your number and has figured out what you desire…and he’s going to play with that. Same with the food – let him think he gets to choose. Like, “Joseph, today you can choose either X or Y for lunch…what would you like?” And if he chooses neither, then he can skip lunch and feel hunger (which, c’mon, he’s a boy, that may happen once or twice in the beginning but trust me, it ends quickly!). Always make it between two things, though, or you’ll end up being a short-order cook for a tyrant, and that’s no bueno!  Just have patience and pretend as best as you can that you don’t care. 😘
Mine are 3 and 4 so I’m just exiting the “I want control” phase. What helped me:
– Let them “help” cook. “Finding” things out of the fridge or pantry, scooping with the measuring cup, putting out napkins or forks around the table. Then amp the “YOU helped make this nummy food” angle. The pride in their work is a huge motivator.
– Give them choices, but under your parameters. I always serve two veggies at dinner so I might say, “I’m picking green beans…what other veggie do YOU think we should have? I might decide on eggs for breakfast but they can pick if they’ll be over-easy or scrambled.
– I second Kristin – it is OK to let them feel hungry until the next snack/meal time. Most times, mine didn’t even notice their hunger.
– I don’t use dessert as punishment/reward…but I will act like I do. I’ll say, “We’re having ice cream tonight, but you haven’t eaten enough dinner for dessert yet. Finish some more of your rice.”
I also give gentle reminders (that, ugh!, my mom said to me):
– It’ doesn’t hurt to eat a few bites of something you don’t like.
– I know you don’t like it but I need you to eat a few bites more.
– I know it looks weird, but sometimes weird things taste the best!
– I made this food because I love you and it hurts my feelings when you say it’s gross (coupled with a very sad face).
In another year or two you’ll be able to warn “Your brother’s going to finish before you!!” and use the ensuing competition angle to your advantage. :)