Raising a Healthy Toddler

Toaster Strudels, it's what's for dinner!

So, my almost 20 month old has learned several new words in the last few weeks, including "cookie", "apple", "banana", "doggy", "tree" and "meow". "Apple" is the favorite, he literally says it one million times a day. His favorite song in the world is "I Love Apples." Youtube it, it's a one hit wonder.

It has literally become an obsession. He calls anything that is round, red, and shiny an apple. Pumpkins are apples, peaches are apples, strawberries are apples. I'm almost afraid to take him to Skytop Orchard for fear of him spontaneously combusting at the sight of all those apples.

But, I am taking it into account that Isaac says "apple" so often. I think that it shows he has a somewhat healthy diet still. Sure, we all have that golden 12 months where they will eat anything you shove in their mouths just because it's different than formula or breast milk they've been having every single day for months. But, eventually, that ends. Yes people. It ends. Go ahead and tell me all day long that your 11 month old eats pears, sweet potatoes, and peas all day long with a smile on his face. I'll say right back that my almost two year old had Cheetos and pink lemonade for lunch, and that your time is going to come, too.  Oh, and that he watches two hours of Modern Family a day because I am going to throw myself off my balcony if we have to watch Backyardigans one more time.

But really, he does eat pretty well. He drinks his milk, he likes water. Juice doesn't really happen often. He loves fruits and pasta, and doesn't get too many sweets or salty things. But forget veggies. We can worry about those in about fifteen years. We don't watch that much TV. But your options are limited when your home is under 1000 square feet and your yard is a parking lot filled with energy drink and alcohol fueled people driving to work at all hours of the day, and you share a car with your husband and he's gone to work five days a week. And it all starts over once he gets home, and I have to head to work. It's a pretty unfortunate cycle at the moment.

But Isaac loves to run and kick a ball when we do get the chance to go to the park or go on walks at the track. He's actually pretty good at dribbling with his feet, I think he might be a soccer star at some point. Or the first male Rockette. He loves being outside, loves animals, and can identify trees and the moon. So that tells me he gets enough time outside to be a normal, happy toddler.

I just wonder what is going to happen when this new baby comes (less than four weeks, people) and we have a long, dark winter of being locked inside 24/7 because I refuse to get intermixed with germ filled people with a newborn baby with me. Isaac was lucky, he was born in the late winter and at the end of flu season. His daddy is going to have to kick in a take him to the park while me and newbie stay tucked inside safe and sound until March.

So, I guess what I am saying, is relax. All moms know this. Sometimes, your child is going to refuse the fois gras you spent ten hours making for dinner, and ask for a toaster strudel instead, and be honest....you will end up giving it to them.