Little GEM

Boy, do we have a GEM (aka Green Eyed Monster) around here. Mostly, one can never be too sure just when this little beast will rear it's scornful head. But there are a handful of standard occasions, when it does and at these times, one better watch out.


I am so perplexed with this child raising stuff. I mean, I've read alot about babies/toddlers/children. Their moods, habits, traits. I've also talked alot... and to many... about such matters. However, when you're knee deep in the moment, all the good advice and best ideas in the world just don't seem to cut it.


So, I'm thinking it was kind of naive of me to think that the sibling jealousy had vanished completely. Or maybe it was just that I didn't think the little monster with the green eyes would be back so soon. He only just went away for pity's sake!


As we have moved on from the delightful "stop kissing boobie Felix" stage, I thought the transition from bottle only feeds, to solid food, might be rather simple. Smooth, if you like. Ah. Not so. Felix has just started solids in the last week, as he is now over six months (SIX MONTHS already! this is another shocking scenario entirely) and after a couple of days on bland baby gruel, he was yearning for something a little...tastier. Thank you Mama! So, he graduated! He has now tried pumpkin AND banana. He is doing smashingly, might I add (much in the same way his big bro... the 'GEM'... took to solids when he was a wee babe).


I only have to reach for the freezer door and even before I've laid a finger on one of the little frozen fresh portions of pumpkin goodness, Mr Green Eyes has shot to my side, hurling a swag of three year old abuse. "Don't feed him Mama". "Felix doesn't need food". "Feed me some pumpkin, I like pumpkin".


And so it starts. For the approximately 5, or so, minutes Felix is trying to enjoy his first tastes ever, we have a little monster in our midst. Trying to lean in, push aside, strategically manoeuvre himself between me... the spoon... and Felix. When this gets old, he fetches his own spoon, in a desperate attempt to muscle in on the meal time and eat his fill of pureed pumpkin, just so Felix doesn't. This monster really is something.


I know, as with the breast feeding, this new found disgust with Felix eating solids, will pass. Almost every stage children go through is transient. Thank sweet baby Jesus for that. So maybe next time the GEM comes knocking, I won't be so surprised. Pfft. Yeah. Wishful thinking.