A New Distraction

Mealtimes are when I'm at my most creative. These days, I'm constantly looking for new ways to coax Daniel into sitting down long enough to take a bite. Reading books to him while I stealthily sneak bites of food into his mouth (and sometimes even try to feed myself simultaneously) still works on occasion, but I'm often forced to change tactics at the drop of a hat. Today, he ate about 3/4ths of his lunch while I read/sang to him, but he could only be "held" down for so long. He hopped off his chair and started to play with his Cozy Coupe and tricycle. While he occupied himself contentedly, I finished eating my lunch. Once the table was cleared, my creative juices began to flow.

Daniel loves to play in the car. He enjoys pushing the buttons, climbing in and out of the back seat, and pretending to drive. We'll be driving down the street and he'll shriek from his car seat, "Seet! Seet!" Pointing furiously at the driver's seat, he'll continue to whine until I acknowledge his desire to commandeer my SUV. Most of the time, I try and reason with him. I explain that he will be able to drive when he turns 16 but that he must sit in the back for his own safety while Mommy drives. Does he understand this? Probably not. But I usually follow it up with the exclamation, "Look at that huge truck!" which successfully distracts him from his initial mission.

Today, the parked car became a great place for him to finish his lunch and to stay occupied while I cleaned up. Ollie joined him in the car, and they played for about a half-hour. It happened to be a beautiful day, so I opened the sunroof and the windows and let him do his thing. He turned on the radio, honked the horn a couple of times, and fiddled with the turn signals. Oh yeah, and he finished his lunch cooperatively. I almost forgot that was the whole point. I wonder how long it'll be before he catches on.