A Balancing Act...

As frustrating it can be for both Riley and me…we are trying to "stay the course". The setback with his mouth this past weekend has meant that I needed to regroup and try to hold steady without pushing R over the edge.

What does this mean??  Well…“Something Different” would be a definite NO-NO! Yet we still want to keep our options open.

One meal a day with a reintroduced food??  Sure. That would work.

One meal a day all together. Even better. The fact that he is finished before I sit down…minor detail.  

So yesterday at lunch I decided to give Carrot soup Bisque another go. I even bought fresh crackers and added grapes for a well-balanced meal. Work with me. 

Since I was not eating but wanted to keep R company I sat at the table with his iPad. Remember no eye contact works best.

I could feel his eyes on me. Willing me to look at him. Waiting to pounce. I forced my eyes to stay focussed on the iPad.

The grapes were first. They were the most desirable of the 3. When he was almost finished I faltered. Eye contact.

“I'm not feeling well to eat.” (Pointing at crackers)

Drats. Trying to think on the fly…”Can I try a cracker??”  Hey. I never said I was good at thinking on the fly.

“Sure. That’s sounds good to me.”  Phew. Crisis averted. Crackers consumed.

Next came “I'm not feeling well to eat soup.”

Do NOT engage. Focus all attention on the iPad. Avoid eye contact at all costs. 

Several seconds pass before Riley finally succumbs and takes his first spoonful of soup. The sound of teeth scraping soup off the spoon is almost too much for me to bear. Almost.

As frustrating as it was, I stayed focused on the iPad. Candy Crush...Stupidest. Game. EVV.VER!!!

“Oh Gretel I'm so hungry.”  Scrape, scrape, scrape.

“I don't feel well at all to eat.”  Scrape, scrape, scrape. Slight gag and possibly a few tears in his eyes.

At this point R had eaten about half the bowl and to be honest…“I” was done.

“How about 10 more and you are finished.”

“Ohhh-kay. That sounds good to me.”


Has it really only been 21 days!!!  *sigh*