When Bethie's away

Jen was foolish kind enough to offer to watch Elle overnight so Nick and I can go "away" tonight in honor of our anniversary next week. Most of you know her and know that she is not only a very experience early childhood educator, she is a kid-person extraordinaire and knows how to handle herself around a toddler. Even she appreciates detailed instructions on feeding my child since it can be such a nightmare. For your entertainment, here are the actual instructions I've written for her tonight.

Ellison’s Dinner: A How-to Guide for Intermediate Level Caregiver

Water in blue/pink cup in fridge. If you notice she consistently refuses to drink, try switching to milk (purple cup in fridge); she knows which cup holds what and has been preferring milk sometimes.

1) chicken nuggets: on plate in fridge

**remove the pouch from the fridge during this step and leave on counter (out of her view) to warm a bit
-microwave 15 sec, flip, then 15 sec more
-hand her a whole nugget, one at a time
-usually eats 2, may eat all 3
-if she starts ripping into little pieces, take away big chunk until she eats the little bits (will happen oh so slowly)
 
2) alphabet spaghettios: bowl  with orange lid in fridge under nugget plate
-microwave 20 sec, stir, then 5-10 sec more
-offer her a small bite on a fork, just let it touch her tongue to get a taste
-once she’s done making faces, reoffer the same bite (probably with success)
-keep offering small bites
-your discretion if you want to let her hold the fork; if you do, I recommend removing her shirt first
-small but existent chance she’ll totally refuse this; if so, move on

IF SHE TOTALLY REFUSES THE NUGGETS AND SPAGHETTIOS, CAN MAKE HALF A PB&J
-PB and bread in pantry, low-sugar strawberry jam in top shelf in fridge door
-cut the half in half and offer her bites; ok for her to hold if she wants

3) mango: small bowl in fridge under spaghettios
-offer her each chunk on a baby fork
-she can hold the fork to feed herself once each bit loaded
-even smaller but still existent chance she’ll refuse this; if so, move on

4) pouch: leftover spinach+raspberry by this point on the counter

-she’s been preferring to drink straight from pouch lately
-she can help hold pouch, but I don’t recommend letting her go it totally alone
-if she refuses cold pouch, can open new one (second shelf up on left under bread)
-put any unconsumed pouch in fridge

By now she may be full, but if she’s still going…

5) yogurt: in tiny Tupperware on top fridge shelf

-she can hold the spoon once it’s loaded
-if she’s already a mess, you can let her feed herself independently for comic relief, which you may need by now

6) cheese cubes: plastic baggie on top shelf

-she can feed herself, no more than 2 cubes in the mouth at once

Anyone wanna come over next weekend to babysit?