Sophi Sophi Sophi....

One of our Sophi's favorite things to do is to change her mind.  If you give her two choices, you can pretty much count on whatever she picks first NOT being the final choice.  "Sophi, do you want blue or pink?"  "Blue!"  So you start to put the blue one on until she invariably calls out, "I mean pink!"  Very predictable at this point.   I usually find this kind of cute, but not when it comes to food.   Tired of fixing one thing only to have her change her mind within seconds of handing it to her, I decided I would no longer accept her "second" choice.  The other day, when she wanted a snack and I asked, "noodles or yogurt?" I knew that even though she answered, "noodles!" she probably meant yogurt.  But I decided to stick to my guns and teach her that she had to eat what she asked for.  I made a little plate of noodles (she likes them with a titch of butter, salt, and pepper) and put them on the table.  She immediately said, "and chips and salsa too!"  Hmmm.  I decided to add the chips and salsa (at least she didn't change to yogurt)!  As soon as she sat down, she said, "Actually (yes, she actually does use that word) I want yogurt!"  Ummm... no!  I explained that she had to eat her noodles because that's what she asked for first.  Sophi was not pleased with this.  (;  She tried with all of her four-year-old little ways to get me to change my mind, but I wouldn't.  I did tell her that she didn't need to eat her chips and salsa (I mean, how do not let your child eat something healthy like yogurt because they won't eat their chips?) but that she HAD to eat the noodles.  She was adamant that she was not going to eat them.  I left her in the kitchen for awhile by herself.  I heard her singing and playing and was quite sure she WASN'T eating.  Soon I heard, "Mommy!  I done with my noodles!"  I walked into the kitchen and sure enough, most of the noodles were gone.  I told her how proud I was and she got a big smile on her face.  She seemed very proud of herself as well!  I got the yogurt out and as I watched her start to eat it, I noticed a neatly folded little towel sitting next to her plate.  Hmmmm.  It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that my Sophi was perhaps being a bit devious.  I first got the camera and took a picture:

Then  I asked, "Sophi, what's in that towel?"  "I don't know," she says with a shy smile.  "Sophi, can you open up that towel and show Mommy what's inside?"  Big pause.  "I don't think so!"  "Sophi, please open up the towel."  Her foot inches slowly over toward the towel and she gingerly opens it up to reveal:

I suppose I should have been stern, but I found it so funny that I laughed and gave her a kiss instead.  (;  I did explain that she wasn't to do that again.   

I love that Sophi of mine!

So very hard...

Imagine if you will a brick of some sort of edible sludge. 1.5 inches wide. 4 inches long. Coated with a brown substance vaguely similar to chocolate. As you bite into it, it is far more dense than any food ought to be. It feels, in fact, a bit like what you'd imagine biting into memory foam might feel like. It tastes somewhat sweet, but the flavor is off somehow. Not quite what it should be. There are some crunchy bits, and you get the impression that somebody thought they could fool you into thinking these were nuts. It sticks to your teeth as you chew. It goes down thick and heavy. And yet...you find it strangely delicious. You even find yourself craving more.

If you can relate to this, you too must have had the unforgettable experience of trying the slim fast diet! I'm not counting on the "fast" part, but I do hope the "slim" comes to fruition. For years I have had this weight range that I've stayed in. At the bottom of the range, most of my clothes are at least moderately comfortable. At the top of the range I suffer through the day, yearning for the evening, when I can slip into my comfy, elastic-waisted PJs. But now I have enlisted the power of slim fast into my fat fight. Will I succeed in this, my 13,573rd attempt? It remains to be seen. Hopefully, less of me will remain to be seen!

Jer