Feeding a 3yo from China!

Our pre-adoption reports said that GG (age 3) will eat anything. That is either entirely wrong or only applies to food eaten in China.

Feeding GG is a culinary adventure. In the very beginning, he wouldn't eat anything. Then, slowly, he ate a few familiar things--formula, his favorite Chinese crackers, a bite or two of congee. When we got home he lived on congee for the first week, but then rejected it in favor of cornflakes. After the cornflakes, we learned that he'd eat eggs. So we scrambled 'em, easy-overed 'em, and hard boiled 'em. Then it was toast. Toast, toast, toast. "Wo yao TOAST!!!!!"

Oh, and did I mention that with each new food, he rejects the previous ones? So once we added cornflakes, no more congee. Once we added eggs, no more cornflakes. Toast, no more eggs.

So we play the "eat THAT first and then you can have THIS" game. It's a lovely game that we play over and over and over. He'll eat almost anything for a popsicle. One day he ate more than 20 baby carrots when I insisted that the boys eat a carrot in between each potato chip.

But we've also learned that condiments go a long way. Put ketchup on it. He'll eat it. I drew the line when he asked for ketchup on his salad. But I've put it on about everything else: eggs, noodles, rice, and PANCAKES. He would eat ketchup soup if I'd let him.

Dip it in Ranch dressing? He'll eat it. One of his first sentences was, "Momma, Momma, Momma, wo yao Ranch?" (I want Ranch.)

While in China, we were told not to feed him spicy food. Apparently, the SW did not consult with GG. We threw the "no spicy" rule out the window when we learned that he'll eat pretty much anything that's been slathered in Thai peanut sauce.

Things that he initially rejected are now requested. At first he spit out berries. Now he picks blueberries and strawberries off the bush and feeds himself. He totally boycotted ice cream, which I found quite advantageous until this week when he downed about 75% of the chocolate milkshake that I picked up for ME at the Burgerville drive-thru.

We've been very grateful that we picked up spoons while in China. He eats much better if he can feed himself and the Chinese spoons make it easy. But, like food, he's also changed his opinion about eating utensils. First it was Chinese spoons. Then he demanded forks. And this week it's chopsticks. And he's fairly competent with all three options.

Now if I was only a tad more competent in the culinary adventures of 3yos... From China... :)