'I don't like it, mummy'

So after being the proud mummy of a little girl who would eat anything I fear we have reached our first wonderful stage of fussiness at mealtimes

I'm guessing it's no coincidence that this has happened at the same time Daisy's speech has literally exploded, she's now very capable of telling me what she 'doesn't like' (everything it would seem!) that she's 'finished' or she 'wants to get down'

I must admit I'm finding it hard to get my head around, in 25 months we've not had a single meal on the floor, no food throwing and very little refusal of anything. I will openly admit to feeling a little more than smug as D tucked into olives, hummus and pittas while other mums would be prising their kid's mouths open or trying to sneak a spoon of mush in during yawns! I felt truly confident I had a fab eater on my hands but it seems nothing ever lasts forever! She happily eats lunch, mostly breakfast but gets super fussy in the evening. 

So far I've tried to avoid refusing her yogurt or fruit afterwards as I've always been keen not to use 'pudding' as a reward but I can't help feeling like I've been duped when she happily tucks into yogurt after refusing everything but a couple of baby sweetcorn and some carrots (yeah that's what's more even more frustrating, she generally eats her veg!) 

I'm trying to see this as another phase, something that'll pass. I get that she's asserting herself and can see food is one of the few tools she has to do this but it's so frustrating when you take another half eaten plate back into the Kitchen. 

With Christmas just around the corner I suspect her routines will be completely out for a while so I'm going to bite my tongue and hope this, like most other phases, will pass and we'll be back to her eating everything in sight and always wanting more.

I want this again!