Sugar and Whining

We are having some problems with Blakely:

1. Eating

2. Whining

Let's address #1. 

The child will not eat. Basically she is attempting to live like Elf. (You know Will Ferrell in only the BEST Christmas movie ever.) She lives for sugar. I'm afraid to announce that I have been fueling the fire. I would get so encouraged by her actually eating anything that I started giving her Fruit Loops, Pop tarts & even, gasp, a cupcake for breakfast... I know I know-but if your child wouldn't eat a bite of food, you might do the same thing too so don't judge!

The doc told us a while back (like a year ago) that we should offer her the exact same thing we eat and let her starve until she gets hungry enough to eat what is in front of her. Starving your child, I don't care what kind of mother you are, is hard...really really hard.

We are there now (as of yesterday). We are at the point of scheduling an appointment with a food specialist, so I thought I would try this 'starvation' plan for a month before we go in for our 3 year checkup & if it isn't any better than we will have no choice than to get some serious help.

 So, yesterday she ate one bite of peanut butter & jelly sandwich at school along with some applesauce (according to the teacher) and a BITE of a strawberry for dinner...That's it. No milk, no juice-just water.

 Moving on to subject #2

 This is a definition is what I live with 95% of every single day-I am not exaggerating. Before this week, I have tried every form of punishment other than calm, gentle reasoning. The whining is the most annoying thing to me. Some people can't stand a high pitched sound blaring in their ear, others nails on a chalkboard-mine is whining.
What does she whine about-oh any and everything-'hold me, hold me' milk-not cold enough, wanting more, her diaper, wanting a new outfit, shoes frustrating her, Parker, napping, food, wanting popsicles, wanting to go outside, not wanting to leave school...you name it.

So, after some very valuable counseling, I decided to give this a go-which mind you takes EXORBITANT  amounts of patience. Every single time she even remotely whines I stop her and in a very calm and gentle voice ask her if that is necessary to ask Mommy in such a yucky tone. I then ask her to attempt to ask it again in a normal, non-yucky whine. I send her to her room and then go have a talk with her. I would be safe to say that 2 solid days were spent with Blakely in her room. The others have resulted in about 25 different 5 min sessions in her room. I will say I am standing strong and no matter how bad I want to scream at the top of my lungs (which I do-I just remove myself from visibility, pillow in hand and have at it).

I am proud to announce that it all seems to be paying off! She has only been whining about 40% of every day now!!! Which for me is totally doable and such a relief. She is even catching herself whining and admitting she is wrong. YAY! So valuable lesson learned with Miss Blakely, she responds best to calm and gentle discipline. Who would have thought??