Food issues - part 2

Men always say they can't understand women, and for the most part women can't understand certain behaviours in men. Like why they have to be reminded every week that it's garbage night, or asked every single time to pick up their discarded dirty clothes and put it into the laundry hamper. That's why there are so many self-help books directed at bettering our relationships with the other sex. But what takes the cake in the world of de-mystifying behaviours is figuring out kids. Just check out the shelves and shelves of parenting books on every topic from raising happy boys to talking with your teen to promoting positive body images in your tween! But no one has to write a book about understanding food issues and kids, particularly toddlers.
Ceilidh is at it again. Or rather, her food issues have not relented. 6 out of 7 nights, she insists on sitting on Daddy's lap and being spoon fed. A huge relapse in development as Aisling sits in her high chair and happily shovels the food in herself. The other night is generally problem free because it's McDonalds Happy Meals. We don't eat fancy or gourmet foods. Just simple fare. Before children, I really enjoyed experimenting with recipes. Now I look for meals ready in under 20 minutes, and some nights, Kraft Dinner is on the menu. But even with kid-friendly fare like pizza and tacos, and lots of pasta, Ceilidh is driving us nuts.
We've tried restricting her snacks in the afternoon hours before dinner. We've tried taking away her plate, still unfinished, when everyone else is done dinner. Our thinking being that if she's not eating, it's because she's not hungry. Fine. (Believe me, we do not dole out large portions at all!) But Ceilidh cries and raises a stink that she wants to finish her meal. So we give it back to her, and the whole routine starts again.
And the whole keeping the food in her cheek for hours (or it seems like it) - Aagh! Our nanny observes it's pieces of meat she won't chew but keep tucked in her cheek. Except I've seen her chomp on pepperettes and pieces of turkey kielbassa happily.
I've stopped putting veggies on Ceilidh's plate. It's just not worth the argument. Instead, I give them to Aisling who will happily munch away. She can't say "It's yucky and it's green" yet.
Although, on a positive note, Devlin has tried cauliflower this week and pronounced it okay. Even more promising, Grandpa managed to convince Devlin to eat the whole dumpling, not just the doughy wrapper.
One evening, after another session of convincing, coaxing, pleading, threatening urging Ceilidh to chew and swallow the lumps of food in her jaw, Wayne commented "I can understand why some parents..."
"What Daddy? What do some parents do?" Devlin asks.
"Why some parents [of the animal kingdom] eat their young!" I answer.