Ellie is the favoritest

Although he is only one year and one and a half weeks old, Matthew is already full-swing into wanting to do everything big sister does. I got them matching sippy cups, but he will only drink out of Ellie's. He MUST have Horizon chocolate milk from the box, he CANNOT live without a lick of popsicle, and if he doesn't get a taste of cotton candy, he WILL die.

Tangential story: We went to Amazon Grill with Chris and Fay plus kiddos on Friday in lieu of house church because everyone else was out of town. We let Matthew eat whatever we were eating (Ellie's pizza, plantain chips, tortilla, etc.), as he has done since he was pretty much 8 months old. Then the girls got free cotton candy with their kids' meals. Seriously, Matthew was throwing a fit because he didn't get some. So of course, being the lax parents that we are, we gave him a little. Surprise! He liked it.

Anyway, there was a family sitting next to us. A snooty-looking couple with their son who looked like he was about 18 months old was quietly and calmly eating. Their son was being spoon-fed Earth's Best jarred puree and Yo Baby yogurt. (Matthew, in the meantime, was joyfully throwing bits of french fries all over the table and ground.) I could FEEL their judgment on us. Serious glares in our direction. Peter happened to be wearing his Blue Fish Pediatrics shirt, and was hoping that they weren't patients of the practice. Whatever. Our kids are super happy, as anyone can attain to. :)

So Matthew is currently on hunger strike. He is eating about 10% of what he normally does. I discovered, however, that he will eat anything he feeds himself with a spoon or anything that Ellie feeds him. This is bad in many ways. First of all, he is completely lacking the ability to eat with any utensils whatsoever, so getting him to scoop out rice and soup with a spoon and put it in his mouth leads mostly to mushed soggy rice all over Mommy. Secondly, it takes Ellie FOREVER to eat when she's only feeding herself. Now it's triple the time because she wants to feed Matthew, too. Then she ends up not eating her own food. Argh.

Matthew will obey whatever commands Ellie gives. I tell him to say please, he starts yelling demandingly. Ellie tells him, he immediately does it. She tells him to say ah so she can shine a penlight in his mouth, he obeys. He comes when she calls, he does Happy and You Know It motions, he laughs on command. For Mommy? Sometimes a high five. If he's in a good mood.

The other day, Peter was leaving for work. Ellie was sitting in my lap, getting her hair done. Matthew was sitting across from us. Peter gave everyone kisses and left. Matthew puckers up and goes, "mmm mmm" to Ellie. She kisses him. He laughs, then does it again. I say, "Aw, Ellie. Matthew wants kisses from his big sister! Isn't that sweet?" She kisses him again, he laughs. I go, "Kisses for Mommy!" and pucker up. He smiles, puts his arm around my neck and gives me a head butt. BOO.

I guess I should be happy that he loves Ellie so much, but you know what? I'm MOMMY, gosh darn it! Isn't there a rule that Mommy is the favorite? I'm sort of starting to suspect that Matty will not be a mama's boy after all. I'm glad about that, because I don't want a wussy for a son, but sort of sad, too. He was all rebellious towards me this week, which was a little emotionally trying. Hope it's just a phase.

But really, I am glad that he loves his sister. It's so amazing to see their interaction, her complete nurturing of him, and his adoration of her. I'm really grateful to have such loving kids. They're the best. :)