one of us

i've been a little obsessively concerned about finn's nutrition for a while now. mostly because my worst fear is a picky eater, but also because i loooove food so much and want finn to experience it in the way i do. it's such a part of me and i really want to share it with him - i love the idea of cooking together in the kitchen, taking him to get sushi for the first time, to having him introduce me to his favorite dishes or restaurants (you know, when he "grows up"). food enriches my life in a way that love and want to share.
i've had a hard time figuring out how to modify our regular menus to accommodate finn's abilities (with 8 teeth it's slightly hard to to chew, you know ;) i think i'm getting the hang of it now, though, but he's still not really eating all that well. i found myself running to the fridge in the midst of a hissy fit where forks and food is flying to grab the hummus and rice cakes on a regular basis.
finally, i came across a post somewhere suggesting a book called Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense, by Ellyn Satter. this book is magic. it's straightforward and logical, but gives good guidelines and highlights the responsibilities of the parent (what she calls the "what" and "when" of feeding) and the child (what she calls the "whether" of feeding). it's completely transformed our eating experiences at the table and made them much more laid back and almost fun. finn is no longer the center of attention at every meal, he eats significantly more than he has been, and seems to be willing to experiment much more with what he's willing to put in his mouth.
so, phew. and thanks, ms. satter - your book has been a lifesaver!