A Slurp

Our kitchen has begun to look like a testing lab. Not only are there a variety of sippy cups taking up a large part of my counter top, but there are also mass quantities of flavorings everywhere. We have strawberry flavoring, chocolate flavoring, raspberry extract, vanilla extract, banana extract and every flavor of Mio drops on the market. It is ridiculous. 

It is a testing lab for tasting. We are trying new cups, new straws, and new flavors. And it has been a complete hit or miss all week. The misses were chocolate milk, strawberry milk and a shake made with milk and vanilla ice cream along with the mango/peach JU and strawberry/banana. The hit list is much shorter...water flavored with Mio drops. 

Yesterday, Sloane drank 2 6oz. sippy cups in one hour hanging out with her daddy. Awesome!! Today, she drank nothing. Not a sip. Complete refusal. You never know what you are going to get!! 

Our ped called yesterday to check in (love her!) on how much Sloane is drinking now that the volume of her tubes has been decreased a bit. Based on yesterday's drinking, my answer was all positive. Thank goodness she didn't call today as I was ready to cry by dinner time because not a sip had occurred all day!! Our ped was clear that she doesn't care how we flavor the water or milk. Her goal is to get Sloane drinking more frequently. My hubby and I were not interested in any of artificial milk flavorings, but at this point desperate circumstances need desperate measures. For the 1st time in my life, I have a container of strawberry Nesquik in my house along with any organic flavorings I could find at Whole Foods! Honestly, I could open up a Smoothie Bar for the neighborhood!! Ha

Today was a comedy show. At 5pm, Sloane asked for JU. I had it ready and she snubbed the cup. "No momma, Elmo". So out came the Elmo cup. "No momma, ink". So out came the pink straw flip top for the Elmo cup. And "No momma" again. This time with tears and a fall to the floor. Gotta love the witching hour!!!! Clearly, the cup was the problem and I had no idea if she even wanted what was in the cup. Which was water flavored with Mio berry pomegranate drops. 

We both let go of the drinking thing for a bit. I decided to revisit it at dinner. After all, that would be my last chance! So I prepared the tray. A dish of shells and meatballs, edamame, and cantaloupe. I gently placed the Elmo cup to the right and off it flew on to the floor in exactly 5 seconds with an attitude no less. Apparently, Sloane is too good for Elmo now??? 

I pour the liquid into a sippy cup minus the sippy top and place it on her tray. 

Her interest was immediately peaked. She grabs for it! Ah ha!!! I scoop up the cup and say "momma do". I proceed to guide the cup to her lips and she sips and swallows and sips and swallows and sips again with an occasional "more" weaved in between the sips and swallows. Bingo!!! I decided because I had her.....she was into this makeshift cup.... to introduce the straw. So I grabbed the closest straw I had and held it and the cup while Sloane sipped up every last bit of her water. Ending with a slurp and a giggle!! I can only hope that tomorrow this cup and this straw are a hit again.