Restaurants

BLW in the local Indian restaurant or indeed tapas bar is much more difficult than you'd imagine. While it is perfectly acceptable (if not encouraged) to create a big mess at home, table manners in polite company dictates that parents need to be extra vigilant.

We're currently on holiday and last night all four of us went out for dinner. It was a very family friendly place - to the point that they had free jars of baby food available. When Goosey went into the high chair the mâitre d hurried over and asked which jar we would like. We politely refused saying that we would just give him what we were having he beamed a big "oh but they are free, choose one - it's okay". Rather than evangelise the cause we chose one and ordered some extra naan and a banana from the children's menu.

The meal was nice. The puree was brought over, lovingly warmed in a soup tureen and a special spoon for the baby was given. It wasn't going to go to waste so we dipped the naan in it & passed it over. Then Goosey did what Goosey does best and decided that it's easier to fling the bit left in his fist than actually eat it. So the game commenced - he flung while I turned catching into an olympic sport. Several hassling, long, minutes later the high chair was facing me and we were both perpendicular to the table & my lovely dinner was going cold. In the end I spoon fed him, it was just easier and the mâitre d was evidently delighted. Goosey still got the naan bread and ate the banana and we did manage to keep most of the food within the bounds of the high chair tray. Unfortunately big brother did not fare so well when he spilt his milk all around himself. As they say, there's no point crying...