Monday nights dinner

I am trying to work on expanding my home-cooked dinner options. To help spark my creativity with food, I now subscribe to Kraft Food Magazine. They have great simple recipes that don't take too long to make. Last night I thought I would try out a chicken, broccoli pasta. I must say it turned out pretty tasty. I would definitely make it again. Ethan seemed to enjoy it.


Ethan got a new dinner plate that we thought we try out with dinner last night. You see Ethan has this quirk...when he is done eating he picks up his plate or bowl and will dump it out, either on the highchair tray or on the floor. It depends on his mood. I have tried desperately to teach him some signs such as "all done" or "more," etc., however Ethan seems to create his own signs like dumping the plate.
I thought I had the most brilliant idea to help "train" Ethan to not dumb his plate. I bought him a plate that suctions to the highchair. I was certain when I went to Babies R Us that this was going to be the magical plate that would train Ethan to use more appropriate table manners.
Ethan always has his way of letting me know that he is his own person. Upon "sticking" the plate to the highchair and putting Ethan in the chair to eat, he became intrigued with the new plate. He would eat a bite or two and then try to move the plate. He was desperately trying to figure it out (such a curious boy). Eventually, as you see below, he got the suction ring off the bottom of the plate. He pushed and pushed until the plate detached from the suction ring. He was very proud of himself.

And as you can see he enjoyed this so much he kept putting the ring on his head, as if it was a hat. Then he would pull it off and laugh with Chris and I.


So much for my brilliant idea of training Ethan to use better table manners. I guess I will have to come up with something a little more creative.