Worth a Fight?

Today started out as a wonderful day.  B was so excited to go to church that he went and got his own diaper (never mind the fact that it was a swim diaper) and wanted us to put it on him.  At church, he went running into his class, hung up his backpack (without any prompting) and came back to me and asked me to put his name tag on him.  I, of course, was so proud of him for taking initiative and it made my morning. 

On our way to church, we had stopped to get breakfast and he ate an entire burrito.  When he got into class, he asked to "eat."  We reminded him that he has to play first and he said "okay."  I told the lady that I didn't think he could possibly be hungry yet, but she just laughed and said that he keeps them on schedule for snack time.  Oh, my child!

After church, I went back to get him and he aided me in waking up his sister very lovingly and even held my hand to walk to the car WITHOUT whining or complaining.  Amazing!

So you can see why I might would think this would be a great day.  On our way home, I told him that we were going to get fettuccine for lunch.  He loves it and hasn't had it in a while.  I figured it was something that wouldn't cause a fight over dinner.  WRONG!  We got home, I put it in a bowl, and he refused to touch it.  After whining (which bugs me), I took the food away and informed him that since he wasn't going to eat then he could go to bed.  Off he trotted, very willingly.  I figured he must have been really tired.  But when he woke up, he wanted to eat.  So I warmed up his noodles and again, refused.  So I sent him back to bed.  We did this several times.  Now, before I get comments that I should have just let him go because he may not have been hungry, that was not the case.  He was wanting snacks and juice, not his food.  He was plain refusing to eat.  And I, being just as stubborn was refusing to be a restaurant and cook something different when I had just gotten this. 

This made for a very trying afternoon.  While he was in his room crying and laying there, I was in my room with Baby M...and I was crying and praying for wisdom and what my next move should be.  I was feeling pretty discouraged when we made to church tonight.  My kid's choir was singing for the Hanging of the Green and honestly, I wasn't feeling very Christmas-y since I was still quite frustrated with my afternoon.  I picked up the kiddos from the nursery and headed back home to meet Daddy T who had just gotten home.  All the way home, B begged to eat.  (They must not have had snacks today in the nursery, which was perfect for my case!)  I informed him that he could eat his noodles when we got home.  He informed me with the word "no."  I said "it's noodles or bed."  He quickly chose the noodles. 

When we made it home, he hopped in his chair and I warmed up his noodles.  Needless to say, he ate ALL of his noodles, part of my sandwich (which he never touches), an orange, some of my dessert that Daddy T surprised me with, and popcorn.  To show him how pleased we were with him, we had a family movie night with the new VeggieTales sing-along that his Aunt Mo had just given him that weekend.  It was a wonderful end to a very frustrating afternoon.  Now to see if he has learned his lesson....