Our beggar child

Here in the Thompson Household, we have developed a problem. At first, it was comical and then it started getting a little annoying, and now I full on want to hide in the bathroom.

My mom used to tell me that when I was a baby, if she tried to take the food off my plate, I would FREAK OUT. This holds to be true to this day-- I absolutely HATE sharing food. Why do I need to give you a bite? Go make your own--or go buy your own, or hey! You already ate yours, why do you deserve one more extra bite? That's how I feel. It's a little bit unreasonable, but I can't help it.

I remember being in middle school and encountering this all the time. But just so you know, I don't think the same rules apply to me. If what you're eating looks delicious and I don't have one of mine, I sure as hell want a bite of what you're eating and I don't see the big deal. Like I said, unreasonable...but I can't help it. I remember being a middle schooler and just feeling like 'Geeze, my mom never gives me enough lunch money' but then I also felt that about my best friends parents too. But it wasn't really true. We were lucky enough to get Subway delivered to our school, and we each got a sandwich every day...AND usually enough cash or lunch money to buy a treat and a soda. But yet, we were all beggars. I learned to avoid the people that I knew were always going to ask me to borrow a dollar. Some kids were really good at getting you to give them the quarter left over from your soda (Soda's only cost 75 cents back then), but mostly the line people used on me at the vending machine was, ' Hey aren't you not even supposed to drink that?!' (Referring to being a Mormon and drinking a caffeinated drink) It didn't work. I would stare at them, roll my eyes and press the button for the beverage of my choice. And just for that, I wouldn't give them my leftover quarter! Anyway, I remember this being a time where I really started to notice how annoyed I got when people would ask me to share my food, or my money that could buy me more food.

I thought I may outgrow this, or maybe I just really liked food and I needed to chill out...but that wasn't the case. I swear to you, cross my heart and hope to die, that the ONE AND ONLY person that I have ever not gotten annoyed with sharing food with- is Eric. When we first met,  I remember him asking me for a bite of my pizza pocket at work... the way he asked me was pretty much hilarious. He was looking at my food like he had never eaten something so delicious and couldn't wait to try it. So I let him have a bite, and afterwards.. I didn't feel upset. This was the real reason on how I knew he was the one. Sometimes he abuses his privileges but don't worry, I put him in his place when he does.

SO, as you can imagine...during my pregnancy with Tristan, I had NO CHOICE but to share ALL of my food with my child. I loved this tiny little thing growing inside of me, and since I really had no other choice, I suffered through it. But I couldn't wait till I could eat my own food and not have to share it with anyone!

I AM STILL WAITING!

My son is the definition of a beggar! and trust me, he gets enough to eat around here.
Things that he has never even eaten, like chocolate chip cookies, or bags of chips, or sodas, or really...ANYTHING...he knows it's food and he will come right up to you and whine a little at first, and then stomp his foot, and then fall down on to his bottom and throw a major tantrum. He mainly does this to me, but he is not afraid to approach a stranger. I honestly don't know what to do. We have tried letting him cry it out, but if you've ever tried to eat a whole meal with a baby having a melt down right in your face..it's really difficult to enjoy your food. At that point, you just want to make it stop so you hand him the most unappealing bite of your food, and all is well again...until he has finished and demands more. I've even tried giving him things I know he will not like.

Has anyone else ever experienced a problem like this?! Suggestions on how to deal are greatly appreciated.