So we were at the dinner table last night eating ribs, artichokes, beans and macaroni. I was losing my mind after a weekend of minimal sleep thanks to Gavin and minimal patience thanks to Tyler's tantrums. After having numerous opportunities to study Tyler's tantrums this past week, I put it all together to realize they always circled around food. I am so scarred by his absurd behavior that I don't want to get into it now, so you'll just have to trust me on my conclusion. Shawn and I are both getting worn down to our cores. Tyler can't sit, he can't stand, he can't eat at the table or outside or at the couch, he pushes his food away although he can't stop screaming for the very food he just pushed away, he can't stop screaming for a drink and can't help but throw the very drink he screamed for across the room. Is it just me or is this beginning to sound like a Dr. Seuss story?

That's what our days have become lately and we are all getting a little delirious. Tyler had sucked the life out of his artichoke leaf and ignoring me & Shawn's pleas to put it in the bowl with the other eaten leaves so he could take another one. Tyler devilishly looked at both of us and slowly put the whole leaf in his mouth. We could hear his inner voice saying "Let's see what they do when I do this," as he looked back and forth at us, teasing us with the leaf in his mouth. I threatened no more artichokes but Shawn was far more patient. He took a leaf of his own, and showed Tyler the old trick of throwing the leaf into the bowl. Tyler threw his leaf across the table. Shawn took another leaf and threw it at Tyler. Tyler started cracking up. I sat there appalled but glad Tyler had a sense of humor because this really was funny. Tyler threw a leaf at Shawn. We had a real life food fight right before my eyes and I began wondering how it would all end. At least it was the leaves and not the beans. Hopefully Tyler doesn't think we'll do that at every meal now, but if that's what it takes to ward-off the tantrums, we will.