Mercy Me

Daphne took Char to visit Grandma Deb after school yesterday, and I went to the store to get some groceries. I got to Mercy hospital around 5:00. Apparently it was happy hour and the drinks were two for one.

A bit later Grandma needed some privacy, so I took Charlotte down to the visitor's lounge to see what was on TV. While she watched The Cat in the Hat, I looked through the lounge's small library. As I was running my hand across the spines, I spied something poking out of a paperback copy of Hannibal.

You know, if I was trapped inside a book about a serial killing cannibal, I probably wouldn't look very excited either.

After we finished the Cat in the Hat episode, the three of us headed down to the Marketplace & Grille on level A. The cafeteria food at Mercy is really good. Although Char was happy with her a plate of "worms" and green beans, she was pretty excited about Mom's tomato soup. Because it can get so messy, we don't give Charlotte much soup. But she did a really nice job with it last night.

Most of the time Char is more interested in the decorative holes in the backs of the chairs than eating. She constantly circles our long table, tracing her fingers inside the three openings in each of the eight chairs. I briefly considered sticking a forkful of green beans through the largest hole to see if she would just eat something, but I quickly realized what a bad idea that would be.

I'm sure she'd giggle at the novelty and happily chomp down the beans. But then she'd insist on eating the rest of her meals that same way. We'd be that crazy family with the girl who only eats food through the holes in the hospital furniture. I'm not going down that road.

Instead, we promise a dessert after she eats a certain number of bites of veggies and fruit.

The cupcakes at Mercy are great, and Charlotte loves the look of them, but she doesn't eat more than two bites. The only cupcake Char has ever eaten in its entirety is from Scratch Bakery. I guess those cupcakes have spoiled her.

Speaking of being spoiled, I don't want Charlotte to get too comfortable at Mercy. If she starts to see these visits to Grandma as commonplace, then she might start acting like she does at home. I know Deb wants to see her granddaughter, but she doesn't need to see her in "terrible two" mode.

I think I'll take Charlotte to the library tonight instead. She can get some new books, and maybe I'll find another grumpy bookmark.