Saturday Recipe Swap- Mexican Pizza Dip

Before I give you the recipe, I just have to share with you the joy and excitement I have been dying to tell you! Addie had not really eaten much of anything the first few days of the week. She would fuss (and honestly, throw a fit) everytime we tried to feed her. I decided that if she did not want to eat, so be it. When her tummy told her it was hungry, she would eat.



Thursday morning, after having devotions with her, I put my fingers on her lips and prayed that God would allow her mouth to work properly so that she would begin chewing and eating. In many ways I blame myself for this. I was afraid to let her try Cheerios and any other type of food that most babies are supposed to eat, because I didn't want her to choke. So while other children her age were nibbling on Cheerios and crackers, mine was drinking milk, juice, and having applesauce. Our doctor had said that if by her 2 year appointment she still was not eating table food, she would need to see a speech therapist. We aren't too comfortable with that, especially since I have read and heard that the therapists work more on speech than on the eating issues- and believe me, she has no problem speaking.





After having watered down juice and refusing her breakfast, lunchtime rolled around. I sat down next to her with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (my all time favorite food). She asked for a "teeste" (taste). I was thrilled! She had about 1/4 of my sandwich- a huge deal for the mother of a child who didn't chew, but only swallowed. We went outside to play for a while and I took a small potato roll with me. Addie would nibble on it every once in a while (when she was almost one, we gave her a flake- literally- of bread. She threw up. So this is huge for us!).




For dinner, I didn't know what I was going to do. I know that God gave me the idea. I took a banana, cut it into pieces, and put it on a big girl plate (complete with cute little ladybugs) and the accompanying child's fork. All I can say is that God worked on our behalf. She took that little fork, and after seeing how it was to be used, she stabbed those little banana pieces, put the fork up to her mouth and chewed away. Chewed! I was jumping up and down, cheering, and shouting "Thank you, Jesus!" She must have loved the show because between giggles, she would catch another banana piece on the fork and eat it. In fact, she did not want me taking the plate away from her for quite a while! She was eating this way when Daddy and then Aunt Faye came home. And she was still there when pa-PA came over. She would put the banana piece in her mouth, chew, and then show everyone what was in her mouth. We'll work on table manners soon, dear. For now, I'm just so thankful that she is eating real food- with a fork no less!






Yesterday, she fed herself, with Daddy's assistance, a Mommy's sized serving of Mac 'n Cheese (she was pretty hungry after not holding down breakfast and playing with her lunch). Daddy put a few noodles on her spoon (those little guys are hard to catch!) and she would put the spoon in her mouth. Needless to say, we are very thrilled in our little corner of the world.
Edit: This morning for breakfast, Addie had French toast!

Mexican Pizza Dip

Directions:

Put 2 packages of cream cheese on the bottom of a dish.

• Mix 2 tbsp of salsa into the cream cheese.


• Pour the rest of the bottle of salsa on top of the cream cheese.


• Layer sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions on top.


• Cover with about 2 cups of shredded cheese (taco or Mexical flavored work best).


• Heat in the oven until cheese is melted.


• Serve with tortilla chips