OCD Remedy = Beets

Anyone that has been around me long enough knows that I have slight OCD tendencies. Now, for all my dear therapy friends out there I don't mean OCD in the correct professional term but more of the cultural understanding of what an OCD person looks like. That being said I have some minor problems with mess, and mostly mess that creates stains on clothes - I'm my mother's daughter! I can't help it! So if you're a mom you're probably thinking: being a mom means tolerance and acceptance of mess! And to you I say: Yes I know haha. So, with that knowledge I decided once Alex started eating solids and wanting to feed himself with a spoon, that I didn't want to restrict him from being a child because I don't like mess. I didn't want him to restrain himself from jumping on a puddle, or playing on the sand, and in this case exploring, learning and simply having fun because mommy has some cleaning issues. When the first so called mess came along every part of me wanted to grab the baby wipes and clean as he was eating to prevent further mess, but I restrained myself, and now that I think of it the mess really wasn't that bad. But my first true test came when I decided to make him a combination of carrots and beets. I love beets! And he has proved to have good taste like his mommy because he loves them! At first it was smooth, but then he put his hand in his mouth, he looked at his hand covered in this very bright color. This single act alone spiraled down to a series of events that tested my OCD for the very first time. Beets brought so much fascination to my little one that he decided to celebrate his new discovery by making a big big mess. He was unstoppable. So, fighting all of my CLEAN NOW urges I decided to help him. What?! Yes, I decided to have fun with him and let him do whatever he wanted to do with the beets. I took some pictures to celebrate our discovery - which do not do justice because you can't see that his pants were completely covered in beets (stain phobia gone!)

I know that as he grows he will make much bigger messes, but I'm glad that his first real mess was such a learning experience for me and that I was able to join him in the fun. So whenever I feel my OCD coming back I go back to the kitchen and make more beet puree.