Squeeze Pouches.

My youngest, my third child, was 13 months old the first time I offered a fruit and veggie squeeze pouch.

Okay….? Where is this going?

I would easily describe myself as type A. I hate clutter and mess, I’m rather impatient, and I don’t easily adapt to doing things any other way except my own. As I just previously stated, I have THREE kids. Children embody basically every characteristic that gets under my skin; They are loud, they are messy, they complete simple tasks far too slowly or so fast it’s a total disaster. You can imagine how excruciating this can be for someone who thrives on order and cleanliness.

I will admit, my attachment to order has come undone in a lot of way – eight years of 24/7 chaos will certainly wear a person down, but it also hasn’t vanished. The mere thought of handing a toddler – a clumsy, curious, destructive toddler who doesn’t give a flying you-know-what about your belongings, an open pouch of sticky liquid… FORGET IT. I’d rather permanently lose my fingertips.

Then I found myself standing in the baby isle of Costco looking for diapers when this large box of squeezable pouches caught my eye. Immediately no, but on second thought… possibly, yes?

I sat there staring at the large stack of organized boxes for far longer than what was an appropriate amount of time, until I finally picked one up and put it in my cart.

Moments later…. I put it back. I told myself “No, I will end up throwing these away because all he is going to do is squeeze them all over the house. It will be a huge waste.” I had never bought these before, and I certainly wasn’t going to start now.

I started to walk away until something in my mind said, “fuck it.” I made one last turn around, grabbed a box, threw it in my cart and walked away. What is the worst thing that could happen, REALLY? He makes a mess... or he doesn’t like them. We’ll give it a shot.

It was the next morning and he had just finished the French toast sticks I made for breakfast. A few minutes after taking him out of his highchair, I could tell he was still hungry. I opened the fridge to grab a container of strawberries when this Costco box of squeeze pouches basically threw themselves on the floor.

Ughhhhhhh, this would be a much easier solution to the problem, but I do not feel like cleaning up a mess.

Reluctantly, I placed the box on the counter, opening it to reveal its contents. A mango, apple, carrot and peach combo? We’ll give it a shot.

Hesitantly, I unscrewed the top and hand it to my toddler who is now crying at my feet, begging me for this new cool thing he’s never seen, in my hands.

Well, let me tell you something. My 13 month old, though messy and destructive, is a lot smarter than I am. Instinctually, he began to suck through the top like a straw, not spilling a drop. I sat there in total disbelief wondering how I never once considered that to be an option for consumption.

Now, I know we’re here discussing something so mundane; it’s a baby and a squeeze pouch, big whoop. Imagine if I never took that chance though? Or “risked” the mess, giving him an opportunity to discover something that brings him joy?

Imagine if I continued to let my distaste of disorder wash over his natural desires and abilities to explore new things? I’d have never known these stupid things weren’t so scary after all.

Much like these pouches, imagine letting fear stop you from discovering these same realizations about yourself? Think about the most beautiful place you’ve ever traveled to. What if you let your fear of flying dissuade you from experiencing the mountain air or the sandy beaches? Imagine meeting your partner for the first time and walking in the opposite direction out of fear of them not liking you.

While life can certainly be unpredictable and sometimes nerve wracking, you never know the kind of life that could be waiting for you just on the other side of fear. I know I’ve let it prevent me from trying new things, and in this case, my older two children from experiencing a squeeze pouch. Risk is, well, risky… but so is living life in a protective shell simply because you are too afraid to try.

And if you get a little messy along the way, so be it. Messes can be cleaned and you can always try again or find a new way. OR – you could be totally surprised and realize the mess is far smaller and more manageable that you believed prior to.

“What if I fall?”

“Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?” – Peter Pan.