the diets of children.

Why can't they all just eat peas and be happy? Why does eating dinner have to be such a fight? I have a two year old who refuses to eat most normal things that are presented at dinner time. I also have a one year old who will eat everything in front of her and then reach over to her brother's plate and swipe some more. When his plate has been emptied she will then beckon for yet another serving. It's as if she were starved. I am thinking not!

Now there are certain things that are absolutely a GO! to my picky eater. If per chance you might be having waffles, string cheese, any type of yogurt, or a variety of fruit for dinner, lunch or breakfast would work too... he's totally in. These all work well. But my goodness, don't you dare think for one second that you could get away with a serving of freakish looking vegetables. Of any kind. Yuck.

Tonight Alexa ate cabbage and broccoli. Eddie merely stared blankly at the monstrosity that sat atop his flower covered plastic plate. He even went so far as to go into na-na's refridgerator and get himself some strawberry applesauce. Yummy. Much better, I'm certain that he was thinking. I will say that he did manage to get in a few pieces of steak and some sausage. But only about as much as a bird might eat. Now I'm starting to understand why my son is still wearing 12-18 months sized pants when clearly he should be wearing larger sizes. At least a 2-T. It's because he eats so little and runs around like a monkey chasing his sister who stole his only banana.

Oh boy. I'm waiting for him to realize he might be missing something. I'm wondering how Alexa got the message. She eats pretty much everything that you give her. Pretty much. She has her favorites. And you can certainly tell by the way she starts waving her little hands in her cute little agitated way. She starts to sign for more and gets angry if you don't get it to her soon enough. She signs more, and then she starts to yell it since now she knows that word. But it comes out more like, " MOH!" And if that isn't the cutest thing ever.

I just don't want to give her too much. I don't want her to overeat. Can that happen? Maybe? I was hoping that Eddie might see his sister eating peas one day and eventually try them. I guess I will just have to wait. These little boogers do seem to have a mind of their own. Little Alexa barely has four teeth in and she chomps on everything with such purpose. She loves to eat. I guess I will continue to push the veggies. Maybe when he gets a little older I can start the, "You're not finished until you take 3 more bites of your squash!" I can just see it now. Mean mommy!

He used to like peas. Whatever happened to that baby that I used to feed peas from a ziploc baggy?? He used to love them. Maybe I didn't let him experiment enough with foods. That could be my fault.

It's hard not to obsess over what they are eating. Inevitably they will find something that they want in the fridge. And since he didn't eat most of his dinner, he's going to go in there and look for the apples. At least he likes fruit. It could be worse. He could be digging out the ice cream. Then we'd have a real fight on our hands. The ice cream belongs to mommy. Put it down and nobody gets hurt. Back away from the Rocky Road and you shall be allowed to watch Charlottes Web one more time tonight. Step away!

lol.... ah the thought of it! Anyway, so I pretty much feed kid #1 whatever I can get into him. Those things do include any and all fruits. Most types of pasta, especially spaghetti and macaroni. Hamburger and chicken. Fruits, did I say fruits?? Dairy products and back up that cow to my house, he could just take it straight from the cow. I have to limit that milk intake too, he drinks quite a bit. I'm hoping he grows out of this, or grows into liking more foods.

As for child #2, it's easier to say what she won't eat. Hmmmmm..... I can't think of anything. Maybe she can teach her brother as they get older. I'm still waiting for things to get better. People tell me it gets easier as the children get older. It hasn't happened yet. But I'll be here. And if it ever does, I'll let you know!