Shut up and eat!

My two beautiful little beanie heads are going to put me into the funny farm. I am starting to loathe dinner time. Seriously. I think it was Eddie who was giving me a problem the other night. Well after making what is normally a fast eaten dinner, my daughter proceeds to throw the spaghetti onto the floor. And with it, the bowl! If anyone has ever eaten spaghetti, you might realize that this makes for a huge mess. Red sauce is never an easy clean-up out of beige speckled carpet. Even the strategically spaced black, and brown flecks do not disguise the red goo that sits on top of it.

Ok, so my daughter just showed her very first attempts at being finicky. Well done my dear. Bravo. Your big brother should be proud! Meanwhile Eddie is swirling away at his bowl of pasta. Yes, I did say swirling. I mean, what do you do with your spaghetti?? He swirls and then he takes a teeny weeny tiny bite. And then he swirls and then he takes a drink. But of course that drink needs to be gurgled and then spit back into his cup. It's just much better that way. Swirl and take a teeny weeny tiny bite. You should have seen his face. He looked so proud when he looked up at me and exclaimed, "I all done mommy!" I walked over to inspect, as I was mostly walking back and forth from the kitchen to the table because I was cleaning Alexa's mess up. So when I got to the table I saw the bowl with it's mushed up, swirled and nearly the same amount of pasta as I had served up to him. Hmmmm. I felt puzzled. Or frustrated. This used to be a fool proof meal.

Well not so tonight babe! Eddie barely ate, and Alexa refused it altogether. He didn't want anymore and he wanted to get down. I grabbed a banana. At least I could try and get something healthy in them. I split it between the two of them. Yes only one banana. They both eagerly took a few bites. But as I walked away, Alexa began to cry and threw the banana at me. Perfect. I really like gooey smushy, half eaten bananas. I tried to put it back on her tray, but she wasn't having any of that either! Eddie ate only half of the half that I gave him. So in all, 25% of a banana. Alexa ate about that much as well.

So I knew she was still hungry so I began to make hot dogs. Knowing my son wouldn't eat any, I offered him some yogurt. I suspect that he isn't a fan of hot dogs because when I was pregnant with him I went on a hot dog binge. I ate hot dogs for a month from every place I could find them in. Every fast food, drive through, sit down establishment that had them, I ate them in! Anyway, I digress. Like I said, I hadn't made anything else and I wasn't about to cook another meal completely, so I just left his plate of spaghetti in case he changed his mind and wanted to eat a more sensible portion. (He didn't) He ate the yogurt and was totally happy with that.

Alexa ate her hot dog and then started staring wildly at the bread. Often times she has a piece of wheat bread with me when I make a sandwich. I could see that look in her eye, and it's funny how I somehow just knew that she wanted a piece. So I gave her a piece of wheat bread and she was totally happy.

*sigh* Man, this seems to be getting more difficult, not easier. They are supposed to eat what I make, not drive me to some outer limits of my sanity while I scour the fridge, counter tops and pantry looking for anything suitable. I'm a mommy slave to these two little brats children. When can I start sending them to bed without food if they don't eat what I make? I think one and two is a little too young. I think. I can see me now, "Alexa, you go to your room until you realize that we do not waste food in this household. You will eat what your mother makes and you will like it. There are starving children all over this world who would love to have your food right now. You are truly blessed that you have anything to eat at all! Shame on you, now go to your room!" I imagine that passage to be met with a blank stare and some serious crying. For food. Aye Dios Mio! Ok, so I will wait for that lecture.

I think I have to go and clean out the garage though. I may have left my patience out there. I don't remember where it went, but certainly it isn't anywhere where I am. And since I don't spend much time there, it could have easily slipped into the spider abyss that lives beyond the Tupperware (bins) summit in the garage.

I'll let you know if I do come across it again. Until then, I'm going to have to do some research on child friendly recipes, and new fool proof meal ideas for finicky eaters.