Peas and Pancakes

Our lives always seem to revolve around food. Or maybe they don't but I just happen to notice because I'm a big fan of food. Anyway, the food update from the past week:

Now that we are done with moving, vacations, and other craziness in our lives, we decided it was time to feed the boys solids regularly. So, starting last Tuesday, the boys are eating dinner with us every night. And they are loving it. They have been chowing down on sweet peas, oatmeal, and bananas. L is a messy eater. He wants to grab the spoon (I ended up having to go with purees - they aren't quite ready for finger foods unfortunately), touch the food with his fingers, and finger paint all over his tray. It's quite something to see. M is more like his sis when she was this age. He just wants the food in his mouth - now! To make life easier, I feed them with one spoon, alternating bites. (Gross? Unhygienic? Perhaps, but they roll around on the floor spitting up on each other and sharing toys they teethe on. Come on, we are far past worrying about sharing germs!) M gets angry when it is not his turn for a bite. And he practically turns into a demon child if I do something silly like try to turn around and take a bite from my own plate.

But while the boys can't get enough to eat, their big sis doesn't want to touch food. And she is turning into a stick. We figure there could be a few different things going on here. She has been so spoiled on fast food and unhealthy foods over the last three months that plain food just may be too plain for her right now. She has consumed a lifetime's supply of chicken nuggets and fries, and her mouth is used to salt and sugar be the seasonings, and not herbs and other natural flavors. There is a slight chance she could just be detoxing in her own weird way. The only foods she requests at home are fruits and veggies. In a desperate attempt to get her to eat the other day, Jeff asked what she would eat. She replied, "strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, carrots, celery, cucumbers..." And she is certainly putting away a lot of fruit and veggies - they just lack calories, fat, and protein, which she needs. And finally, it could just be that she is going to be skinny. Jeff was a stick most of his life until I came along (oops!). She may just be taking after him.

She does still enjoy cooking and baking, and so we spent a fair amount of time concocting goodies over the weekend. On Saturday she and I made homemade granola bars, and she has been scarfing down as many as we will let her eat (which does seem to negate the healthy detox theory and support the salt/sugar addict one). Sunday morning we made oatmeal pancakes for breakfast. Before bed each night, I ask her to tell me her favorite part of the day. Yesterday I expected her to say "swimming," since we had made two trips to the backyard to swim in her kiddie pool, but apparently making pancakes truly was the highlight of her day. (She also, thankfully, enjoyed eating the pancakes.)

I can only imagine the food adventures that this week will bring. Jeff is adding another meal for the boys this week. They will now get lunch too. And it will be interesting to see if the petite princess ends her food strike. For now, at least, our lives will continue to revolve around food.