Have you seen the size of my kids? Obviously, eating is not an issue in our house. We grow 'em big.
The boys are now able to get into their own chairs and buckle themselves in. I will keep them in those booster seats as long as I can! They have gotten pretty good at using spoons and forks...at least they know how to use them. They don't always use them like they should, but they know how. Just this week I started working with an open cup for them (instead of a sippy cup), with water only (because I'm not a moron). If they dump them, they are done. And they do dump them. Typically it is on their plates when they get done or bored, but sometimes it is on the table, which makes for fun splashing. Drives me nuts.
I know that someday I will eat an entire meal and sit the whole time, but that time is NOT now. I couldn't begin to guess how many times I am up during a meal. That is the problem, when I am up, that is when the kids start to throw food to the floor or dump out cups or bang on the table or grab each others chairs or food.
They can be pretty cute at meals. Currently Z is sitting by N, with L and C on the other side of the table, and me and Nate at the ends. L is into feeding C. The other day, C wanted more black beans, but I told him he had to eat some chicken. He kept saying "mo-mo-mo?" and I kept saying no. Sweet L, he grabbed a bean off of his own plate and held it up to C's mouth. C promptly ate it and the two of them giggled and repeated. Great. Cute, but really?
The boys all have their colors that they always use. We have the same brand of cup and plates, so N is always blue, C is green, and L is orange. And if you accidentally give them the wrong plate or cup, they look at you like you have 3 eyes. It does make it easy when I drop them off in the nursery, because they have known "their" cup for months, so I never had to label them.
All the boys eat breakfast and lunch really well, and we rarely have problems with someone eating their meal. You can't go wrong with oatmeal, cereal, muffins, waffles, pb&j, chicken nuggets, quesadillas, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and fruit. But dinner...well, those boys don't always love what we have. Not that I make food that is remotely strange, but they just don't want it. C will always eat very well, and L does decently. N is the worst (and the smallest, go figure). He probably doesn't eat any dinner at all (not even a bite!) at least 2 nights a week. I try to make sure that there is something that they will eat (applesauce, cottage cheese, fruit, carrots, beans, etc) so that they will eat something, but sometimes it doesn't matter, they are NOT going to eat. And that is ok with me. I figure they will eat if they're hungry, and I am not in the business of making separate meals for separate kids.
They have also started to just throw their plates off of the table. I don't love it. I just recently made the decision that if it is thrown off, the meal (for that kid) is done. I was giving them at least one more chance, but I am done with that. I have had some hungry, crabby kids, but it actually has slowed down the throwing a bit, and they certainly do eat well the next meal! :)
We eat at the same times every day...in case you didn't know it, we kind of live by a schedule. It makes me happy, it makes them happy. 730, breakfast. 1030, snack. 1130, lunch. 100, nap. 330, snack. 530, dinner. 700, bed. 800, bed. Those times are pretty sacred, but there is some wiggle room. Sometimes we eat lunch as late as 12, or dinner by 550. But rarely. ;)
And that is mealtime!
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