Dinner: chicken meatballs, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli with melted cheese, milk to drink
All three munchkins gobbled up the chicken meatballs. Terrek ate all his mashed potatoes, and reluctantly ate all his broccoli. Patrick ate only his chicken meatballs. Evelyn ate some of everything!
Terrek and Evelyn snacked on some pretzels as a special treat- Patrick, however didn't- as he didn't eat his dinner. The positive thing- no tantrum. By now he has come to accept the rules! He just knew no pretzels for him; he didn't even ask for some! Although- I wish he actually ate some of each item- I'm happy at least that he is starting to accept and not question the rules (or throw a hairy fit and attempt to defy/destroy the rules!~).
Plan status: Terrek & Evelyn- successful
Patrick- unsuccessful
Monday, 11 February 2013
Thursday, 7 February 2013
To Each Their Own ...
Dinner: Barbecued chicken drumsticks in homemade sauce (with chia seeds!),
roasted potatoes, steamed green beans.
Terrek ate his potatoes, Patrick ate his chicken and Evelyn
ate her green beans. They each preferred
only one item on today’s menu. Terrek
and Patrick announced they were finished after only eating part of their one
food choice, and Evelyn asked for seconds of green beans, then ate her chicken.
The boys went to bed, barely eating any dinner. This is the first time for that!
Plan status: Evelyn- successful
Terrek & Patrick- unsuccessful
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Cute Little Quiches
Dinner: Mini broccoli & cheese quiches, salad, bean bread (left over)
The kids weren't very hungry tonight. Patrick ate all his quiche, but picked out the broccoli, Evelyn ate half of her quiche, with ketchup. (She wanted to squeeze the ketchup bottle herself "My do it! My do it!") Terrek ate about half of his quiche, and mushed up the rest of it so it resembled scrambled eggs.
"I can't eat the rest, it's too mushy," he explained.
They all ate some of their salad and all of their bean bread with butter.
No one finished everything- no one had any snacks or desserts. Everyone wanted to sit either directly beside or directly on top of Mommy during dinner. It was a bit crowded. :)
Plan status: successful
Label status: all labels off all boys! (Although- we're now out of labels and I'm going to have to order some more.)
The kids weren't very hungry tonight. Patrick ate all his quiche, but picked out the broccoli, Evelyn ate half of her quiche, with ketchup. (She wanted to squeeze the ketchup bottle herself "My do it! My do it!") Terrek ate about half of his quiche, and mushed up the rest of it so it resembled scrambled eggs.
"I can't eat the rest, it's too mushy," he explained.
They all ate some of their salad and all of their bean bread with butter.
No one finished everything- no one had any snacks or desserts. Everyone wanted to sit either directly beside or directly on top of Mommy during dinner. It was a bit crowded. :)
Plan status: successful
Label status: all labels off all boys! (Although- we're now out of labels and I'm going to have to order some more.)
Monday, 4 February 2013
Guess who ate a Strawberry!
Dinner: Bean bread, salad, french onion soup & chicken wings, milk
News Flash: Patrick ate a strawberry. Unfortunately I missed the event, as I was at work and it happend with Rosemarie, super nanny. She said she offered him apple slices, blueberries or strawberries. (He NEVER eats any berries- his normal choice would be the apple slices). Rosemarie said he was eyeing the strawberries, then chose one and ate it. He was so proud of himself! When I got home, that was the first thing he had to tell me. He was expecting hugs and praise from me, and that's just what he got. "Did you like it?" I asked. He said he did, but he didn't want anymore. (Evelyn and Terrek were polishing off their second bowl of strawberries at this time). This is progress!!
Dinner tonight went pretty smoothly- although the chicken wings were too spicy and they all had to be washed off in order for the kids to tolerate them.
The bean bread was a hit. The kids thought it was regular freshly made whole wheat buns- couldn't tell that navy bean puree was baked inside. Rosemarie made a big batch- left overs for breakfast tomorrow!
I gave Terrek a tiny-baby-mini-bowl of soup. (I knew he wouldn't like it and he didn't). It was painful for him to get two teaspoons down. I didn't even give him any actual onions- just broth, soaked bread crumbs and melted havarti cheese. (Totally delicious for me!) Patrick and Evelyn loved the soup. Especially Patrick who asked for seconds, and gobbled it down with huge mouthfuls.
Patrick and Terrek both struggled with their chicken wings. We only gave them one each, but they were very reluctant. They each ended up picking at them, in order to get the go-ahead for chocolate chip cookies that we had left over from the birthday party on the weekend. (Not without a crying fit from Patrick and a time out). I keep reminding him that he doesn't have to eat it, but just no dessert. He's having some trouble with this concept...he eventually came around. Evelyn loved the chicken wings, however, and asked for seconds "More bone! More bone!" she said.
Plan status: successful
Label status: One label still on Patrick
News Flash: Patrick ate a strawberry. Unfortunately I missed the event, as I was at work and it happend with Rosemarie, super nanny. She said she offered him apple slices, blueberries or strawberries. (He NEVER eats any berries- his normal choice would be the apple slices). Rosemarie said he was eyeing the strawberries, then chose one and ate it. He was so proud of himself! When I got home, that was the first thing he had to tell me. He was expecting hugs and praise from me, and that's just what he got. "Did you like it?" I asked. He said he did, but he didn't want anymore. (Evelyn and Terrek were polishing off their second bowl of strawberries at this time). This is progress!!
Dinner tonight went pretty smoothly- although the chicken wings were too spicy and they all had to be washed off in order for the kids to tolerate them.
The bean bread was a hit. The kids thought it was regular freshly made whole wheat buns- couldn't tell that navy bean puree was baked inside. Rosemarie made a big batch- left overs for breakfast tomorrow!
I gave Terrek a tiny-baby-mini-bowl of soup. (I knew he wouldn't like it and he didn't). It was painful for him to get two teaspoons down. I didn't even give him any actual onions- just broth, soaked bread crumbs and melted havarti cheese. (Totally delicious for me!) Patrick and Evelyn loved the soup. Especially Patrick who asked for seconds, and gobbled it down with huge mouthfuls.
Patrick and Terrek both struggled with their chicken wings. We only gave them one each, but they were very reluctant. They each ended up picking at them, in order to get the go-ahead for chocolate chip cookies that we had left over from the birthday party on the weekend. (Not without a crying fit from Patrick and a time out). I keep reminding him that he doesn't have to eat it, but just no dessert. He's having some trouble with this concept...he eventually came around. Evelyn loved the chicken wings, however, and asked for seconds "More bone! More bone!" she said.
Plan status: successful
Label status: One label still on Patrick
Friday, 1 February 2013
Sometimes they eat a little, sometimes they eat a LOT
Dinner: scallop linguini in cream sauce and salad.
All I can say is yum, yum, delicious! And everyone was cheerful, cooperative and sat at the table!!! I was all ready to get out the egg timer, and give Terrek a time frame where he was expected to remain at the table for twenty minutes, however I didn't have to resort to that strategy. Everyone sat at the table willingly and for a reasonable length of time today. Yay! Party for Mommy! We even had ambiance music. (Suitable for a party). Terrek was singing to us with a bucket on his head- enjoying the echoing sound it made.
This was the kids' first time having scallops, although they are familiar with shrimp (they all love it). They were skeptical at first at these strange new white lumps on their plate- but I explained that scallops are like shrimp, and they eased into the idea...gently.
The boys- are not too keen on sauce (as mentioned before). Patrick, however didn't mind this cream sauce. He gobbled everything up and had three helpings of scallops. Evelyn also loved the scallops. "More that!" she said, having three servings as well. Terrek initially had a positive reaction to the scallops, although he expressed concern about the sauce on them and the noodles. He asked me to wash the sauce off his food, but I shook my head. "This is what's for dinner," I said. (I have to admit I have done this in the past- I've washed the sauce off chicken wings in order for him to eat them) Despite the sauce, Terrek ate about half of everything.
At last call for food time, Terrek came back to the table and began eating. He explained his cueing system to me.
"If I don't like it, I chew like this" (really slowly)
"If I like it, I chew like this" (medium paced)
"If I like it a lot, I chew like this" (medium paced, with smile)
"If I really don't like it, I chew like this" (extremely fast as if to get it over with)
He began chewing pretty fast, but he finished everything and then asked for the famous peanut butter and jam sandwich.
Terrek continued to eat an entire peanut butter and jam sandwich and a bowl of oatmeal. Patrick ate a peanut butter and jam wrap, then a peanut butter and jam sandwich and finally a bowl of oatmeal. Evelyn ate half a peanut butter and jam wrap and half a bowl of oatmeal.
Holy cow! They all must have been growing today. (Or maybe they just worked up an appetite from all the Gangam Style dancing and singing they did just prior...)
Plan status: successful
Label status: Labels still stuck on Patrick
Amendment: Change plan status to UNSUCCESSFUL for Terrek for today. (I'm writing this the day after). Rosemarie found five scallops scattered on the floor near Terrek's chair. When I approached him about this, he admitted fully to throwing the scallops on the floor because he didn't want to eat them, and he didn't like them, but he wanted his peanut butter sandwich. Yikes! Trickery and deceit. I will have to watch him more carefully! Yikes!
All I can say is yum, yum, delicious! And everyone was cheerful, cooperative and sat at the table!!! I was all ready to get out the egg timer, and give Terrek a time frame where he was expected to remain at the table for twenty minutes, however I didn't have to resort to that strategy. Everyone sat at the table willingly and for a reasonable length of time today. Yay! Party for Mommy! We even had ambiance music. (Suitable for a party). Terrek was singing to us with a bucket on his head- enjoying the echoing sound it made.
This was the kids' first time having scallops, although they are familiar with shrimp (they all love it). They were skeptical at first at these strange new white lumps on their plate- but I explained that scallops are like shrimp, and they eased into the idea...gently.
The boys- are not too keen on sauce (as mentioned before). Patrick, however didn't mind this cream sauce. He gobbled everything up and had three helpings of scallops. Evelyn also loved the scallops. "More that!" she said, having three servings as well. Terrek initially had a positive reaction to the scallops, although he expressed concern about the sauce on them and the noodles. He asked me to wash the sauce off his food, but I shook my head. "This is what's for dinner," I said. (I have to admit I have done this in the past- I've washed the sauce off chicken wings in order for him to eat them) Despite the sauce, Terrek ate about half of everything.
At last call for food time, Terrek came back to the table and began eating. He explained his cueing system to me.
"If I don't like it, I chew like this" (really slowly)
"If I like it, I chew like this" (medium paced)
"If I like it a lot, I chew like this" (medium paced, with smile)
"If I really don't like it, I chew like this" (extremely fast as if to get it over with)
He began chewing pretty fast, but he finished everything and then asked for the famous peanut butter and jam sandwich.
Terrek continued to eat an entire peanut butter and jam sandwich and a bowl of oatmeal. Patrick ate a peanut butter and jam wrap, then a peanut butter and jam sandwich and finally a bowl of oatmeal. Evelyn ate half a peanut butter and jam wrap and half a bowl of oatmeal.
Holy cow! They all must have been growing today. (Or maybe they just worked up an appetite from all the Gangam Style dancing and singing they did just prior...)
Plan status: successful
Label status: Labels still stuck on Patrick
Amendment: Change plan status to UNSUCCESSFUL for Terrek for today. (I'm writing this the day after). Rosemarie found five scallops scattered on the floor near Terrek's chair. When I approached him about this, he admitted fully to throwing the scallops on the floor because he didn't want to eat them, and he didn't like them, but he wanted his peanut butter sandwich. Yikes! Trickery and deceit. I will have to watch him more carefully! Yikes!
Judo Night is Pizza Night!
Who doesn't love pizza night? Figuring out healthy and fast dinners for the nights the boys have judo is tricky.
Yes, I know I'm spoiled, because I have a wonderful nanny who makes us dinner during the week. I plan out the menu, and she cooks it. It's Heavenly.
However, now, being so large with pregnancy, lugging the kids to judo by myself can be a real challenge for me- especially with winter boots, snow pants, hats & mitts- and my big belly. (Julius works late, so he's never home on time for judo). So pregnant, waddling me, a toddler and two little boys who dawdle and are easily distracted, are quite a circus train going from the car to judo class and back again. We always block the stairs, because little feet are slow to go up and down, and there are so many of us.... I get so many looks- some of sympathy, some of pity and some of bewilderment. (This woman has three little kids and she's pregnant again? Is she crazy??!!) I end up sweating and exhausted. I can't leave Evelyn at home- after working all day- we miss each other- and I don't want her to feel left out when I take the boys to a special outing twice a week, and not her. So I always bring her and we snuggle and play on the bleachers, while the boys tackle each other in their cute little gees. So now, I take Rosemarie with me. I am thankful for Rosemarie's assistance in the car, to the class, getting ready, when someone has to pee during class, when Patrick is nervous and cries for mommy and Evleyn pooped and needs her diaper changed at the same time. There are two of us- this makes the whole ordeal much more manageable!!
Since Rosemarie is with me at judo- we need dinner solutions that are fast and easy. Sometimes it's pizza night! The kids LOVE pizza night. Julius and I like our pizza with all sorts of different assorted veggies- olives, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, pineapple... But of course, the kids prefer plain, just cheese. While Terrek likes his with pineapple as well, Patrick and Evelyn will pick it all off- they like just cheese, and cheese alone.
Not all judo nights can be pizza nights, however (much to Terrek's chagrin- he would eat pizza every day if he could)... Last night, Rosemarie made a big casserole dish full of homemade macaroni and cheese, but she added stewed tomatoes. I thought it was truly delicious! Evelyn ate two helpings. The boys were insulted that there were tomatoes in their mac & cheese, and picked them all out before eating it. They did eat it however, along with carrot sicks and taziki. (Well- no taziki- or any dip or salad dressing for that matter for Terrek). Patrick loves taziki so much, that he ended up dipping his mac and cheese noodles into the taziki. "I love dip!" he smiled.
After all that wrestling & jumping around- they worked up an appetite!! Me- just the event of going to judo makes me work up an appetite! I'll have to keep thinking for other quick, healthy & fast dinner ideas for judo nights- we'll stick to one pizza night a week, but two is too many!
Plan status: successful
Label Status: Labels off Terrek, still stuck on Patrick
Yes, I know I'm spoiled, because I have a wonderful nanny who makes us dinner during the week. I plan out the menu, and she cooks it. It's Heavenly.
However, now, being so large with pregnancy, lugging the kids to judo by myself can be a real challenge for me- especially with winter boots, snow pants, hats & mitts- and my big belly. (Julius works late, so he's never home on time for judo). So pregnant, waddling me, a toddler and two little boys who dawdle and are easily distracted, are quite a circus train going from the car to judo class and back again. We always block the stairs, because little feet are slow to go up and down, and there are so many of us.... I get so many looks- some of sympathy, some of pity and some of bewilderment. (This woman has three little kids and she's pregnant again? Is she crazy??!!) I end up sweating and exhausted. I can't leave Evelyn at home- after working all day- we miss each other- and I don't want her to feel left out when I take the boys to a special outing twice a week, and not her. So I always bring her and we snuggle and play on the bleachers, while the boys tackle each other in their cute little gees. So now, I take Rosemarie with me. I am thankful for Rosemarie's assistance in the car, to the class, getting ready, when someone has to pee during class, when Patrick is nervous and cries for mommy and Evleyn pooped and needs her diaper changed at the same time. There are two of us- this makes the whole ordeal much more manageable!!
Since Rosemarie is with me at judo- we need dinner solutions that are fast and easy. Sometimes it's pizza night! The kids LOVE pizza night. Julius and I like our pizza with all sorts of different assorted veggies- olives, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, pineapple... But of course, the kids prefer plain, just cheese. While Terrek likes his with pineapple as well, Patrick and Evelyn will pick it all off- they like just cheese, and cheese alone.
Not all judo nights can be pizza nights, however (much to Terrek's chagrin- he would eat pizza every day if he could)... Last night, Rosemarie made a big casserole dish full of homemade macaroni and cheese, but she added stewed tomatoes. I thought it was truly delicious! Evelyn ate two helpings. The boys were insulted that there were tomatoes in their mac & cheese, and picked them all out before eating it. They did eat it however, along with carrot sicks and taziki. (Well- no taziki- or any dip or salad dressing for that matter for Terrek). Patrick loves taziki so much, that he ended up dipping his mac and cheese noodles into the taziki. "I love dip!" he smiled.
After all that wrestling & jumping around- they worked up an appetite!! Me- just the event of going to judo makes me work up an appetite! I'll have to keep thinking for other quick, healthy & fast dinner ideas for judo nights- we'll stick to one pizza night a week, but two is too many!
Plan status: successful
Label Status: Labels off Terrek, still stuck on Patrick
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
When dinner makes you want to hide in a box...
Dinner: chicken or tofu skewers marinated with zucchini, red peppers and yellow peppers, brown rice and salad. Salad: romain lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, strawberries, grapes and swiss cheese. Dessert: yogurt!
Oh boy- where do I start? Tonight was one of those days! One child had diarrhea, and was wearing a full Batman suit, so in dire situations, wrestling out of it in time was a challenge. One child fell off her chair (we were in the dining room so the regular chairs- not the high ones, thank goodness). This child was also complaining of a diaper rash "bum-bum hurts!" so dinner was constantly interrupted so I could wipe her sore bum with warm water. The third child would not sit at the table at all! He said he didn't like the dinner. He kept fooling around and getting up and hiding in a huge cardboard box.
Next silly problem- The boys had gotten into the labels with our name on it for lunch boxes/coats, etc. and had them stuck on their arms. (They routinely do this with stickers) The problem, (despite the fact that these labels are pricey!) was that they are so sticky, they hurt to come off. Terrek was brave and ripped his off, but Patrick cried that it hurt! So those labels are affixed to his arms indefinately... we'll see how long they stay stuck!
Patrick and Evelyn did a fair job at eating their dinner at our first sitting. They both ate most of their salad, with dressing, Patrick ate his chicken and not his tofu, and Evelyn ate her tofu and not her chicken. (Unfortunately, she walked to the green bin and spit her chicken out into it after she took a bite). Neither of them touched their peppers. (I gave the boys only one piece of pepper each, as I knew this would be a sore spot).
PROBLEM: How do I get Terrek to stay seated at the table???? He would not cooperate! I want him to sit with us, enjoy each others' company and share a healthy meal together. He said he was bored and kept leaving the table. He didn't eat anything at the first sitting. He just kept hiding in that cardboard box.
Later, after revealing his plan to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and eat a bagel, he finally asked for his dinner. (Ahh! This is not a healthy attitude- I don't want them to feel they have to sneak food- am I going wrong here??)
Terrek proceeded to eat all his salad (without dressing) and his chicken. (I didn't attempt to give him any tofu- we've been down that road before...) He had a bone to pick with his pepper though. "I don't like peppers. You know I don't like peppers, Mommy! Why did you give me a pepper?" No amount of explanation sufficed, and he "accidentally" "dropped" the red pepper on the floor. I washed it, and put it back on his plate.
Meanwhile, Patrick had finished almost everything except a few pieces of his salad (including his grape- he doesn't like grapes) and his pepper. He was holding on to a container of yogurt, giving me threatening looks. I played it cool. "Of course you can have yogurt when you finish your dinner."
Neither boy would budge on the pepper. Self-doubt got the better of me. Maybe it was a moment of weakness or maybe it was the diarrhea...I caved and said they didn't have to eat the pepper. After all- it was yogurt they wanted, not chocolate pudding or candy floss. They finished everything else- with the salad giving them a good dose of veggies- I reasoned that it was OK for me to let the peppers slide.
Did I do the right thing?? Have I set a bad president, going back on rule number four?
They all went crazy over the yogurt. (I buy creamy yogurt, sweetened with fruit juice- no sugar) Even though it's a common food for them, all three were really in the mood for yogurt. Terrek ate two yogurts, Patrick ate three, and Evelyn ate one and a half, finishing up by using dallops of the yogurt as hand lotion. (Mess)!!
Plan status: Successful**
Label status: Labels stuck on both boys
*minus peppers
**Why won't they eat all their dinner at dinner time? Why do we have to have two sittings every night??
Oh boy- where do I start? Tonight was one of those days! One child had diarrhea, and was wearing a full Batman suit, so in dire situations, wrestling out of it in time was a challenge. One child fell off her chair (we were in the dining room so the regular chairs- not the high ones, thank goodness). This child was also complaining of a diaper rash "bum-bum hurts!" so dinner was constantly interrupted so I could wipe her sore bum with warm water. The third child would not sit at the table at all! He said he didn't like the dinner. He kept fooling around and getting up and hiding in a huge cardboard box.
Next silly problem- The boys had gotten into the labels with our name on it for lunch boxes/coats, etc. and had them stuck on their arms. (They routinely do this with stickers) The problem, (despite the fact that these labels are pricey!) was that they are so sticky, they hurt to come off. Terrek was brave and ripped his off, but Patrick cried that it hurt! So those labels are affixed to his arms indefinately... we'll see how long they stay stuck!
Patrick and Evelyn did a fair job at eating their dinner at our first sitting. They both ate most of their salad, with dressing, Patrick ate his chicken and not his tofu, and Evelyn ate her tofu and not her chicken. (Unfortunately, she walked to the green bin and spit her chicken out into it after she took a bite). Neither of them touched their peppers. (I gave the boys only one piece of pepper each, as I knew this would be a sore spot).
PROBLEM: How do I get Terrek to stay seated at the table???? He would not cooperate! I want him to sit with us, enjoy each others' company and share a healthy meal together. He said he was bored and kept leaving the table. He didn't eat anything at the first sitting. He just kept hiding in that cardboard box.
Later, after revealing his plan to sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and eat a bagel, he finally asked for his dinner. (Ahh! This is not a healthy attitude- I don't want them to feel they have to sneak food- am I going wrong here??)
Terrek proceeded to eat all his salad (without dressing) and his chicken. (I didn't attempt to give him any tofu- we've been down that road before...) He had a bone to pick with his pepper though. "I don't like peppers. You know I don't like peppers, Mommy! Why did you give me a pepper?" No amount of explanation sufficed, and he "accidentally" "dropped" the red pepper on the floor. I washed it, and put it back on his plate.
Meanwhile, Patrick had finished almost everything except a few pieces of his salad (including his grape- he doesn't like grapes) and his pepper. He was holding on to a container of yogurt, giving me threatening looks. I played it cool. "Of course you can have yogurt when you finish your dinner."
Neither boy would budge on the pepper. Self-doubt got the better of me. Maybe it was a moment of weakness or maybe it was the diarrhea...I caved and said they didn't have to eat the pepper. After all- it was yogurt they wanted, not chocolate pudding or candy floss. They finished everything else- with the salad giving them a good dose of veggies- I reasoned that it was OK for me to let the peppers slide.
Did I do the right thing?? Have I set a bad president, going back on rule number four?
They all went crazy over the yogurt. (I buy creamy yogurt, sweetened with fruit juice- no sugar) Even though it's a common food for them, all three were really in the mood for yogurt. Terrek ate two yogurts, Patrick ate three, and Evelyn ate one and a half, finishing up by using dallops of the yogurt as hand lotion. (Mess)!!
Plan status: Successful**
Label status: Labels stuck on both boys
*minus peppers
**Why won't they eat all their dinner at dinner time? Why do we have to have two sittings every night??
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