Hallelujah!

Dinner: Multigrain, breaded tilapia, steamed brown rice, and peas and corn, with milk/ apple juice.

Minus a few episodes of flopping around on his chair, Terrek was very successful with today’s meal!  Normally brown rice and peas would have been cause for complaint, however no negativity surfaced from him tonight.  He whispered in my ear that he had good news, and the good news was that he liked everything on his plate.  He took his time, but he managed to eat his entire serving!  “Now can I have popcorn Mommy?”  My answer was yes! J

Evelyn and Patrick both decided that it was the end of the world if they didn’t sit on my lap for dinner.  Tears and cries began to surface, and I had to remind Patrick of the ‘no complaining rule.’  Before they would touch their dinner, they had to get their seating arrangements organized.  I started with the plan of letting Evelyn sit on my lap. “Sit there, Mommy!” she demanded, trying to climb on.  (I missed her too- after being away from them all day at work, I never mind a good snuggle).  Patrick was in the same frame of mind as Evelyn, however, and he began climbing on my lap too.  Keep in mind that my belly is rather huge now, and as Evelyn and Patrick were attempting to squeeze on, my baby was kicking me from the inside as if to remind me my lap was his reserved spot for now!  Reasoning with either Patrick or Evelyn was fruitless- the five minute taking turns suggestion was met with “NO! I DON”T WANT TO!” My most wonderful nanny, Rosemarie attempted to sway Evelyn to come sit with her, to no avail.  I ended up succumbing to the chubby little loves and let them both sit on my lap, on either side of my protruding belly.

They both began happily eating their meals; I however, could not reach my plate.  Patrick intermittently kept asking, “Mommy feed me?  Why can’t you feed me?”  The obvious reason was that I couldn’t reach his mouth with two kids on my lap, but I repeated my same response-
     “Everyone feeds themselves at the table now. “ “You are a big boy, you can do it!”  Evelyn ate about half of her dinner then proclaimed,
     “I’m done!” and went off to play.  Patrick took his time, flopping around on me, obsessively playing with my hair.  He managed to eat a little bit of everything, then he left the table.   I finally got a chance to eat!

Popcorn time came- the sound of the air popper lured all three children back into the kitchen.  “Can I have popcorn?” asked Patrick. 

“Yes!” I said, “as soon as you finish your dinner.” There were a few statements of resistance, but the rapidly filling popcorn bowl worked as motivation.  Patrick didn’t want to miss out again on the special treat- he sat down and finished everything!  Astonishing- he asked for seconds on brown rice and the peas and corn and he ate it all!  What is going on??!

The kids loved the popcorn- unfortunately Evelyn wiped her olive oil hands all over my new duvet, but to me that is nothing when I have this sneaking suspicion that my plan is working!!!! Could it be true?? Both boys ate all their food?  I feel like dancing around and throwing a party!! Woohoo!!! J