Picky, picky, picky...

I know the blame for our girls being picky eaters lies largely in my lap, but you know, it's not from lack of trying. Both girls ate anything and everything until the age of two and a half. Then they ate practically nothing for a good year or so. Now, they selectively choose what they will and won't eat, to the point that sometimes Elisa won't even taste what's on her plate. Even if she's eaten it before and loved it. Elisa won't eat mince, egg in any form, or any food that has a sauce/gravy over it (like baked beans & spaghetti, any pasta with sauce, lasagna etc). There goes our easy dinners like eggs or baked beans on toast. Brooke will eat the stuff Elisa doesn't, but won't touch anything remotely spicy or new to her palate. Arrrgh! So frustrating.

I'm determined to introduce new foods to them though, and have added new recipes to my monthly menu plan that I think we'll all like. Tonight I cooked up a couscous salad to go with our chicken fillets (like oversized chicken nuggets). Brooke has happily eaten couscous several times before, but this was Elisa's first try. One look at her plate though, and Brooke declares it to be "yuk!". Elisa hears this and proceeds to agree on the subject, and takes no further interest in dinner. Chicken fillets included. Nice. I make Brooke at least taste it, which she reluctantly agrees to do, all the while displaying a "I'm gonna die if I eat this" look on her face. Of course the second she has it in her mouth she wants to spit it out again but I don't let her. She starts crying and making a huge deal out of it, and I just got so ticked off. After a few sharp words I removed myself from the table to cool off. I don't know why it bothered me so much. I think it was just the straw that broke the camels back. It hurt my feelings to know the girls won't even TRY giving something new a chance, especially after I'd worked so hard to make a nice dinner. I must be overtired.

In the end the girls had Weet-bix with milk for dinner. I wouldn't normally give in, but I am not in the mood tonight for them to wake up later on saying they're hungry. Not tonight. I was grumpy with poor Brooke for the rest of the evening, but made sure at bedtime she knew that no matter how grumpy or sad or hurt I feel, I still love her very very much.

[.........Big exhale...........]

So, I've calmed down now, and managed to finish last week's 365 page which I uploaded to my Scrapmatters and DST galleries:


The girls and I spent the weekend with my Mum and Dad since DH was working. Elisa glued herself to Papa the minute we arrived, and didn't delatch till we left for home again the following day. He is SO flavour of the month for her right now, and it was really sweet to see. I had intended to visit the temple while I was in Hamilton, and thought I was soooooo organised, but alas, not to be....I hadn't checked the expiry date on my temple recommend. Expired October 2008. Good one. That gave Mum and I the opportunity to go through the Visitors Centre though, and I was over-awed by the developments since I'd last been in there over 8 years ago. Soooooo beautiful. Mum and I watched the movie "Joseph" and both bawled our eyes out. What a spiritually touching movie, so amazingly portrayed. Next time I'm in Hamilton I want to take Brooke to the Visitor's Centre. There are lots of interactive touch-screen things for kids that I think she'll enjoy.

OK, I'm off to bed now. No need for me to be grumpy 2 days in a row. We have another new dinner menu tomorrow night too - Singapore noodles with chicken. I know my girls like noodles, but you never know....