Hungry?

I just watched Bear finish two hard-boiled eggs, 1 bowl of cereal with milk, and a whole banana and then ask for more. Meanwhile, on the other side of the table Chipmunk ate a whole container of baby yogurt, a quarter cup of oatmeal, one egg yolk and then follow with a whole banana himself. Then he pounded the table asking for more, so I sprinkled the table with Cheerios.

Yes, I do feed them regularly.

People are always commenting on my kids' eating habits. Not just about how much they eat, but what they eat. My daughter would rather eat her salad than her slice of pizza. My kids could sit through a whole meal scarfing just broccoli and tofu. So when Bear asks if she can have a little ice cream, I indulge, only because I know it won't curb her regular appetite for things like celery and carrots.

I'm not complaining, especially since I've seen families who run after their kids with spoon in hand forcing them to eat something. It's just that I've noticed how much more I've been purchasing at the grocery stores and how much more often I have to visit these establishments just to keep up with their little bellies. Plus, what goes in, must come out as they say, and I often get the short end of the stick on that one.

One day I'll tell them about what good eaters they were as babes. I'll tell them stories about how strangers at restaurants always commented on how they loved watching them eat or at the amount of greenery that inhabited their plates. I'll tell them about how meals were no problem because they sat the whole time and ate. But I'll also remind them how blessed they were that they could get their fill on a regular basis and how blessed they were for never having to want.

In the meantime, I think I need to go cook. I'm running out of cooked broccoli.