I don't know what happened. For months they were fantastic eaters, gobbling down just about everything we handed to them. Meats, green veggies, crackers, fruits, all of it. It was glorious. The speed with which they could shove handfuls of carrots into their mouths was amazing (someone remind me to ask Guinness Book of Records what the current record is, we may have beaten it!). They ate chicken, pork, fish - fried, grilled, baked. I was the happiest Chef Mommy in the world.
Then, one day, everything changed. The brats now desire a diet of strictly graham crackers, pancakes, yogurt, juice, and orange slices. Not even peanut better crackers will do, they won't touch apples, and their once beloved carrots get shoved to the corner of the tray and neglected.
I have used cookie cutters to cut sandwiches, made a hot dog look like an octopus, and bought those chicken nuggets that look like dinosaurs. I even tried to hide veggies in spaghetti sauce - it's like they can smell a vegetable a mile away. Who knew babies had such a fantastic ability to distinguish one food from another.
And then there's times where they show promise. We went out to a Japanese Steakhouse over the Christmas holiday, and Chris ate an adult size portion of rice and Collin couldn't get enough of the vegetables. We get back, I make rice and cook up some veggies on the stove with some soy sauce and such - nothing. I guess unless I am going to flip my knives and create an onion volcano, they just aren't going to go for it.
So now I am left with half eaten meals, one very happy dog who gets to eat everything they throw off their trays, and 2 hungry toddlers because they refuse to eat anything I give them. Looks like we will be having many "breakfast for dinner" nights in my house for a while.
PS helpful hints on getting picky toddlers to eat are much appreciated, I have tried everything I can find in magazines and online. I guess the brats read those articles too, because they are prepared for anything I try.
Their daddy finds it most frustrating when they hold food in their hand out over the tray and look at you as if to say, "Dare me to drop it because i'll do it. I'll do it with a smile."
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