Tuesday, April 29, 2014

So I had a friend today (well she was a friend in high school and now our only communication is through Facebook so a Facebook friend I suppose) basically ask in her post what other people's dinners look like with toddlers.  I usually don't reply to stuff on Facebook but something compelled me to do so with her post. Here's what I replied:

When I actually cook dinner, I call out dinners ready.  Which means plates of food are on the table.  No silverware or drinks for anyone.  The 3 year old runs off.  We have to chase him down and tell him for the 4000th time the rule is he has to sit with us whether he eats or not.  The 2 year old has already gotten to the table and dumped over her plate and is screaming that her food is on the floor.  Pick up her food while the baby screams for no reason (or teething, I don't know).  Drag whining 3 year old to his chair, sit him down and grab some silverware.  The 3 year old is back out of his chair and attempting to run away again.  Back in his chair he whines while I grab some side dish I forgot.  Put baby's food together in a bowl and search for her Bumbo chair for 1.5 minutes, grumbling to myself about how disheveled our house is.  Find the chair and put it on the table.  Plop her down, shovel a spoonful of food in her mouth.  Big kids start whining for milk.   Get up and scrub some crusty sippy cups clean for milk.  Warm the milk because they want it warm for some reason.  Shovel another bite down the baby's gullet.  Two big kids decide to have a back and forth screeching match which they think is hilarious.  Stuff half my plate in my mouth while picking up dropped spoons and forks.  Shovel more food down baby.  Eat six bites of food in three seconds.  Get up to find a clean cup somewhere and fill it with lukewarm water and down it as fast as I can since I'm not sure when the next time will come that I will get to take a drink.  The 3 year old licks his ranch for dinner and leaves after 2.5 minutes at the table, sliding out of his chair like a snake as if I can't see him.  The 2 year old eats a few bites and ends up needing a bath because she is covered in food.  Baby is happy with food and now wants milk...from me...NOW!  I finish the last dregs of food on my plate, walking to the recliner to nurse.  All this in about a 5 minutes time span.  It's great!