Food

Lucia and Greta seem to have been conspiring to make dinner-cooking more difficult than usual. As I've said many times, Greta is a fantastic eater--but as she approaches two years old, she's getting just a little more picky. Lucia, always a challenge, generally does eat pretty well, but she's definitely more opinionated (i.e., picky) about what she will and will not eat. The girls have been more or less aligned in their likes and dislikes--until lately. Now, Greta's favorite meal is macaroni and cheese--and Lucia won't touch it. Lucia loves French toast--and Greta, inexplicably, won't let it past her lips. Lucia likes scrambled eggs with cheese; Greta screams at the sight of them. Greta will eat as much salmon as we put in front of her; Lucia will eat it, but each bite is cushioned by five minutes of stalling. Lucia loves sweet potatoes. Greta does not. And on and on. Most of these are basic, basic things--dinnertime staples, the things that I've always been able to turn to in a pinch. Now, nothing is guaranteed.

It's frustrating, but I'll focus on the nice moments, when I feel like I'm doing something right instead of just cooking pound after pound of pasta. Last night, Lucia requested more broccoli with her broccoli-and-macaroni. Today, she asked for more olive oil with her toasted bread. The helping parent at preschool last week told me Lucia got very excited about the carrots at snacktime. Both girls go crazy for brie; Greta loves it so much she'll say the word "brie." (She will also say "chip." This is Andrew's fault.) They both adore pesto. They both drink milk. They are not yet eating sushi or seaweed snacks...but I trust there's time.