Beans

The theatrics about food around this house have gotten a little out of hand.

The other day I made a soup with beans and pasta in it.  Isaac took one look at his bowl and began crying he "hated beans."  I told him he didn't have to eat the beans and he could pick them out and eat everything else.  I reminded him that it was dinner and there wouldn't be any other food.  He continued crying and saying he hated the beans.  Jacob got him a plate and told him to put his beans on the plate.  Isaac still cried.  He then spent the next 5 minutes crying and picking out his beans and trying to get Jacob to eat them.  He refused to put them on his plate and made a pile on the table:

He finished his mumbling and crying about the beans and began to eat the remainder of his food.  After a few minutes he looked at Jacob and I and told us he was "allergic to beans."  He is not.  Jacob and I couldn't stop the laughter.  Isaac looked at us like we were the crazy ones.  Then, I kid you not, 5 minutes later he said "I changed my mind.  I like beans.  I'm not allergic."  And began to eat the pile in the middle of the table.  True story.

Ben just pushed the whole mess off his tray and refused any of it.  Period.  I swear he is getting all his nutrition from crackers, pretzels, anything candy or cookie related, and maybe a sprinkling of fruits and veggies.  Oh yes, and a LOAD of milk.

Stinkers!

Ben figured out a new favorite way to pass the time.  Putting the coins in the connect 4 game slots.  Perfect for his age and development.  Good thinking Jacob...

(Love the crazy eyes)

So I thought.  The next day he took the sliding-coins-into-slots to a new level and was shoving them down the heat vents.  Game over.  No more Connect 4 for Ben.

I did not love retrieving said coins from said vent.

But you know what I do love?  Being these little boys' mother.  Even through all the tantrums and cleaning of messes I am really enjoying these little cuties.  Of course some days are harder than others, for all of us I'm sure, but my goal to find the joy more is really working.  I'm able to laugh a little more in times that would normally make my blood boil.  I'm also finding that as I look for those truly joyful moments I am being a little less hard on myself as a mother.  And that is certainly a much needed change.  Aren't we all doing the best we know how?  Why don't we give ourselves a break from the self-scrutiny and just enjoy that we are working hard and doing all we can?  I don't know why that is so hard for me.  But, I think I'm making some progress and feeling more happy for it.  Hopefully the three other Brunsons are feeling a little more loved too.