Ears of all sorts

The wait-and-see approach seems to have worked for now. Last night was much more peaceful and both kids seem to be improved. The colds are still here but the kids don't seem as bothered as they did a day or two ago. So, here's hoping we've dodged the ear infection bullet this time around!

Now that Easter is just a few short days again, I realize how much I need to get done. There's a house to clean and food to prepare. Entertaining is not one of my gifts, but I do find it easier to relax in my own home even if it's full of other folks. We hit Aldi for a basic ham this morning. I'm so hopeless at menu planning on a grand scale that I may buy another tomorrow just because nine pounds of meat doesn't seem like enough for a family of carnivores. My efforts to push more vegetarian dishes have faded for now (Baby wants protein!) but there is a glimmer of healthy eating hope: my children in the produce aisle. In general, I'm pretty good about avoiding toy impulse purchases for the kids. They will behave, or not, depending on their mood and mine, and I don't need a plastic kid-thing bribe cluttering up my house. I am, however, a sucker for begging for fruits or vegetables. Today, Erik turned down the multicolored peppers that he sometimes enjoys, but spotted a package of corn on the cob and asked for them for supper. The kid was walking through the store cradling the corn like it was a beloved toy. How can I resist? Anna would have been hugging the strawberries she gleefully spotted, but the mess potential kept those in the cart. We did have a small lunchtime tantrum when I had the audacity to require her to finish her PB&J before polishing off the strawberries, but after some "I don't want to! I want strawberries!" she quietly ate the entire sandwich and wolfed down the rest of the berries. Ours is a kitchen in which Erik has actually said, "Can I have more salad?" Of course, the salad dressing or seeds on top often motivate the request, but it's a start! And some green stuff gets eaten. We must be doing some small thing right.