Cheerios Anyone?

I do my best to ensure that the wee ones eat healthfully. We don't eat out as often as many people I know. I (fortunately) like to cook from scratch, so the majority of our foods are not processed. I'm lucky that the wee ones like a variety of foods - including fruits and vegetables - and that they eat them at most meals.

Breakfast is a big meal in my house. I'm pretty insistent that they eat healthfully for breakfast. They rarely get sugar at breakfast in an effort to keep them as focused as possible throughout the day. I ensure there is always protein at that meal, too.

But some days, I go the easy route. I don't have the time (or don't make the time) or the energy to have a completely homemade breakfast. That doesn't mean I don't insist on something I feel comfortable feeding them. I have a few go to choices in the house - that the wee one are always offered even when I'm also offering up the choice of omelets and oatmeal or other more labor and time intensive options.

This morning was one of the days where the wee ones weren't getting the ideal breakfast. It was Mother's Day. And I'm getting a nasty cold and so am just wiped out. And my husband has been gone coaching all weekend, so he's not around to parent.

Little Miss woke me up this morning at 7:14 by singing "Happy Mother's Day to Mom" although I remained only half conscious for awhile after that. I just couldn't convince my body to get out of bed. As clock continued to march forward, I knew the wee ones were going to be getting hungry.

From downstairs, I could hear them playing Uno together... until they decided they were too hungry to continue. I groaned internally as I waited to hear the tromping up the stairs to beg my help. Instead, I heard almost silence. The refrigerator door opened and closed, and I could hear them whispering to each other.

Finally, I managed to drag myself downstairs to see what mischief they'd gotten themselves into.

Oh my wee ones have grown up! (And check it out - Little Miss got her protein in with the sushi left over from dinner the night before. Apparently that was the fridge opening and closing.)

Somehow, though, no matter how much they grow up, I don't see them ever outgrowing their love of a simple bowl of Cheerios. I may no longer be placing them on a high chair tray one by one or spooning the cereal into their mouths, but this is one house where there will always be a box of original Cheerios open and waiting. And two wee one who have learned that this is a breakfast they can make all by themselves!

In the interest of full disclosure, this post was written as part of the Cheerios Blogger Circle. I was not compensated in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Win a Young Author prize pack here!