Big Girl Table!

You can see I get little girl belts to belt them in if need be, but after one time of that, we haven't needed them! :)

Since Sunday {a few weeks ago} we have been very busy in our house learning how to sit at the "big girl" table. To say it hasn't been challenging would be a lie. I think I have said, "sit down, please", "please, stay in your seat while eating", "we don't eat and get up" ONE.BILLION.TIMES!!!!! I have neglected to let them sit at a table because, well then, I have three 2 year olds running around my kitchen instead of confined safely in high-chairs...no thank-you. Not yet. Nope. Sorry.

But....I finally gave in and it's been going, well, as good as any transition does. There is that learning curve that always poses a challenge, especially when there are multiple children trying to learn together and play off of one another. Ya know, it's silly when your sister throws food at the dog or you let water spill our of your mouth on purpose...everyone laughs.....except Momma.

As of now, 2 days in, Natalee is having the most problem with sitting still and not getting up. Madelynn and Claire are doing good, but their problem is that they like to stand on their chairs.  

I keep using, "you need to sit like big girls at the big girl table or you go in high chairs like babies, and you are all big girls"....which seems to be working well, for now.  Natalee is the only one who had a brief stint in the high chair for a minute or two, but it was only once. 

So here we are a few weeks later...like 3-5 weeks later. The table eating has been going better. It's not easy. For me. Natalee is still my biggest challenge, but the twins give me a run for my money too at least a few times a day.

But the girls love looking out the window at cars, and trucks, people, birds  dogs..whatever I can do to keep them entertained! They wave "hello" and "bye-bye" to any car that comes/goes. Tim is going to build some bird houses to attach to the outside of the window and I am sure they will LOVE that!

Please note..for family..they are not sitting in the seats with their names on them. Maddie is in Claire's chair, Natalee is in Maddie's chair....LOL!

Maddie looks like she is thinking, "Momma, it's not nice to take my picture when I just woke up!" Hehe!

But it's honestly been getting better and better as each day passes. Madelynn and Claire barely get up and even if I leave the kitchen for a minute or two, they still stay in their seats! Whahoo! We have come a long way! It's best when they are very hungry, they sit and eat all their food.

Oh and one more thing....on Valentine's day I made heart shaped grilled cheese {photo on facebook} and they ate the whole thing. Most days I can get them to take a bite or two of a sandwich and that's it. It's very frustrating! So from now on I have been giving them heart-shaped and flower-shaped pb&j, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich and any other thing I can put into a shape and they eat every bite! I was seriously sitting back and laughing! They wouldn't touch pb&j before and now it's gone before I can even get their fruit ready! I bet they will really starting gaining so weight, and that makes me happy! They are so silly and always seem to keep me on my toes...I sure love them more than anything!