what's on the menu?

I'm sure everyone knows about Babybel cheese. The nice little round cheese all wrapped up with a layer of wax and then pretty red foil - hmmm, in a way, Babybel really does resemble a huge candy in the eyes of a three-year-old.

It didn't occur to me to give the kids this healthy snack until Bryan picked them up at the supermarket the other day. He looked at me with a pathetic expression on his face and was on the verge of begging, "Mom, you know, I've never eaten this type of cheese before. Why don't we buy them?"

Now, before you even have thoughts on what a terrible mom I am, read on...

Admittedly, my heart melted when I heard Bryan's plea. So I bought the cheese and guess what? He immediately asked for it as soon as we left the check-out and he quickly popped it into his mouth. Ok, not the whole thing, though he did try. He took a bite and then decided that the taste was far less appetising than how the cheese was packaged. Thus, he started offering Mommy, Daddy and then his sister the other half, claiming that he's stuffed already.

Mommy and Daddy didn't fall for his trick to help him finish up something he didn't like. But his greedy little sister did! And ever since, Kristin's addicted to Babybel which I gladly offer during breakfast time.

So what has Kristin been eating, at 19 months?

8 am --- 180 ml Formula Milk

10am --- a slice of toast (lightly buttered or spread with cream cheese and jam)

1 Babybel and water

1 pm --- Lunch could be cereal, porridge, rice or pasta or sometimes even a sandwich on the go,

depending on Mommy's busy schedule.

4pm --- 150 ml Formula Milk and then followed by her nap.

6.45pm --- Dinner: What the family eats but all chopped up and served in a bowl.

9 pm --- Another 180 ml of Formula Milk before bed.

And throughout the day, she's offered plain water - good thing she hasn't discovered juices - and snacks like bananas, yoghurt, cheese or crackers.

Her appetite has never been better after she recovered from her bout of stomach flu. Kristin, you're finally getting fat! But that's not my concern. I need her to put on more weight because she loses weight as quickly as she gains it, especially when a virus strikes. Something is certainly amiss when she doesn't drink, eat or sleep well. I think that's the universal rule that applies to all young children.