The Cluttered Pantry

It’s been 5 months since we brought home our two new, adorable, tiny daughters from eastern Siberia. We’re so unbelievably happy to have them in our lives, and we’re even more happy that these two sisters get to stay together. That day in October, when we finally began our 18 hours of air travel home with them, they were happy, but quite small (hardly on the US growth charts) and, as they only spoke Russian, difficult to anticipate with regard to what they’d be able, or willing, to eat. Once we got home to Chicago we kind of looked at each other, looked at them, and considered how we’d reach our goals for helping them to pack on healthy weight just as quickly as possible. Our biggest “problem” was their intense desire for fresh fruits and vegetables. We had to bribe them with broccoli and peas to get them to eat the foods that most toddlers beg for.

In 5 months there has been a lot of experimenting with menus of course, and a lot of success and failure along the way (I think it’s like this for every parent), except when it comes to breakfast. Breakfast is always a success. We’re convinced we’ve been able to get our girls to grow so quickly (they’ve each added 6cm and more than 30% weight gain!) because their most important meal of the day, breakfast, is one they always completely and happily finish and, amazingly, one that’s even great for them.

I’m talking about Malt-O-Meal, which is what my wife grew up eating. I was a C-O-W kid, never had Malt-O-Meal at all, but my wife was from a M-O-M family, and she insisted from Day 1 that we try it. Home Run!! Malt-O-Meal with butter, brown sugar, and blueberries (the girls’ nickname for it, “mush!”, which they evolved from their Russian “kash”) is THE signature meal in our home. In the beginning, to help get the weight-gain ball rolling, we’d make it with whole milk, and even added a little heavy cream. Once their cheeks starting getting chubby, we went back to the regular recipe. But from the start, and even now, these tiny girls are putting away a whole adult serving of M-O-M each and every morning.

And so here we are, 5 months in to our parenting journey (AND the first morning of pre-primary school for our oldest girl!) looking once again at empty bowls, smiling, healthy faces, and full, happy tummies…theirs and our! Thanks Malt-O-Meal!!

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