Why we had to buy spoons, and what I'm afraid that says about us

We finally broke down and bought some teaspoons.  It seemed like our silverware drawer never contained spoons.  They were always in the dishwasher, which of course hadn't been run.  We managed - there were plenty of baby and toddler spoons available, or of course the "big spoons," and using such a variety even added a touch of humor to our eating times.  But it got old, and we just wished for clean teaspoons when they seemed to be called for.  While in the silverware aisle at Walmart, the decision was made to buy more spoons, almost doubling the number of spoons in our possession, and although they don't quite match our original silverware our hope is that we will not be left wanting for a clean spoon nearly as often anymore.

Funny thing, though, we rarely run out of forks before the dishwasher is run, and never knives.  Just spoons, even though our set contains the same number of spoons, forks, and knives. I didn't have to think very long or hard to figure out why this is the case, and unfortunately it probably doesn't enhance the image I'd like to portray.

Let's see - what do we eat with spoons?  Well, there's cereal.  (That's healthy, right?  Because the Lucky Charms box even boasts "WHOLE GRAIN!" )  Ice cream necessitates spoons.  (And that fulfills as a dairy requirement, I believe.)  A little yogurt, soup on occasion, applesauce from those little plastic containers...see, spoons go quickly! 

If we used forks, that might indicate that we eat substantial meals.  Chicken, beef, fish, potatoes, vegetables.  Yeah, that hasn't happened as much as it should around here lately.  And eating out IS happening more than it normally would.  So those forks and knives have stayed comfortably put in the silverware drawer, always ready for the rare occaions that they are called to service! 

Meals are tough enough to decide on and prepare in normal circumstances.  When so much energy is used just getting out of bed and making it through the day, those meals just don't take top priority.  Someday our forks will get more of a workout again, I have no doubt.  Until then, we hope that we now have enough spoons to get us through between dishwasher runs!

Why McDonald's french fries make me cry

Oftentimes Anna did not have much of an appetite.  It is difficult to watch your child eat so little day after day, and you become desperate for them to eat SOMETHING!  Even if it is a McDonald's happy meal.  Anna didn't always eat it all, but at least she showed an interest in chicken nuggets and french fries.  With frequent trips to doctor's appointments and the six hours in the car that went with them, McDonald's drive throughs came in pretty handy.

Anna liked McDonald's french fries.  But she was a little particular - she didn't like the "crunchy" ones.  She would pass the crunchy ones to me.  I would try to convince her to just leave them and we'd take care of them later, but she wanted them out of her sight.   I would try to plan ahead, and give her nuggets in one half of the little paperboard container they came in, and then I would put some non-crunchy-looking fries in the other half.  It was easier to drive when I wasn't frequently reaching back to save Anna from the crunchy french fries. 

She became even more particular, though, about those french fries.  Even the slightly crispy-looking pointed ends of some otherwise perfectly non-crunchy -looking french fries bothered her.  And so time had to be devoted to breaking off the slightly crunchy looking ends so that she was left with a french fry with no hint of crunchy-ness. 

So, tell me, now, how am I supposed to eat McDonald's french fries without my tears turning them into a soggy mess?