the year 2017...

Pieter has officially been inducted into the world of Real Food. He grabbed his 1st bite (and spoon) with much excitement.

Receiving his 2nd bite came with some tears and challenges though,
since he has not quite grasped the concept that (sometimes) it is in letting go that we receive. I had to pry the spoon out of his hand in order to scoop some more yummy banana mush for his enjoyment. It took some time for him to calm down and realize that pleasure was waiting at his lips once more. He gobbled it up, with haste and fervor.

As I watched him wolf down his newfound pleasure, I had a vision of

the year 2017:
We have upgraded from a van (once thought to be gargantuan) to an

18-wheeler. We need the space not so much for the boys and their stuff, as for the weekly load of groceries. It takes an entire day to unload the 10lb bags of bananas, rice, beans, bread and cheese (due to inflation, cheese will have to be scratched form the list and replaced with canned...something awful) As I unload - heck no, they can unload! - it all vanishes into ever ravenous, ever stretching boy-bodies...The 18-wheeler is empty. The checking account is empty. The boys want to know: "What`s for dinner, Mamma?!"
End of vision. Phew!

Every time my pregnant belly deflated and the doctor announced: "It's a(nother) boy!", I sighed a sigh of relief that it was at least one more of the less financially draining sex. My dad used to tease me about how expensive girls are - mainly referring to a wedding. (Whether he had the cost of my actual wedding in mind or the sum he would have to pay some guy to commit to take and keep me remains disputed.) But as the vision of 2017 besieged me, I realized that what we will escape in not having to pay for a wedding, we will shell out 3 times over in supplying basic edible necessities for 3 growing boys!