Remember When ↠ l.p.

The first day

This is going to be a bit short sorry >.<

It's lunchtime when we hit our first little hiccup. The entire morning went easily, the grapes were finished and the girls decided they didn't want to go to the park, they wanted to play dress up with the barbie dolls instead. That kept them occupied for at least an hour, they got dressed up and then started playing with the dolls. Then they moved on, choosing a board game, then another, than a puzzle, and so on. Normally I would have made Cailyn clean up after herself, but this is the first day and I want to ease in to things now that Theresa is here. I don't want to threaten her or make her feel uncomfortable in any way. Especially when it comes to talking to me. I've seen her whispering to Cailyn a few times but it seems like she's content to be silent for the majority of time. I won't push them to clean up just yet, so I go behind them and putting toys away for now. And so far there hadn't been any trouble. But then I realized it was within thirty minutes until noon and remembered the very specific orders to have Theresa eating lunch at twelve o'clock. 

"Mija, could you ask Theresa and decide what you two would like for lunch in a little while?" I smile at the two and then walk into the kitchen and open up the refrigerator, trying to give the impression I'm busy. A minute later Cailyn calls for me and I reenter the living room. "Yes? Did you girls decide on what you want?"

"No." she says, not sitting quite as close to Theresa as before. 

"Oh?" I ask, dropping down onto the floor next to them. "Too many options? Or you just don't know what you want?"

"NO. Because she wants something and I don't know what it is and I don't like it." she frowns and puffs her lower lip out.

"Well what does she want?" I hope I know what it is, I'd hate to not be able to cook what she wants. But if I don't have it and can't get the ingredients or don't know how to prepare it...there's nothing I can do about it and she'll have to eat something that we do have. Cailyn leans over, although a little huffily, and allows Theresa to whisper in her ear. 

"She says menastronini or somethin," she reports, making a funny face. "What is that mommy?"

I let out a sigh of relief. I know what that is and I can whip up something similar and brush up on the recipe online. "It's a type of soup, mija. You know our chicken noodle soup? It's a kind of soup like that. I think you'll like it." I rub her shoulder and stand up with my hands on my hips. "Okay girls, if you need me, I'll be in the kitchen making lunch." 

Minestrone soup is pretty simple if you take out a few of the more exotic ingredients that I don't have...like zucchini. It's just beans, vegetable broth, tomatoes, some pasta shells and spices. I do the best that I can and finish just minutes after twelve o'clock. I call the girls in and sit them down at our little table as before. Cailyn looks at the soup a little dubiously and lifts a small spoonful up to her mouth before pouting again.

"What's wrong mija," I ask sighing. Normally she's a good eater but it looks like she's going to be stubborn tonight. I glance over to Theresa who is watching Cailyn curiously, but eating the soup hungrily. "Why aren't you eating?"

"Because it's gross." she says, frowning up at me.

"Well Theresa seems to like it." I raise an eyebrow.

"I don't." she breaks eye contact with me to glance at Theresa.

"Why not, give me a real reason."

"Because it's gross!" I sigh and shake my head at her.

"That's not a real reason mija. Do you want me to add some rice? Do you not like the broth?"

"No. I just don't like it." she pouts. "I want somethin else."

"You can have something else if you really try it, but only if you eat at least half." she frowns and seems to weigh up her options before nodding and turning around to her bowl again. I smile and turn back to the stove to ladle myself a bowl. Then I join the girls and make small talk with Cailyn while throwing the occaisonal smile to Theresa. She seems to be pretty comfortable, so far so good.