Breakfast, lunch and Dinner

What use to be my favorite times of the day have become my worst nightmare.  Its really easy to spoon feed a child when they are young, like 1.5 or younger.  In my experience they don't make that much of a mess, the bib catches most of it, they sit in one spot, they eat what you give em.  The minute they start talking is when it becomes more difficult to just sit down and have these 3 meals.  Everything is an argument!  In the morning is not so bad because they just woke up and  their hungry so they will just eat what I give them.  Usually cereal or pancakes, or waffles, or oatmeal.   But from then on my kids will just have constant energy throughout the day.  At lunch, my 4 year old will slowly eat one bit at a time while running around crazy.  And even though I try to set the tone by turning off all games and  start leading them into the kitchen they feed off of each others energy and keep constant commotion.  Oh, and even though I give them the same food to eat they both fight to eat off of one plate.  What the hell is that all about!  Is it a territorial thing, please someone explain!!!  So that brings us to dinner.  At this point in the day I am getting exhausted from whatever activities we did through the day but, I still make it a point to have a great meal ready or workin in the oven for my wife when she gets home.  I know she loves it when I cook but it becomes a living hell trying to get our kids to eat something new.  And the more we argue, the better my kids are getting at negotiating!  Its funny but stressful sometimes.  Now I can except it if my kids would eat one bite and say they don't like it.  Fine, i'll make you something else quick.  Like mac n cheese, grilled cheese, or fish stix or something.  But to justify doing this they got to at least try one bite!  Come on! Just one bite!  You can't just look at it and say eewww!  And then I end up quoting one of his bed time stories "how does a dinosaur eat his food".  "They try every new thing at least one small bite".  Sometimes it works and sometimes not.  And forget about eating out for dinner.  Thats even worse.  We just don't go out hardly anymore.  Unless it is just my wife and I.  My kids will destroy an establishment in no time and cause the biggest scene.  I love it but I hate it.