As Georgia approaches her first birthday, I think I am having flashback nesting or something. I cleaned and purged all the cabinets in our bathrooms last week and re-folded all the towels in our linen closets. Wha?!?
And, I also purged my Inbox again - feels so good. :)
Ellen started soccer this Fall - not because she asked to, but because there was a Pre-K team for our local school and we thought it would be good to meet some people. Nice folks, Ellen couldn't care less about it. Oh well. This article has been making the rounds and I thought it was perfect: Best Parenting Tip Ever. I didn't play sports growing up, yet I still find myself talking through her games with her on the ride home. No more.
Your Kids and Money: Teaching the Value of a Dollar - this is from NPR, had a few good pointers I thought. We really don't have a formal system at our house, though Ellen has been more interested in helping with extra chores (folding laundry mostly) and she gets paid a bit for that.
You Should Make Your Own Baby Food - I hesitate to link to this because GUILT, but I think she has some good points. I must say that I find the ease of baby food pouches SOO nice for when we are out and about, or when we are rushing back to the house from errands or something and Georgia is due to eat lunch, like, 12 minutes ago. I otherwise make all of her food, yet I find the older she gets the more complicated it becomes, when it seems like it should be the opposite. I want to make sure she is getting a good balanced diet and, while we eat mostly very healthy meals around here, it's not always easy to have the right mix of leftovers in the fridge for her. So, more cooking and freezing it is (I am still loving the Nurture Baby recipes - most recently lentils, baby lasagna, chicken florentine and southwestern beans and rice).
Caught my eye: Kid Edition - some parenting links on 320*Sycamore's blog
The six ways we talk about a teenage girl's age - not news, per se, but still an interesting approach to this topic and scares the bejeezus out of me, of course.
Showing posts with label babyfood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label babyfood. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
12 times a day
On my days at home, I calculated that I am feeding myself or someone else 12 separate times a day. What the what. Georgia is still nursing 4 times a day and then eats solids 3 times a day, though her "dinner" really stretches from 5-6:30 in spurts to keep her happy while the rest of us eat. Ellen eats the typical 3 meals, and generally 1-2 snacks which I didn't even count. I eat breakfast and lunch somewhere after I've fed both girls, then prep dinner so we can all sit down together for 9 minutes. I need roller skates.
Speaking of roller skates, my "advanced" age and the last pregnancy really did a number on my feet. I feel like a seriously old lady hobbling around all day. I haven't worn heels in almost 5 years and my feet still groan. I finally got some silver Gizeh Birkenstocks because I was trying to avoid a specialist visit and orthotics (told ya - that's an old lady word). I think they are working and - BONUS - it appears that Birkenstocks are all the rage in Paris this summer. Trend. Setter.
Georgia finally dropped her 3rd nap just past 9 months. It makes bedtime much more predictable - she is generally so exhausted she goes straight to sleep - but it also means that her last feeding needs to start at about 6:32pm. If it's 6:40pm she might start melting. It also means that the witching hour of 5:00-6:00pm really requires lots of song and dance to keep G happy. As I tell Ellen (frequently) - "The name of the game is Keep Georgia Happy". It's not that she isn't happy ... in fact, she is generally very happy, but I like to keep the status quo.
And, speaking of beds, one Sunday night I sat Georgia in her bed while I was picking up some things in her room and I just thought, "Huh. She looks like she could just throw herself out of bed, if only she could sit up on her own." I told Erik we needed to move her mattress lower and put it on the to-do list. The next morning I found her sitting up in bed. Mommy instinct. We moved her mattress down that night, and then she was clapping and crawling within 2 days. Spurts in development are amazing.
Back to food, we are on a good mix of spoon foods (fruit and yogurt for breakfast, some kind of veggie for lunch or lentils or cottage cheese, and usually a meat of some kind for dinner) and finger foods. The latest finger foods are string cheese cut up into tiny cubes, frozen mixed veggies or broccoli that I chop up, and random veggies or leftover eggs from our meals during the week. I also got frozen organic blueberries at Whole Foods and they are the little tiny wild blueberries - perfect size for G. Admittedly, I'm a little too OCD to let her mash them all over the place, but she loves them straight out of the freezer and still a little slushy. Also, I got a pack of small whole wheat tortillas at Whole Foods that don't have a lot of weird ingredients and I cut them in fourths and spread them out on a sheet to freeze them individually. I can pull one out, zap it for 10 seconds in the microwave, and then tear it up for her. She eats an unreal amount of food. I also got her to start drinking from a straw. I thought it would be easier for our upcoming trip and just got a Playtex sippy cup with a straw lid. We practiced for a day or two and I could squeeze the cup to get the water to come up through the straw so she knew what was happening. In contrast, it took Ellen a long time to figure out the straw - I think she was older.
And, back to nursing. (My thought patterns are like this all day - scattered scattered scattered). My milk supply continues to drop, but I want to keep nursing G through our vacation as it's just so much easier. I finally had a lightbulb moment and switched the breast shields on my pump back to the smaller size and it has increased my supply - maybe an extra 1-2 ounces each time I pump, which isn't a ton, but certainly something. I gave G her first bottle of formula today at home just as a test to make sure we had a back up for vacation and she sucked it right down - no problem. In fact, she looked so proud of herself laying down and drinking the bottle all by herself. Thanks a lot.
Speaking of roller skates, my "advanced" age and the last pregnancy really did a number on my feet. I feel like a seriously old lady hobbling around all day. I haven't worn heels in almost 5 years and my feet still groan. I finally got some silver Gizeh Birkenstocks because I was trying to avoid a specialist visit and orthotics (told ya - that's an old lady word). I think they are working and - BONUS - it appears that Birkenstocks are all the rage in Paris this summer. Trend. Setter.
Georgia finally dropped her 3rd nap just past 9 months. It makes bedtime much more predictable - she is generally so exhausted she goes straight to sleep - but it also means that her last feeding needs to start at about 6:32pm. If it's 6:40pm she might start melting. It also means that the witching hour of 5:00-6:00pm really requires lots of song and dance to keep G happy. As I tell Ellen (frequently) - "The name of the game is Keep Georgia Happy". It's not that she isn't happy ... in fact, she is generally very happy, but I like to keep the status quo.
And, speaking of beds, one Sunday night I sat Georgia in her bed while I was picking up some things in her room and I just thought, "Huh. She looks like she could just throw herself out of bed, if only she could sit up on her own." I told Erik we needed to move her mattress lower and put it on the to-do list. The next morning I found her sitting up in bed. Mommy instinct. We moved her mattress down that night, and then she was clapping and crawling within 2 days. Spurts in development are amazing.
Back to food, we are on a good mix of spoon foods (fruit and yogurt for breakfast, some kind of veggie for lunch or lentils or cottage cheese, and usually a meat of some kind for dinner) and finger foods. The latest finger foods are string cheese cut up into tiny cubes, frozen mixed veggies or broccoli that I chop up, and random veggies or leftover eggs from our meals during the week. I also got frozen organic blueberries at Whole Foods and they are the little tiny wild blueberries - perfect size for G. Admittedly, I'm a little too OCD to let her mash them all over the place, but she loves them straight out of the freezer and still a little slushy. Also, I got a pack of small whole wheat tortillas at Whole Foods that don't have a lot of weird ingredients and I cut them in fourths and spread them out on a sheet to freeze them individually. I can pull one out, zap it for 10 seconds in the microwave, and then tear it up for her. She eats an unreal amount of food. I also got her to start drinking from a straw. I thought it would be easier for our upcoming trip and just got a Playtex sippy cup with a straw lid. We practiced for a day or two and I could squeeze the cup to get the water to come up through the straw so she knew what was happening. In contrast, it took Ellen a long time to figure out the straw - I think she was older.
And, back to nursing. (My thought patterns are like this all day - scattered scattered scattered). My milk supply continues to drop, but I want to keep nursing G through our vacation as it's just so much easier. I finally had a lightbulb moment and switched the breast shields on my pump back to the smaller size and it has increased my supply - maybe an extra 1-2 ounces each time I pump, which isn't a ton, but certainly something. I gave G her first bottle of formula today at home just as a test to make sure we had a back up for vacation and she sucked it right down - no problem. In fact, she looked so proud of herself laying down and drinking the bottle all by herself. Thanks a lot.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Feeding, Breast and Otherwise
I feel like if I had a third baby (not in the plan) I would really get this nursing / pumping thing down. I'm like the Goldilocks of breastfeeding - too much, too little - and I haven't quite gotten to the juussstt riigghhttt part.
With Ellen, I've come to the realization that I had a SERIOUS oversupply of milk. When you see how much milk was in my freezer, I think you would agree, but it didn't occur to me at the time how unusual it was. I started to wean her at 9 months, she was fully weaned at 10 months, and she still had breast milk through 12 months. Not exclusively, but most of her feedings each day were breast milk. Crazy. And, that was after I had purged about 600oz of milk shortly after I went back to work for lack of freezer space. That's all fine and good, except it also reflects the fact that I pumped every morning after I nursed her (literal time suck), and many times during the day if she didn't nurse well, and I leaked when she was due for a feeding almost every time for 9 months. No bueno.
So, with Georgia I was trying to reach a happy medium. I ordered 6 boxes of freezer storage bags before she was born and have barely cracked the second box. I have a little bit of milk in the freezer, but probably only a week's worth, and I find myself thawing some each week to make up the balance of her bottles and not putting any back. I think any time spent breastfeeding is worthwhile and I know 9 months is an accomplishment, but I have an unrealistic standard for myself based on the first go-round and I'm a little stressed about my supply.
I stopped pumping after the first morning feeding around the time I went back to work because I just couldn't make it fit with the morning (harried) routine. But, I think most breastfeeding moms will say that they can pump the most milk in the morning and sometimes relatively little late in the day. I would always pump if Erik gave her a bottle, but if that was the last feeding of the day, I wouldn't always pump an equivalent amount. So, it's kind of a vicious cycle of chasing your tail. I was pumping enough at work to make her bottles, but that has slowly tapered down (and probably accelerated when she was sick for 2 weeks and feeding poorly) and now I'm not. I know it's not a big deal to give her formula, but I would like to avoid the cost if I can. Also, if I'm being really honest, I'm just not ready to wean her. She isn't disinterested in nursing at this age like Ellen was. It's fast and easy. It burns calories! So, we'll see how much longer we can hang on ...
Finally, in reading about pumping and supply and such, I've come across a few things about the motor on your breast pump wearing out. I'm not sure what Medela would say, but I've seen a few posts from moms who exclusively pumped about their motor wearing down. Not that it would quit, but was just less effective. I didn't exclusively pump the first time, but sure pumped A LOT, and I wonder if that may be contributing? Too late for me to get another pump, but might be worth investigating for someone else and I think many insurance companies cover the cost of pumps under the Affordable Care Act.
So, moving on to solids. Again, unrealistic standards I set for myself. I've decided that part of the reason I cook most of the food for my babies is because that is one of the ways I show people I love them. I like to cook, and generally find it kind of relaxing, but also I think I'm good at it. Not gourmet and not an expert, but cooking doesn't scare me. I'm not the best mom at taking my kids on adventures or reading all day long or playing sports with them, but cooking I can handle.
That being said, I spent 6 hours in the kitchen last Saturday (Ellen was gone which is the only reason it was possible) cooking for Georgia and I wondered at the end of it What.The.Hell.I.Was.Doing. I used to make the argument that it was cheaper to make your own baby food and I think it can be if you are strategic, but for me it always involves a trip to Whole Foods (with some extra things thrown in the cart, OF COURSE) and then 1+ hours cooking. Maybe (maaayyybbee) I break even if compared to organic food pouches.
But, I like knowing exactly what goes in her mouth and I love that she eats it up. Seriously - this girl can EAT. Hasn't turned her nose up at a single thing! We are venturing into meat and chunkier textured foods and I still find that the recipes on Nurture Baby are some of my favorite. I made the pork with apples and sweet potatoes last weekend in the crockpot, and the chicken soup (minus pasta, stirred cooked brown rice in after I pulsed it up), and the turkey and white beans. For all the recipes I strained the solids out and pulsed in the Cuisinart until tiny chunks, but not smooth. I figured out the easiest way to freeze it is to use a small ice cream scoop and freeze single scoops on a foil-lined baking sheet, then move to a plastic freezer bag. We are stocked for 1-2 months and maybe then she'll be on mostly finger foods. Phew.
Finally, on the feeding front, I've wised up and realized that baby puffs are just an expensive thing to sweep up from the floor. Georgia really wants to have some kind of food to eat while we have dinner, so puffs kept her happy, but I've switched to puffed brown rice from Whole Foods. It comes in a plastic bag in the cereal aisle and is about $2 and lasts forever. They have all kinds of puffed grains, but rice seemed about the right size to start with.
And, just a health note of sorts. In the midst of Georgia's two week respiratory junky awful-ness, she was found to have an ear infection and we started amoxicillin. About a week later I noticed she had a little rash on her back, which progressively worsened over about 5 days. It conveniently started the day she first had wheat (pasta) and was worse the next day when she had wheat again. So, I took all wheat out of her diet, stressed about a wheat allergy, and racked my brain about what she could possibly be eating that would make her rash worsen. I took all sorts of stuff out of her diet (I had really just been giving her anything and not keeping track of what/when) and it was super annoying. We've come to the conclusion that she has the relatively common amoxicillin-associated rash, which I guess isn't a true allergy. It just didn't occur to me that the medicine would be the culprit because the rash started about a week after we started the medicine, but I guess that is how it typically starts. Sooo ... if your kid starts a new medicine, maybe be more mindful of what they are eating and not starting any new foods to save yourself a lot of time Googling "nightshade family allergies".
With Ellen, I've come to the realization that I had a SERIOUS oversupply of milk. When you see how much milk was in my freezer, I think you would agree, but it didn't occur to me at the time how unusual it was. I started to wean her at 9 months, she was fully weaned at 10 months, and she still had breast milk through 12 months. Not exclusively, but most of her feedings each day were breast milk. Crazy. And, that was after I had purged about 600oz of milk shortly after I went back to work for lack of freezer space. That's all fine and good, except it also reflects the fact that I pumped every morning after I nursed her (literal time suck), and many times during the day if she didn't nurse well, and I leaked when she was due for a feeding almost every time for 9 months. No bueno.
So, with Georgia I was trying to reach a happy medium. I ordered 6 boxes of freezer storage bags before she was born and have barely cracked the second box. I have a little bit of milk in the freezer, but probably only a week's worth, and I find myself thawing some each week to make up the balance of her bottles and not putting any back. I think any time spent breastfeeding is worthwhile and I know 9 months is an accomplishment, but I have an unrealistic standard for myself based on the first go-round and I'm a little stressed about my supply.
I stopped pumping after the first morning feeding around the time I went back to work because I just couldn't make it fit with the morning (harried) routine. But, I think most breastfeeding moms will say that they can pump the most milk in the morning and sometimes relatively little late in the day. I would always pump if Erik gave her a bottle, but if that was the last feeding of the day, I wouldn't always pump an equivalent amount. So, it's kind of a vicious cycle of chasing your tail. I was pumping enough at work to make her bottles, but that has slowly tapered down (and probably accelerated when she was sick for 2 weeks and feeding poorly) and now I'm not. I know it's not a big deal to give her formula, but I would like to avoid the cost if I can. Also, if I'm being really honest, I'm just not ready to wean her. She isn't disinterested in nursing at this age like Ellen was. It's fast and easy. It burns calories! So, we'll see how much longer we can hang on ...
Finally, in reading about pumping and supply and such, I've come across a few things about the motor on your breast pump wearing out. I'm not sure what Medela would say, but I've seen a few posts from moms who exclusively pumped about their motor wearing down. Not that it would quit, but was just less effective. I didn't exclusively pump the first time, but sure pumped A LOT, and I wonder if that may be contributing? Too late for me to get another pump, but might be worth investigating for someone else and I think many insurance companies cover the cost of pumps under the Affordable Care Act.
So, moving on to solids. Again, unrealistic standards I set for myself. I've decided that part of the reason I cook most of the food for my babies is because that is one of the ways I show people I love them. I like to cook, and generally find it kind of relaxing, but also I think I'm good at it. Not gourmet and not an expert, but cooking doesn't scare me. I'm not the best mom at taking my kids on adventures or reading all day long or playing sports with them, but cooking I can handle.
That being said, I spent 6 hours in the kitchen last Saturday (Ellen was gone which is the only reason it was possible) cooking for Georgia and I wondered at the end of it What.The.Hell.I.Was.Doing. I used to make the argument that it was cheaper to make your own baby food and I think it can be if you are strategic, but for me it always involves a trip to Whole Foods (with some extra things thrown in the cart, OF COURSE) and then 1+ hours cooking. Maybe (maaayyybbee) I break even if compared to organic food pouches.
But, I like knowing exactly what goes in her mouth and I love that she eats it up. Seriously - this girl can EAT. Hasn't turned her nose up at a single thing! We are venturing into meat and chunkier textured foods and I still find that the recipes on Nurture Baby are some of my favorite. I made the pork with apples and sweet potatoes last weekend in the crockpot, and the chicken soup (minus pasta, stirred cooked brown rice in after I pulsed it up), and the turkey and white beans. For all the recipes I strained the solids out and pulsed in the Cuisinart until tiny chunks, but not smooth. I figured out the easiest way to freeze it is to use a small ice cream scoop and freeze single scoops on a foil-lined baking sheet, then move to a plastic freezer bag. We are stocked for 1-2 months and maybe then she'll be on mostly finger foods. Phew.
Finally, on the feeding front, I've wised up and realized that baby puffs are just an expensive thing to sweep up from the floor. Georgia really wants to have some kind of food to eat while we have dinner, so puffs kept her happy, but I've switched to puffed brown rice from Whole Foods. It comes in a plastic bag in the cereal aisle and is about $2 and lasts forever. They have all kinds of puffed grains, but rice seemed about the right size to start with.
And, just a health note of sorts. In the midst of Georgia's two week respiratory junky awful-ness, she was found to have an ear infection and we started amoxicillin. About a week later I noticed she had a little rash on her back, which progressively worsened over about 5 days. It conveniently started the day she first had wheat (pasta) and was worse the next day when she had wheat again. So, I took all wheat out of her diet, stressed about a wheat allergy, and racked my brain about what she could possibly be eating that would make her rash worsen. I took all sorts of stuff out of her diet (I had really just been giving her anything and not keeping track of what/when) and it was super annoying. We've come to the conclusion that she has the relatively common amoxicillin-associated rash, which I guess isn't a true allergy. It just didn't occur to me that the medicine would be the culprit because the rash started about a week after we started the medicine, but I guess that is how it typically starts. Sooo ... if your kid starts a new medicine, maybe be more mindful of what they are eating and not starting any new foods to save yourself a lot of time Googling "nightshade family allergies".
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Feeding the girl, take two
Well, gosh, nice to see you again. Been awhile. Sorry about that.
We're elbow-deep in baby food over here, so thought I would just note what we are doing this time, though it's basically what we did last time. I started to explore Baby-Led Weaning, and actually really like and agree with the concept, but in the end, I feel like I don't have the time and patience to devote to it right now. Is that terrible? It also sounds counter-intuitive, as baby-led weaning seems like it should be easier, but I have to wrap my head around a whole new idea and way of planning our meals and I just don't have the mental energy right now.
So, purees it is, at least for a little while. I'm making them and am relying on my microwave, toaster oven, Magic Bullet Blender, ice cube trays and Baby Cubes, just like last time. In a moment of weakness, I bought the Magic Bullet Baby Steamer on a whim from the clearance end cap at Target. The jury is still out. I generally don't agree with appliances that are solely for feeding babies, but I thought it might be helpful to steam a little bit of our dinner to make it more Georgia-friendly. We'll see.
I'm concerned about Georgia being a more allergy-prone kid because she has the most sensitive skin, though I don't know that there is any true correlation. Our pediatrician advised starting with rice cereal, which we did, but that requires extra breast milk for mixing and, frankly, I don't have a whole abundance. Plus, Georgia didn't seem all that enthused with it, so we went right to apples. Then, peas, butternut squash, avocado, banana, pears, peaches and sweet potato. I started to wait the 3 days for each, then just moved ahead. I feel like I wanted her to have some variety? I guess I'll be a little more cautious with the more allergy-type foods. Our pediatrician advised waiting till a year or after for the really allergenic foods, but there is some new data about introducing them quickly after starting solids, which I think we will do.
And, as has become custom, a few recent articles / posts I've come across on the topic:
This Just In - Babies Eat Food from Dinner: A Love Story
And, as linked to, Our Take on Baby-Led Weaning by YoungHouseLove (read this blog all the time!)
Cooking for Hugo: A French Food Education by The Wednesday Chef - she has several posts on cooking for her young son. I think I'm late to this food blog, but I really like it in general
Feeding Baby by Bluejean Gourmet - came across this on Twitter in response to the above post. Love the innernets! This is a great hybrid version of purees and baby-led weaning, I think. She also links to a few other great posts at the bottom - Getting Started by Hellobee, and the series Cooking for Clara on Food52.
And, not food related, but kind of a nice belated Mother's Day post - from the New York Times, Baby Face.
We're elbow-deep in baby food over here, so thought I would just note what we are doing this time, though it's basically what we did last time. I started to explore Baby-Led Weaning, and actually really like and agree with the concept, but in the end, I feel like I don't have the time and patience to devote to it right now. Is that terrible? It also sounds counter-intuitive, as baby-led weaning seems like it should be easier, but I have to wrap my head around a whole new idea and way of planning our meals and I just don't have the mental energy right now.
So, purees it is, at least for a little while. I'm making them and am relying on my microwave, toaster oven, Magic Bullet Blender, ice cube trays and Baby Cubes, just like last time. In a moment of weakness, I bought the Magic Bullet Baby Steamer on a whim from the clearance end cap at Target. The jury is still out. I generally don't agree with appliances that are solely for feeding babies, but I thought it might be helpful to steam a little bit of our dinner to make it more Georgia-friendly. We'll see.
I'm concerned about Georgia being a more allergy-prone kid because she has the most sensitive skin, though I don't know that there is any true correlation. Our pediatrician advised starting with rice cereal, which we did, but that requires extra breast milk for mixing and, frankly, I don't have a whole abundance. Plus, Georgia didn't seem all that enthused with it, so we went right to apples. Then, peas, butternut squash, avocado, banana, pears, peaches and sweet potato. I started to wait the 3 days for each, then just moved ahead. I feel like I wanted her to have some variety? I guess I'll be a little more cautious with the more allergy-type foods. Our pediatrician advised waiting till a year or after for the really allergenic foods, but there is some new data about introducing them quickly after starting solids, which I think we will do.
And, as has become custom, a few recent articles / posts I've come across on the topic:
This Just In - Babies Eat Food from Dinner: A Love Story
And, as linked to, Our Take on Baby-Led Weaning by YoungHouseLove (read this blog all the time!)
Cooking for Hugo: A French Food Education by The Wednesday Chef - she has several posts on cooking for her young son. I think I'm late to this food blog, but I really like it in general
Feeding Baby by Bluejean Gourmet - came across this on Twitter in response to the above post. Love the innernets! This is a great hybrid version of purees and baby-led weaning, I think. She also links to a few other great posts at the bottom - Getting Started by Hellobee, and the series Cooking for Clara on Food52.
And, not food related, but kind of a nice belated Mother's Day post - from the New York Times, Baby Face.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Some more stuff
Georgia is totally entering the stage of being distracted while eating, which means we are getting back to 'all hands on deck' for feedings. I bet she popped on and off about 25 times last night, just checking if I was still there. Yep, still here. Before she started with this, I came across a few snippets here and there I thought were worth sharing ...
Rage Against the Minivan: Let's Bring Holidays Down a Notch - I came across this on Facebook and completely agree. The holiday celebrating, and especially the situations requiring candy, are way way over the top. I admit I felt a twinge of guilt about not doing anything for St. Patrick's Day since it was on a weekend this year, then I quickly got over it. We didn't even wear green! We have had some big Easter gifts the past few years, mostly as compensation for a too-close birthday and Christmas, but this year will be much more low key. I finally wised up and got some little tiny toys / play food to go in the easter eggs instead of all candy. Coins are also especially motivating this year.
New York Times: The Stories that Bind Us - Interesting read about how children cope better if they feel that they know and are part of a family narrative. I think a daily family meal is a good time to share some of these things, though we really aren't there yet. We are still mostly in the "sit still and face your plate and stop talking so much" phase of family dinner. Also, on a related/unrelated note, Ellen's teachers tell me it is hysterical to watch her talk about food with her classmates. As I put on Facebook, she asked recently if they were having an arugula salad for lunch. She was inquiring last night about the differences between quinoa and polenta. Love my good little eater!
And, related to eating, Wall Street Journal: Food Allergy Advice for Kids, Don't Delay Peanuts, Eggs. I found the journal article this was based on (nerd) and talked it over with my pediatrician brother-in-law. I wasn't too hyper with this kind of thing with Ellen, but I probably did wait close to 12 months for those "target foods". I will introduce them earlier with Georgia, I think. I really don't think she is ready for solids yet - not showing interest, not sitting up really strongly - and it's a total pain in the ass to start on solids, if I'm being honest. I think we will do a little bit more of the "baby-led weaning" idea of feeding baby what the rest of the family is eating, as her dinner time will be the same as ours! I'm also kind of excited about the reusable pouches they have now - it's amazing how much has changed with baby feeding in just 4 years (most of which I think is a gimmick, actually, but there are a few handy inventions).
Rage Against the Minivan: Let's Bring Holidays Down a Notch - I came across this on Facebook and completely agree. The holiday celebrating, and especially the situations requiring candy, are way way over the top. I admit I felt a twinge of guilt about not doing anything for St. Patrick's Day since it was on a weekend this year, then I quickly got over it. We didn't even wear green! We have had some big Easter gifts the past few years, mostly as compensation for a too-close birthday and Christmas, but this year will be much more low key. I finally wised up and got some little tiny toys / play food to go in the easter eggs instead of all candy. Coins are also especially motivating this year.
New York Times: The Stories that Bind Us - Interesting read about how children cope better if they feel that they know and are part of a family narrative. I think a daily family meal is a good time to share some of these things, though we really aren't there yet. We are still mostly in the "sit still and face your plate and stop talking so much" phase of family dinner. Also, on a related/unrelated note, Ellen's teachers tell me it is hysterical to watch her talk about food with her classmates. As I put on Facebook, she asked recently if they were having an arugula salad for lunch. She was inquiring last night about the differences between quinoa and polenta. Love my good little eater!
And, related to eating, Wall Street Journal: Food Allergy Advice for Kids, Don't Delay Peanuts, Eggs. I found the journal article this was based on (nerd) and talked it over with my pediatrician brother-in-law. I wasn't too hyper with this kind of thing with Ellen, but I probably did wait close to 12 months for those "target foods". I will introduce them earlier with Georgia, I think. I really don't think she is ready for solids yet - not showing interest, not sitting up really strongly - and it's a total pain in the ass to start on solids, if I'm being honest. I think we will do a little bit more of the "baby-led weaning" idea of feeding baby what the rest of the family is eating, as her dinner time will be the same as ours! I'm also kind of excited about the reusable pouches they have now - it's amazing how much has changed with baby feeding in just 4 years (most of which I think is a gimmick, actually, but there are a few handy inventions).
Sunday, November 8, 2009
What's for dinner? Food.
As I mentioned, Girly decided to go on a spoon/fork strike right after we left for Hawaii. I called my Mom to check in and she said that Girly didn't like any of the food I made for her.
Umm, thanks.
More like she didn't like them served on a spoon. I had an inkling this was coming - we were having a lot of food spitting and batting at the spoon.
So, now I've gone to almost exclusively finger foods and I use a spoon only very occasionally to feed her. I should have her start to practice feeding herself with a spoon, but I'm not quite ready for that level of mess.
Breakfast has been the bigger challenge for me - I used to feed her plain yogurt and a fruit puree every morning. It was fast, easy, and she gobbled it up. I had a recipe for some pretty healthy oatmeal pancakes, so now she gets one of those in the morning, all chopped up. I made a double batch, froze them and can zap one at a time in the microwave - super easy.
Oatmeal Pancakes - 1 recipe, makes 10-12 small pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole oats
1 cup whole milk cottage cheese (small curd)
2 eggs, lightly beaten, or 1 cup Egg Beaters
splash of milk
1-2 Tbs sugar (less for baby)
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 tsp baking powder
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add in wet ingredients and stir together. Puree with a stick blender / immersion blender / blender. It will be very thick and unappetizing looking - can thin a little bit with milk, but it doesn't have to be too thin. I cook them on an electric griddle at about 250 degrees. Use lower heat because they are thick and take longer to cook than your average pancake. Use about 1/4 cup per pancake. Also good with sliced bananas/apples/pears added after the first flip. Cool on a cooling rack, then stack between wax paper in a tupperware container to freeze. This is a version of a Weight Watchers recipe - can make them very low fat for yourself with fat free cottage cheese, egg beaters and Splenda for Baking. Good and filling!
(Note - I'm not really sure about the rule with baked goods and eggs. I know egg whites should be put off until after 12 months, but our Girl has had them before in other foods and was fine. If you are concerned, ask your doctor, of course!)
I don't know if it is good or bad timing to start the finger food phase at the start of Fall/Winter. On the one hand, there are very few fresh/seasonal fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, it is probably easier to pull stuff out of cans and the freezer. And, the seasonal stuff now, like pears, have to be really ripe before she can eat it - takes quite a bit of pre-planning.
I've got cans of peaches, pears, tropical fruit and fruit cocktail in my pantry - all packed in juice. It is surprisingly hard to find fruit packed in juice and not syrup. I just chop up a can or two at a time and leave in the fridge. I also have frozen mangoes in the freezer, which thaw quickly in the microwave and have a good texture. Bananas, of course, always work. Did you know that you can put bananas in the fridge when they get to the perfect eating texture and they will stay that way? The skins get super brown, but the fruit stays good.
As for veggies, frozen peas work great - just thaw a few at a time in the micro. I think only certain veggies taste good frozen - if I'll eat them, I'll make them for her. I have also been chopping up squash and sweet potatoes in a small dice, roasting it, flash freezing it and storing in the freezer. It is a bit tedious, but if you take an hour or so to make a bunch, it lasts forever. Butternut squash seems to be the easiest to chop. I just pull out frozen veggies, cover in water in a ramekin and zap for a minute.
Girly really likes beans - canned black beans, white beans, garbanzo beans, refried beans. I just rinse the beans and store them in a plastic container in the fridge. She eats them cold, cut up if big/firm, and it's easy protein. She also really likes a quesadilla with a whole wheat tortilla, refried beans and shredded cheese. She'll eat half of a small tortilla, all cut up, and I can save the other half for the next day.
As for other dairy, I've stayed away from yogurt and cottage cheese because it is so messy for now with the spitting. Fresh mozzarella is a good option, but goes bad quickly. She also likes string cheese chopped up, or shredded cheese. Whole milk ricotta is good mixed with pasta.
Mixed up pasta with some combination of veggies / cheese / meat / sauce is also good and freezes great.
As for gear, we're starting to use plates - for learning and because the lip of the plate is good leverage for picking up foods. And, good for throwing! The one drawback of the Fast Chair is that it is hard to use a place mat. We are fully past the cute little baby bibs and on to bibs that catch things. So far, I really like the Bumkins and the DexBaby brands. I plan to use one of those easy 3M hooks to hang the bibs up to dry on the side of the cabinet by my sink. If you have a nice kitchen, you may not like the look. Me? With all the bottle paraphernalia and pacifiers, I don't think anyone will notice! The bibs have really helped with the splatter on the floor, but I know you can get cute splat mats. I've also read a tip to use one of those plastic pads that go under office chairs from Office Max, or just plastic sheeting that you can buy by the yard at JoAnn.
More than anything, I strive to get my act together to plan meals that we can eat and that will also provide leftovers for Girly. Alas, the biggest challenge of them all ....
Umm, thanks.
More like she didn't like them served on a spoon. I had an inkling this was coming - we were having a lot of food spitting and batting at the spoon.
So, now I've gone to almost exclusively finger foods and I use a spoon only very occasionally to feed her. I should have her start to practice feeding herself with a spoon, but I'm not quite ready for that level of mess.
Breakfast has been the bigger challenge for me - I used to feed her plain yogurt and a fruit puree every morning. It was fast, easy, and she gobbled it up. I had a recipe for some pretty healthy oatmeal pancakes, so now she gets one of those in the morning, all chopped up. I made a double batch, froze them and can zap one at a time in the microwave - super easy.
Oatmeal Pancakes - 1 recipe, makes 10-12 small pancakes
1 1/2 cups whole oats
1 cup whole milk cottage cheese (small curd)
2 eggs, lightly beaten, or 1 cup Egg Beaters
splash of milk
1-2 Tbs sugar (less for baby)
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 tsp baking powder
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add in wet ingredients and stir together. Puree with a stick blender / immersion blender / blender. It will be very thick and unappetizing looking - can thin a little bit with milk, but it doesn't have to be too thin. I cook them on an electric griddle at about 250 degrees. Use lower heat because they are thick and take longer to cook than your average pancake. Use about 1/4 cup per pancake. Also good with sliced bananas/apples/pears added after the first flip. Cool on a cooling rack, then stack between wax paper in a tupperware container to freeze. This is a version of a Weight Watchers recipe - can make them very low fat for yourself with fat free cottage cheese, egg beaters and Splenda for Baking. Good and filling!
(Note - I'm not really sure about the rule with baked goods and eggs. I know egg whites should be put off until after 12 months, but our Girl has had them before in other foods and was fine. If you are concerned, ask your doctor, of course!)
I don't know if it is good or bad timing to start the finger food phase at the start of Fall/Winter. On the one hand, there are very few fresh/seasonal fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, it is probably easier to pull stuff out of cans and the freezer. And, the seasonal stuff now, like pears, have to be really ripe before she can eat it - takes quite a bit of pre-planning.
I've got cans of peaches, pears, tropical fruit and fruit cocktail in my pantry - all packed in juice. It is surprisingly hard to find fruit packed in juice and not syrup. I just chop up a can or two at a time and leave in the fridge. I also have frozen mangoes in the freezer, which thaw quickly in the microwave and have a good texture. Bananas, of course, always work. Did you know that you can put bananas in the fridge when they get to the perfect eating texture and they will stay that way? The skins get super brown, but the fruit stays good.
As for veggies, frozen peas work great - just thaw a few at a time in the micro. I think only certain veggies taste good frozen - if I'll eat them, I'll make them for her. I have also been chopping up squash and sweet potatoes in a small dice, roasting it, flash freezing it and storing in the freezer. It is a bit tedious, but if you take an hour or so to make a bunch, it lasts forever. Butternut squash seems to be the easiest to chop. I just pull out frozen veggies, cover in water in a ramekin and zap for a minute.
Girly really likes beans - canned black beans, white beans, garbanzo beans, refried beans. I just rinse the beans and store them in a plastic container in the fridge. She eats them cold, cut up if big/firm, and it's easy protein. She also really likes a quesadilla with a whole wheat tortilla, refried beans and shredded cheese. She'll eat half of a small tortilla, all cut up, and I can save the other half for the next day.
As for other dairy, I've stayed away from yogurt and cottage cheese because it is so messy for now with the spitting. Fresh mozzarella is a good option, but goes bad quickly. She also likes string cheese chopped up, or shredded cheese. Whole milk ricotta is good mixed with pasta.
Mixed up pasta with some combination of veggies / cheese / meat / sauce is also good and freezes great.
As for gear, we're starting to use plates - for learning and because the lip of the plate is good leverage for picking up foods. And, good for throwing! The one drawback of the Fast Chair is that it is hard to use a place mat. We are fully past the cute little baby bibs and on to bibs that catch things. So far, I really like the Bumkins and the DexBaby brands. I plan to use one of those easy 3M hooks to hang the bibs up to dry on the side of the cabinet by my sink. If you have a nice kitchen, you may not like the look. Me? With all the bottle paraphernalia and pacifiers, I don't think anyone will notice! The bibs have really helped with the splatter on the floor, but I know you can get cute splat mats. I've also read a tip to use one of those plastic pads that go under office chairs from Office Max, or just plastic sheeting that you can buy by the yard at JoAnn.
More than anything, I strive to get my act together to plan meals that we can eat and that will also provide leftovers for Girly. Alas, the biggest challenge of them all ....
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Omnivore
Our Girl is really eating up a storm these days! Despite a little hesitation on her part initially, she now whole-heartedly devours her meals. It brings us both great joy.
She has been eating 3 meals a day since about 7 months of age - now about half a cup of food per meal. I still have trouble finding guidelines about how much she "should" be getting, but she seems satisfied.
We are on to almost all finger foods, although she still gets fruit purees mixed in with her morning yogurt. Mainly because it is much easier for me to thaw 2 cubes of fruit and mix it with yogurt than to chop up a bunch of stuff for her to eat. I'm trying to store up some frozen plums and peaches/nectarines for the Winter months, since apples and pears and bananas get kind of boring.
I really waited to introduce meats until after 9 months, mainly because I thought it would be annoying to prepare and I thought she might not like it. I was wrong on both points.
My first meat attempt was to broil a chicken thigh and shred it very small for her. While it was very simple to cook, the shredding was irritating. I have a major fear of her choking and stringy meat was just too much.
So ... on to other recipes. I found some great ones at Nurture Baby that she really likes. I had a whirlwind weekend of cooking and made the Baby Bolognese, the Gobble Me Up Turkey, Lovely Lentils, Pork Chops and Applesauce and Vegetable Lasagna. She loves it all! And, it truly all tastes good - I would eat any of it.
Since she eats larger portions now, I froze everything in muffin tins. She can eat a whole portion of pasta for a meal, or I'll split the meat between two meals. My mother-in-law gave me a VeggiChop and it works GREAT for meat. I had used it some for fruits when she would eat them a little chunkier, but it shreds meat perfectly in small bites. A blender or cuisinart would puree the food too finely, I think, and she isn't quite ready for very small cubes.
On a related note, I am becoming much more aware of food issues as they relate to children. I love food, I love cooking and it is becoming increasingly important to me to pay attention to what I am eating and where it is coming from. I try to buy local or organic when possible, especially for Girly, and I really try to buy seasonal food (so, sniff sniff, then end of tomatoes and corn and all manners of tasty fruit is right around the corner).
The idea of "school food programs" is especially worrisome to me and something I am learning more about. They aren't all bad, but GOOD is also not a word I would use.
Here are some resources and websites that I find helpful / interesting:
Eat Well Guide: search for local farmers markets and sustainable food resources
Raising Foodies: this is a fun blog from a Dallas-based mom who is trying to get her girls to eat foods that don't come from boxes
School Lunch Talk: good updates on the status of school lunch and related legislation around the country
The Lunch Box: resources for healthy lunches - aiming to create a "tool box" for schools
Slow Food in Schools
Better School Food
Also, if you are at ALL interested in food and/or the environment, you should read The Omnivore's Dilemma. I am way late to the game on this one, but I had been reading about the book forever and finally picked it up. Truly eye-opening. I am by no means perfect when it comes to eating and the food we bring into our home. I have a serious weakness for fast food and french fries. BUT, I am paying attention and that is a good start.
She has been eating 3 meals a day since about 7 months of age - now about half a cup of food per meal. I still have trouble finding guidelines about how much she "should" be getting, but she seems satisfied.
We are on to almost all finger foods, although she still gets fruit purees mixed in with her morning yogurt. Mainly because it is much easier for me to thaw 2 cubes of fruit and mix it with yogurt than to chop up a bunch of stuff for her to eat. I'm trying to store up some frozen plums and peaches/nectarines for the Winter months, since apples and pears and bananas get kind of boring.
I really waited to introduce meats until after 9 months, mainly because I thought it would be annoying to prepare and I thought she might not like it. I was wrong on both points.
My first meat attempt was to broil a chicken thigh and shred it very small for her. While it was very simple to cook, the shredding was irritating. I have a major fear of her choking and stringy meat was just too much.
So ... on to other recipes. I found some great ones at Nurture Baby that she really likes. I had a whirlwind weekend of cooking and made the Baby Bolognese, the Gobble Me Up Turkey, Lovely Lentils, Pork Chops and Applesauce and Vegetable Lasagna. She loves it all! And, it truly all tastes good - I would eat any of it.
Since she eats larger portions now, I froze everything in muffin tins. She can eat a whole portion of pasta for a meal, or I'll split the meat between two meals. My mother-in-law gave me a VeggiChop and it works GREAT for meat. I had used it some for fruits when she would eat them a little chunkier, but it shreds meat perfectly in small bites. A blender or cuisinart would puree the food too finely, I think, and she isn't quite ready for very small cubes.
On a related note, I am becoming much more aware of food issues as they relate to children. I love food, I love cooking and it is becoming increasingly important to me to pay attention to what I am eating and where it is coming from. I try to buy local or organic when possible, especially for Girly, and I really try to buy seasonal food (so, sniff sniff, then end of tomatoes and corn and all manners of tasty fruit is right around the corner).
The idea of "school food programs" is especially worrisome to me and something I am learning more about. They aren't all bad, but GOOD is also not a word I would use.
Here are some resources and websites that I find helpful / interesting:
Eat Well Guide: search for local farmers markets and sustainable food resources
Raising Foodies: this is a fun blog from a Dallas-based mom who is trying to get her girls to eat foods that don't come from boxes
School Lunch Talk: good updates on the status of school lunch and related legislation around the country
The Lunch Box: resources for healthy lunches - aiming to create a "tool box" for schools
Slow Food in Schools
Better School Food
Also, if you are at ALL interested in food and/or the environment, you should read The Omnivore's Dilemma. I am way late to the game on this one, but I had been reading about the book forever and finally picked it up. Truly eye-opening. I am by no means perfect when it comes to eating and the food we bring into our home. I have a serious weakness for fast food and french fries. BUT, I am paying attention and that is a good start.
Friday, August 14, 2009
My Current Approach
I am really having a good time planning the Girl's menu these days. Making our own baby food has been pretty simple with a little planning and I think the cost is about the same (or less) as if I was buying the organic stuff in jars.
The gear:
- Baby Cubes
- ice cube trays
- Magic Bullet
- immersion blender
I've mentioned all these before, but they really are essentials at our house.
The "recipes":
- Baby and Toddler cookbook
- Cooking for Baby
- Babyfood 101
- Nurture Baby
You don't really need "recipes", but more for inspiration. Also, we were lucky enough to get a few cookbooks as gifts. You don't need to buy them, though - there is tons of stuff on the internets.
The process:
If I spend a few hours on a weekend, I can easily make enough food cubes to last the Girl for 2-4 weeks (depends if it is a FAVORITE food or merely a TOLERATED food).
I do buy organic produce when it is "recommended". Usually this is at a farmer's market (makes me feel better about spending the money) or at Whole Foods. Our farmer's markets in the Midwest rarely have a lot of fruit, but do have tons of veggies. (I also shop at our local Price Chopper and on Tuesdays they have 10% off organic produce - ask at your store!). Also, I use some frozen foods (mangos and peas at this time, but probably more during the winter).
I bake in the oven (potatoes, butternut squash), microwave steam (carrots, peas, zucchini) and cook on the stove top (most fruits).
I fill the Baby Cubes or ice cube trays with the pureed food, lay plastic wrap over the top and stack in the freezer for a day or 2 before removing. (Last time I didn't wait long enough and the center cubes weren't totally frozen - a mess!) Then, transfer each food to separate ziploc bags and I stash all of it in the bin in the bottom of my freezer.
I really like the Baby Cubes for the convenience of sending food to school, but if I were home all the time, I think ice cube trays (1 oz. cubes) would work better. A Baby Cube holds a 2oz. portion, and I generally give her about 3oz. of food per meal (3 times a day). It is my preference to mix up the foods - generally giving 2-3 different foods (1oz. each) per meal. I don't think she really cares ...
I find that the Ziploc Snap n'Seal 1 cup containers work great for transport- hold 3 ice cubes of food for a meal. At home, I just pull out the ice cubes and microwave them for about a minute in a ceramic ramekin. Easy!
We stopped rice cereal pretty quickly - too constipating. The Girl now gets 1oz. of juice (prune apple!) each day and 1 oz. of plums each day, which seems to help move things along. Ahem. We do use the oatmeal cereal to thicken fruits and veggies now that she will take more texture.
We added plain whole milk yogurt a few weeks ago and she loves it! I was getting a little lax on introducing foods every 3 days to watch for allergies ... I was vigilant at first, but after she didn't have any issues, I loosened up a bit. (As my pediatrician said - if you wait 3-5 days for every new food, she'll be 3 years old and you will still be checking things off the list!). That being said, I was cautious with things like milk and wheat, just in case. (No problems so far). I like the little portions of yogurt - she only eats about a tablespoon at a time, so it is less wasteful to use a tiny container for a few days than to open one large container and throw it out due to spoilage.
She started eating Ritz crackers at school, so I promptly went and bought the "healthy" version of Ritz in the health food section of our store. I know, I know - my mother thinks I am crazy. Makes me feel better, though. I find that half a graham cracker is easier for her to manage and she doesn't bite off such a large chunk. Puffs and Cheerios are fine, too, but she can't quite get them to her mouth yet, so for now, just pincer practice. Big sticks of cucumber are good for chewing, but certainly require supervision if she bites off a big chunk.
On the horizon ... I am holding off on meats, mainly because I don't want to deal with it yet. I got some quinoa and lentils that I will start adding, along with some whole wheat rotini noodles. I think whole wheat couscous would work well, too. I am loading up on fruits now while they are in season.
While you may be tempted to go hog-wild and fill your freezer with purees, I would advise making smaller batches. I have lots of purees still frozen and she can definitely take chunkier texture, so I am mixing cereal with everything to thicken it up. Also, be wary of freezing larger portions of certain fruits - like plums and blueberries - that might cause a poopy nightmare. I like to mix just 1 oz. of these fruits with a couple of ounces of apples or peaches, you know, just to balance things out!
Phew.
I'm off ... my blender calls!
The gear:
- Baby Cubes
- ice cube trays
- Magic Bullet
- immersion blender
I've mentioned all these before, but they really are essentials at our house.
The "recipes":
- Baby and Toddler cookbook
- Cooking for Baby
- Babyfood 101
- Nurture Baby
You don't really need "recipes", but more for inspiration. Also, we were lucky enough to get a few cookbooks as gifts. You don't need to buy them, though - there is tons of stuff on the internets.
The process:
If I spend a few hours on a weekend, I can easily make enough food cubes to last the Girl for 2-4 weeks (depends if it is a FAVORITE food or merely a TOLERATED food).
I do buy organic produce when it is "recommended". Usually this is at a farmer's market (makes me feel better about spending the money) or at Whole Foods. Our farmer's markets in the Midwest rarely have a lot of fruit, but do have tons of veggies. (I also shop at our local Price Chopper and on Tuesdays they have 10% off organic produce - ask at your store!). Also, I use some frozen foods (mangos and peas at this time, but probably more during the winter).
I bake in the oven (potatoes, butternut squash), microwave steam (carrots, peas, zucchini) and cook on the stove top (most fruits).
I fill the Baby Cubes or ice cube trays with the pureed food, lay plastic wrap over the top and stack in the freezer for a day or 2 before removing. (Last time I didn't wait long enough and the center cubes weren't totally frozen - a mess!) Then, transfer each food to separate ziploc bags and I stash all of it in the bin in the bottom of my freezer.
I really like the Baby Cubes for the convenience of sending food to school, but if I were home all the time, I think ice cube trays (1 oz. cubes) would work better. A Baby Cube holds a 2oz. portion, and I generally give her about 3oz. of food per meal (3 times a day). It is my preference to mix up the foods - generally giving 2-3 different foods (1oz. each) per meal. I don't think she really cares ...
I find that the Ziploc Snap n'Seal 1 cup containers work great for transport- hold 3 ice cubes of food for a meal. At home, I just pull out the ice cubes and microwave them for about a minute in a ceramic ramekin. Easy!
We stopped rice cereal pretty quickly - too constipating. The Girl now gets 1oz. of juice (prune apple!) each day and 1 oz. of plums each day, which seems to help move things along. Ahem. We do use the oatmeal cereal to thicken fruits and veggies now that she will take more texture.
We added plain whole milk yogurt a few weeks ago and she loves it! I was getting a little lax on introducing foods every 3 days to watch for allergies ... I was vigilant at first, but after she didn't have any issues, I loosened up a bit. (As my pediatrician said - if you wait 3-5 days for every new food, she'll be 3 years old and you will still be checking things off the list!). That being said, I was cautious with things like milk and wheat, just in case. (No problems so far). I like the little portions of yogurt - she only eats about a tablespoon at a time, so it is less wasteful to use a tiny container for a few days than to open one large container and throw it out due to spoilage.
She started eating Ritz crackers at school, so I promptly went and bought the "healthy" version of Ritz in the health food section of our store. I know, I know - my mother thinks I am crazy. Makes me feel better, though. I find that half a graham cracker is easier for her to manage and she doesn't bite off such a large chunk. Puffs and Cheerios are fine, too, but she can't quite get them to her mouth yet, so for now, just pincer practice. Big sticks of cucumber are good for chewing, but certainly require supervision if she bites off a big chunk.
On the horizon ... I am holding off on meats, mainly because I don't want to deal with it yet. I got some quinoa and lentils that I will start adding, along with some whole wheat rotini noodles. I think whole wheat couscous would work well, too. I am loading up on fruits now while they are in season.
While you may be tempted to go hog-wild and fill your freezer with purees, I would advise making smaller batches. I have lots of purees still frozen and she can definitely take chunkier texture, so I am mixing cereal with everything to thicken it up. Also, be wary of freezing larger portions of certain fruits - like plums and blueberries - that might cause a poopy nightmare. I like to mix just 1 oz. of these fruits with a couple of ounces of apples or peaches, you know, just to balance things out!
Phew.
I'm off ... my blender calls!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Reason #2 for making your own babyfood
A good friend gave me a subscription to Cookie magazine and I love reading it. Lots of cute / clever / modern ideas for kids and families. Further, a lot of blogs I read have recently been linking to items on their website, which is also great!
Last night I came across a great tip .... make peach puree for your baby, and then use some for yourself to make bellinis!
Just so happens that I have 6 organic peaches waiting in my fridge for the Gal ... do you think she'll mind if I borrow one?
YUM, mommy juice!
Last night I came across a great tip .... make peach puree for your baby, and then use some for yourself to make bellinis!
Just so happens that I have 6 organic peaches waiting in my fridge for the Gal ... do you think she'll mind if I borrow one?
YUM, mommy juice!
Friday, July 3, 2009
7 month itch
Not much to report these days ... life has settled into a rather predictable schedule. (Which will certainly change now that I've typed those words out loud).
Feeding time is much better and not so irritating. It does mess with our schedule some, but in truth, we are homebodies most of the time.
I wonder if the Girl's non-interest in eating had something to do with me. She ate great at daycare from the start, and even ate very well for her Aunt. She has never been one to be finicky about eating - she nurses and takes a bottle from me equally well. Perhaps the fact that the colored food didn't come from a boob bothered her. Who knows?
I am loving the Baby Cubes. It is perfect to pop a container out of the freezer the night before, put it in her cooler bag with bottles and send it all off to school. I am finding, though, that just one batch of food can fill up most of your cubes. I'm currently using a combo-approach of Baby Cubes and ice cube trays. One smallish butternut squash or about 3 sweet potatoes will fill up an entire ice cube tray. I pop the cubes out into plastic bags in the freezer and I can still put the cube of food into the Baby Cube container for school.
My immersion blender works best for anything I cook on the stove top, like apples or pears, or something I baked in the oven, like squash or potatoes. The Magic Bullet worked great for mangoes. (Buy frozen chopped mangoes in the freezer section instead of fresh - thaw them in the fridge and they are a much better consistency for blending). I really like to cook and all of this has been super easy and convenient thus far.
Our doorway jumper (similar to this) is proving to be nice. Girly shouts when we leave the room, especially during cranky evening time, so it is nice for her to hang out in the doorway to the kitchen while we are getting things done. She also really likes to sit in her hook on high chair and watch us - I'm loving that, too.
The next task to obsess over: Traveling With Baby. I know we are very lucky that this will be our first trip with baby in tow - many people don't have family close by and do this earlier or much more frequently. Still, lots of details to ponder ... advice???
Feeding time is much better and not so irritating. It does mess with our schedule some, but in truth, we are homebodies most of the time.
I wonder if the Girl's non-interest in eating had something to do with me. She ate great at daycare from the start, and even ate very well for her Aunt. She has never been one to be finicky about eating - she nurses and takes a bottle from me equally well. Perhaps the fact that the colored food didn't come from a boob bothered her. Who knows?
I am loving the Baby Cubes. It is perfect to pop a container out of the freezer the night before, put it in her cooler bag with bottles and send it all off to school. I am finding, though, that just one batch of food can fill up most of your cubes. I'm currently using a combo-approach of Baby Cubes and ice cube trays. One smallish butternut squash or about 3 sweet potatoes will fill up an entire ice cube tray. I pop the cubes out into plastic bags in the freezer and I can still put the cube of food into the Baby Cube container for school.
My immersion blender works best for anything I cook on the stove top, like apples or pears, or something I baked in the oven, like squash or potatoes. The Magic Bullet worked great for mangoes. (Buy frozen chopped mangoes in the freezer section instead of fresh - thaw them in the fridge and they are a much better consistency for blending). I really like to cook and all of this has been super easy and convenient thus far.
Our doorway jumper (similar to this) is proving to be nice. Girly shouts when we leave the room, especially during cranky evening time, so it is nice for her to hang out in the doorway to the kitchen while we are getting things done. She also really likes to sit in her hook on high chair and watch us - I'm loving that, too.
The next task to obsess over: Traveling With Baby. I know we are very lucky that this will be our first trip with baby in tow - many people don't have family close by and do this earlier or much more frequently. Still, lots of details to ponder ... advice???
Friday, June 19, 2009
New Approach
I'm taking a new approach to feeding the Girl.
My Parents as Teachers person suggested a good website - Ellyn Satter. I admittedly haven't read all her books, but I like what I see so far and her philosophy makes sense to me. In a nutshell, her advice focuses on helping you to raise your child to be just the person they were meant to be (which may or may not fit the "ideal" that you have in your mind). A lot of this has to do with a division of responsibility - there are factors you are responsible for as a parent, and there are also factors your child is responsible for. Each of you has to do your part. At the very basic level, there are feeding responsibilities and activity responsibilities. Trust your child to do their part with eating and moving and they will grow up to be healthy.
For us, for now, this means that I am responsible for the what and when of feeding, and the Girl is responsible for whether and how much. If she only takes a few bites and then doesn't act interested, we are done. I put the spoon just in front of her mouth and wait for her to open her mouth to show me she is hungry - I'm not chasing her mouth around trying to shove food in.
She eats great at daycare - TONS more than she eats for me at home. I don't know why, but really it isn't important. She is learning to eat and practicing a new skill. If they can help us with that, so much the better. I am not battling with Girly to eat - we are still having fun. And, I always want mealtime to be fun, family time - NOT a struggle.
For the first meal of the day today, she gets an "A".
Also, worth noting, is that you should seek out your local Parents as Teachers - type group in your local school district. I think most districts around the country have a similar program. They start home visits around 5-6 months of age and come every other month until age 3. It is a free program and I see it as a great resource. Some people may think that the service only benefits inexperienced or low income families, but that just isn't true. While I may know more about child development than the average bear, I most definitely do NOT know it all and I like having an objective assessment of how the Gal is doing. Plus, at least in our school district, you need to start the service with your first child if you want to participate with subsequent children (not that there are any of those on the horizon). Finally - call early to get on the waiting list. I called at about 8 months pregnant and it took until she was 6 months old to get a visit.
A few more gear tips:
- We are practicing more and more with the Tilty cup and I think we both like it.
- Get a stack of baby washcloths or small kitchen towels dedicated to wiping baby's hands and face while feeding. Going through paper towels is wasteful and the bib just doesn't cut it. Colored is even better because those sweet potato puffs stain.
My Parents as Teachers person suggested a good website - Ellyn Satter. I admittedly haven't read all her books, but I like what I see so far and her philosophy makes sense to me. In a nutshell, her advice focuses on helping you to raise your child to be just the person they were meant to be (which may or may not fit the "ideal" that you have in your mind). A lot of this has to do with a division of responsibility - there are factors you are responsible for as a parent, and there are also factors your child is responsible for. Each of you has to do your part. At the very basic level, there are feeding responsibilities and activity responsibilities. Trust your child to do their part with eating and moving and they will grow up to be healthy.
For us, for now, this means that I am responsible for the what and when of feeding, and the Girl is responsible for whether and how much. If she only takes a few bites and then doesn't act interested, we are done. I put the spoon just in front of her mouth and wait for her to open her mouth to show me she is hungry - I'm not chasing her mouth around trying to shove food in.
She eats great at daycare - TONS more than she eats for me at home. I don't know why, but really it isn't important. She is learning to eat and practicing a new skill. If they can help us with that, so much the better. I am not battling with Girly to eat - we are still having fun. And, I always want mealtime to be fun, family time - NOT a struggle.
For the first meal of the day today, she gets an "A".
Also, worth noting, is that you should seek out your local Parents as Teachers - type group in your local school district. I think most districts around the country have a similar program. They start home visits around 5-6 months of age and come every other month until age 3. It is a free program and I see it as a great resource. Some people may think that the service only benefits inexperienced or low income families, but that just isn't true. While I may know more about child development than the average bear, I most definitely do NOT know it all and I like having an objective assessment of how the Gal is doing. Plus, at least in our school district, you need to start the service with your first child if you want to participate with subsequent children (not that there are any of those on the horizon). Finally - call early to get on the waiting list. I called at about 8 months pregnant and it took until she was 6 months old to get a visit.
A few more gear tips:
- We are practicing more and more with the Tilty cup and I think we both like it.
- Get a stack of baby washcloths or small kitchen towels dedicated to wiping baby's hands and face while feeding. Going through paper towels is wasteful and the bib just doesn't cut it. Colored is even better because those sweet potato puffs stain.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Target Practice
Savor the simplicity.
Let me say it again - savor.the.simplicity.
The Huz and I were just talking about how exciting it is to introduce new foods to our Gal and how much we want her to love food and cooking. It is an important part of our lives and I hope it will be an important part of hers.
That being said, feeding her is a pain in my ass.
That may not be politically correct, but it is the way I feel. Until she really gets the hang of it, it is an exercise in futility. I know I need to expose her to food textures and tastes - she needs practice just like with any other new skill. Let's just say, though, that this must be some karmic reminder from the universe for me to work on my patience.
Plus, I felt so great about our transition to 4 feedings and now we are back to 7 - nursing 4 times and eating some sort of solids in the high chair 3 times. This is how often she ate when she first came home from the hospital. See what I mean?
It seems you have to hit the perfect sweet spot for her to be receptive to food: not too hungry and not too full. So, for now, we usually attempt solids about an hour after she nurses. So, yes, it is like she is eating all day long.
I know this is a small speed bump and we'll be past this transition before I know it. Just sayin' though ... savor the simplicity.
(And regarding the title - I mean target practice as in trying to get to her mouth, not that I'm shooting a gun. It isn't that bad.)
Let me say it again - savor.the.simplicity.
The Huz and I were just talking about how exciting it is to introduce new foods to our Gal and how much we want her to love food and cooking. It is an important part of our lives and I hope it will be an important part of hers.
That being said, feeding her is a pain in my ass.
That may not be politically correct, but it is the way I feel. Until she really gets the hang of it, it is an exercise in futility. I know I need to expose her to food textures and tastes - she needs practice just like with any other new skill. Let's just say, though, that this must be some karmic reminder from the universe for me to work on my patience.
Plus, I felt so great about our transition to 4 feedings and now we are back to 7 - nursing 4 times and eating some sort of solids in the high chair 3 times. This is how often she ate when she first came home from the hospital. See what I mean?
It seems you have to hit the perfect sweet spot for her to be receptive to food: not too hungry and not too full. So, for now, we usually attempt solids about an hour after she nurses. So, yes, it is like she is eating all day long.
I know this is a small speed bump and we'll be past this transition before I know it. Just sayin' though ... savor the simplicity.
(And regarding the title - I mean target practice as in trying to get to her mouth, not that I'm shooting a gun. It isn't that bad.)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Things we're loving these days
We have lots of favorites now at 6 months ....
We've just started with the eating and it is going well. I actually found that it is a great advantage to have a daycare kid when it comes to this - the Girl's teachers have fed hundreds of kids and really helped get her going on the cereal and got to a pretty thick texture pretty quickly.
I think we'll move past the cereal pretty soon, or at least cut way back. That is another nice thing about waiting to start solids until 6 months - she mainly needs the cereal to practice with texture and once she tolerates thicker cereal, fun foods here we come!
I signed up for a great baby food email at Baby Food 101. It is free - you just tell them the date that you will start cereal and they send you a weekly email with a baby food recipe and an adult recipe to use the leftover food!
She is loving the Gerber Puffs! I wouldn't have really thought to add these so soon, but our pediatrician said that about half of kids will tolerate some dissolveable snacks at 6 months and to give it a shot. These dissolve so quickly and it is a fun game to fill cranky time.
The Bumbo is finally serving a purpose! It is great for feeding right now - quicker and cleaner than the high chair.
I did order the Inglesina Fast Chair and am quite happy with it. Also worth noting, I ordered it from Chit Chat Baby. I initially ordered it from another company and went back and forth because it was back-ordered in most colors. I wanted to get it quickly and randomly found this company through Amazon. The customer service was great and I got the chair in about 3 days and no tax and free shipping!
I bought a big pack of Munchkin Spoons at Target. Of course any spoon will do, but the point is to buy several. They are great for baby to hold while you are feeding them!
I am, unfortunately, not loving the Boon Squirt. I had such high hopes for this little thing, but when I took it out of the package it had the worst, god-awful, diarrhea plastic smell. Do you know what I'm talking about? I washed all the pieces in the dishwasher and left them out to air day for days. It still smells and I can't even consider putting food in it.
We got an Aden and Anais sleep sack and it is great! A good friend gave us the Aden and Anais swaddle blankets, which work so well and are super soft. This is the perfect, lightest weight sleep sack for those warm months.
Also, just a simple thing, I really like the inexpensive 5-pack Gerber short sleeve onesies for jammies. Our Girl is just outgrowing the 12 month size and the 18 month size is still a little big. They are lightweight and don't have any snaps or uncomfortable zippers. She always wore footie sleepers when it was cold, but her room is too warm for that now and this has been a good, cheap solution.
I also love "the bubble". I didn't even know this type of romper had a name, but it is great for the Gal. Little baby dresses are so cute, but they end up over her head and in general disarray. This is like a dress with leg holes!
Our favorite toys are still Sophie the Giraffe and the ever-popular Exersaucer. The rings are also great fun!
We've just started with the eating and it is going well. I actually found that it is a great advantage to have a daycare kid when it comes to this - the Girl's teachers have fed hundreds of kids and really helped get her going on the cereal and got to a pretty thick texture pretty quickly.
I think we'll move past the cereal pretty soon, or at least cut way back. That is another nice thing about waiting to start solids until 6 months - she mainly needs the cereal to practice with texture and once she tolerates thicker cereal, fun foods here we come!
I signed up for a great baby food email at Baby Food 101. It is free - you just tell them the date that you will start cereal and they send you a weekly email with a baby food recipe and an adult recipe to use the leftover food!
She is loving the Gerber Puffs! I wouldn't have really thought to add these so soon, but our pediatrician said that about half of kids will tolerate some dissolveable snacks at 6 months and to give it a shot. These dissolve so quickly and it is a fun game to fill cranky time.
The Bumbo is finally serving a purpose! It is great for feeding right now - quicker and cleaner than the high chair.
I did order the Inglesina Fast Chair and am quite happy with it. Also worth noting, I ordered it from Chit Chat Baby. I initially ordered it from another company and went back and forth because it was back-ordered in most colors. I wanted to get it quickly and randomly found this company through Amazon. The customer service was great and I got the chair in about 3 days and no tax and free shipping!
I bought a big pack of Munchkin Spoons at Target. Of course any spoon will do, but the point is to buy several. They are great for baby to hold while you are feeding them!
I am, unfortunately, not loving the Boon Squirt. I had such high hopes for this little thing, but when I took it out of the package it had the worst, god-awful, diarrhea plastic smell. Do you know what I'm talking about? I washed all the pieces in the dishwasher and left them out to air day for days. It still smells and I can't even consider putting food in it.
We got an Aden and Anais sleep sack and it is great! A good friend gave us the Aden and Anais swaddle blankets, which work so well and are super soft. This is the perfect, lightest weight sleep sack for those warm months.
Also, just a simple thing, I really like the inexpensive 5-pack Gerber short sleeve onesies for jammies. Our Girl is just outgrowing the 12 month size and the 18 month size is still a little big. They are lightweight and don't have any snaps or uncomfortable zippers. She always wore footie sleepers when it was cold, but her room is too warm for that now and this has been a good, cheap solution.
I also love "the bubble". I didn't even know this type of romper had a name, but it is great for the Gal. Little baby dresses are so cute, but they end up over her head and in general disarray. This is like a dress with leg holes!
Our favorite toys are still Sophie the Giraffe and the ever-popular Exersaucer. The rings are also great fun!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Feeding Gear
Let the fun begin!
Here is some gear that I've rounded up - I'll let you know how we like it as we go. Yes, I know that feeding your baby cereal could be as simple as food on your finger in your lap, but where is the fun in that? Just doing my part to stimulate the economy!
Inglesina Fast Chair - I originally had the Chicco chair, but the arms were too long for my counter (and I figured this out 6 months after I bought it and couldn't return it to Babies r'Us - check yours sooner!). Phil and Teds has a similar chair, but you can't remove the seat for washing.
Baby Cubes - lots of people just use ice cube trays, but I think this will work well for daycare - no transfer of frozen cubes and fewer containers to wash.
Boon Squirt - again, couldn't you just use a regular spoon? Sure, but I've read that this works well for daycare (just load and send) and especially when eating out and on-the-go!
Tiny Diner placemat
Kipiis Clips
Tilty Cup
(Also, check out the Zrecs Sippy Cup Showdown - pretty useful!)
Here are some baby food websites that I've found to be helpful.
Wholesome Baby Food
Nurture Baby - great checklist for baby nutrition (you know I love lists!)
Baby Food 101
Environmental Working Group Guide to Pesticides
Environmental Working Group Shopping Guide to Pesticides - List
I also have the Cooking for Baby cookbook that looks great. I've read that the Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel, The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes and Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron are also good.
As for kitchen tools, I am really going to try to not buy anything else! A fork and some elbow grease will work well when she can eat a little chunkier food. For now, I think we'll use a steamer basket in a pot on the stove or roasting in the oven. I already have an immersion blender that I use all the time. I've also heard the Magic Bullet works well - don't several of you have that thing collecting dust somewhere? I know we do!
My goal is to do a lot of shopping at the farmer's market this summer for local, organic produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also good if the fresh stuff is expensive or not in season. Finally, a good rule of thumb is to freeze food only once in each "state" - so you can freeze raw chicken, thaw and cook it and freeze it again. You cannot defrost raw chicken and re-freeze it without cooking it. If you mix breastmilk with food purees you need to use fresh milk, not milk that has already been frozen if you plan to freeze the food in cubes.
So, once again, any suggestions for 300+ ounces of frozen breastmilk?
Here is some gear that I've rounded up - I'll let you know how we like it as we go. Yes, I know that feeding your baby cereal could be as simple as food on your finger in your lap, but where is the fun in that? Just doing my part to stimulate the economy!
Inglesina Fast Chair - I originally had the Chicco chair, but the arms were too long for my counter (and I figured this out 6 months after I bought it and couldn't return it to Babies r'Us - check yours sooner!). Phil and Teds has a similar chair, but you can't remove the seat for washing.
Baby Cubes - lots of people just use ice cube trays, but I think this will work well for daycare - no transfer of frozen cubes and fewer containers to wash.
Boon Squirt - again, couldn't you just use a regular spoon? Sure, but I've read that this works well for daycare (just load and send) and especially when eating out and on-the-go!
Tiny Diner placemat
Kipiis Clips
Tilty Cup
(Also, check out the Zrecs Sippy Cup Showdown - pretty useful!)
Here are some baby food websites that I've found to be helpful.
Wholesome Baby Food
Nurture Baby - great checklist for baby nutrition (you know I love lists!)
Baby Food 101
Environmental Working Group Guide to Pesticides
Environmental Working Group Shopping Guide to Pesticides - List
I also have the Cooking for Baby cookbook that looks great. I've read that the Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel, The Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes and Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron are also good.
As for kitchen tools, I am really going to try to not buy anything else! A fork and some elbow grease will work well when she can eat a little chunkier food. For now, I think we'll use a steamer basket in a pot on the stove or roasting in the oven. I already have an immersion blender that I use all the time. I've also heard the Magic Bullet works well - don't several of you have that thing collecting dust somewhere? I know we do!
My goal is to do a lot of shopping at the farmer's market this summer for local, organic produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also good if the fresh stuff is expensive or not in season. Finally, a good rule of thumb is to freeze food only once in each "state" - so you can freeze raw chicken, thaw and cook it and freeze it again. You cannot defrost raw chicken and re-freeze it without cooking it. If you mix breastmilk with food purees you need to use fresh milk, not milk that has already been frozen if you plan to freeze the food in cubes.
So, once again, any suggestions for 300+ ounces of frozen breastmilk?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Random Thoughts: 6 months
Moving into week 24 (5 1/2 months, not 6 - again, bad math!) ...
Life is good!
Our Girl is happy and rested and on the brink of starting solids, which sounds fun, but I'm sure I'll miss the simplicity of just nursing.
I feel like our life is back to normal. Not the old normal, mind you, but a new normal that is really nice.
Only a few pounds of babyweight still linger, which I am very thankful for. Things certainly are not in the places they used to be, but I just didn't know what to expect and have been pleasantly surprised.
I had really hoped to breastfeed/pump for the first 6 months, and now that we are there, I don't really see any reason to stop. It is easy, inexpensive, and nice cuddle time. I already have wisps of sadness when I watch her nurse and realize that it won't last forever.
Pumping is still going well and it's a lot better to only pump twice at work. I haven't had any problems with my supply. I have noticed that the total amount I pump during the day is slowly decreasing (at a high of 21oz. at work, now more like 17oz.), but I still pump more during the day than she needs for bottles. I think it is probably due to drinking less fluids at work and being more active.
Just one more thing on sleeping (yeah, right!) ... This is a little chart that my very wise friend sent me and it's great for reference. (Seriously, she is on my speed dial for Mommy S.O.S.!)
Exersaucers are a god-send! Girly loves to be upright (she is nosy) and it keeps her entertained forEVER. As a side note, there is something about being in an exersaucer that induces pooping - beware!
Finally, check out The Soft Landing. It is a great website, started by a nurse, with all kinds of safe feeding items for baby. I have been using it as reference for a while now (good blog, and VIDEOS of items in use - genius!) and just realized that they are located in the Kansas City area! They are a web-only business, but for those of you who are local, you can order on their website and pick-up in Olathe to save shipping. Love supporting those local businesses!
Now, off to work on my order .... baby feeding supplies here we come!
(Any advice?)
Life is good!
Our Girl is happy and rested and on the brink of starting solids, which sounds fun, but I'm sure I'll miss the simplicity of just nursing.
I feel like our life is back to normal. Not the old normal, mind you, but a new normal that is really nice.
Only a few pounds of babyweight still linger, which I am very thankful for. Things certainly are not in the places they used to be, but I just didn't know what to expect and have been pleasantly surprised.
I had really hoped to breastfeed/pump for the first 6 months, and now that we are there, I don't really see any reason to stop. It is easy, inexpensive, and nice cuddle time. I already have wisps of sadness when I watch her nurse and realize that it won't last forever.
Pumping is still going well and it's a lot better to only pump twice at work. I haven't had any problems with my supply. I have noticed that the total amount I pump during the day is slowly decreasing (at a high of 21oz. at work, now more like 17oz.), but I still pump more during the day than she needs for bottles. I think it is probably due to drinking less fluids at work and being more active.
Just one more thing on sleeping (yeah, right!) ... This is a little chart that my very wise friend sent me and it's great for reference. (Seriously, she is on my speed dial for Mommy S.O.S.!)
How much sleep does your child really need? Use these guidelines:
1 week old: 16.5 total hours, including 4 naps
1 month: 15.5 total hours, including 3 naps
3 months: 15 total hours, including 3 naps
6 months: 14.25 total hours, including 2 naps
9 months: 14 total hours, including 2 naps
1 year: 13.75 total hours, including 2 naps
18 months: 13.5 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 2: 13 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 3: 12 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 4: 11.5 total hours, with no naps
Ages 5 to 9: 10-11 total hours, with no naps
Ages 10 to 15: 9-10 total hours, with no naps
Source: Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (Simon & Schuster)by Richard Ferber, MD
I've been thinking quite a bit about our morning wake time of 6:00am. I picked that time WAY back when we were first implementing sleep training. I thought that was the time we would need when I went back to work. It works fine for us, but 6:00am is pretty early on those days at home and weekends. (Believe me, as a former night owl, it is shocking to me that 7:00am sounds like heaven!). My point is this: Some kids are probably just early risers and we may have one of those. It is all we can do to hold her off to 6:00am, but she is still sleeping at least 11 hours, so we can't complain. If I could do it over, I might have thought more creatively about how we could have gotten out of the house with a later wake time. I don't think there is any going back at this point!Exersaucers are a god-send! Girly loves to be upright (she is nosy) and it keeps her entertained forEVER. As a side note, there is something about being in an exersaucer that induces pooping - beware!
Finally, check out The Soft Landing. It is a great website, started by a nurse, with all kinds of safe feeding items for baby. I have been using it as reference for a while now (good blog, and VIDEOS of items in use - genius!) and just realized that they are located in the Kansas City area! They are a web-only business, but for those of you who are local, you can order on their website and pick-up in Olathe to save shipping. Love supporting those local businesses!
Now, off to work on my order .... baby feeding supplies here we come!
(Any advice?)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Composting
Spring is right around the corner. (Right?)
It may not seem that composting has anything to do with parenting. But, really, a lot of parenting is about poop. And, composting is ultimately about poop. So, work with me here.
The Girl is growing so fast and I can't believe that solids are right around the corner. I dream of visiting the farmer's market and making all kinds of delicious things for her to eat. Our nephew eats like a champ and loves all varieties of fruits and vegetables - I hope to instill an equal love of food in our daughter.
A good friend gave us the "Cooking for Baby" cookbook and I can't wait to use it. I have also read great reviews online about the Beaba Babycook, but frankly, it is pretty expensive and I think I have all the tools in my kitchen already. I need to do a little more investigating, but it seems that a simple steamer basket and a food mill are about all you need. Freeze it in an ice cube tray and you're set. Also, if you need a little inspiration, check out Homemade Baby. In my former life, I thought an organic babyfood company would have been a great venture. And, really, what could be cuter than Squapples and Piwi?
Here is where I am branching out beyond my 17 weeks of experience .... I have it on good authority that feeding a baby is WASTEFUL. I already feel that we waste a lot of food with just the two of us and, with the addition of even more fresh food into the house, I am feeling a little guilty about the planet and all.
I investigated composters last Spring, but didn't see it as a necessary purchase in light of the gestating fetus. I am certainly no expert, but I do have some experience growing up in a composting household. I know that it takes, at a minimum, a collection jar in your kitchen and a container in your yard. For me, it must be EASY or it will not get done. I think a ceramic compost pail like this might work better than an old KU popcorn bucket (sorry, Mom). And, I know that I won't dig up and turn a stationary compost pile, so the Tumbleweed seems like the best option.
There is a lot more to it - green stuff, brown stuff - but, it seems like a nice thing to do for Mother Earth. You know, because Girly may be solely responsible for filling her landfills with diapers.
It may not seem that composting has anything to do with parenting. But, really, a lot of parenting is about poop. And, composting is ultimately about poop. So, work with me here.
The Girl is growing so fast and I can't believe that solids are right around the corner. I dream of visiting the farmer's market and making all kinds of delicious things for her to eat. Our nephew eats like a champ and loves all varieties of fruits and vegetables - I hope to instill an equal love of food in our daughter.
A good friend gave us the "Cooking for Baby" cookbook and I can't wait to use it. I have also read great reviews online about the Beaba Babycook, but frankly, it is pretty expensive and I think I have all the tools in my kitchen already. I need to do a little more investigating, but it seems that a simple steamer basket and a food mill are about all you need. Freeze it in an ice cube tray and you're set. Also, if you need a little inspiration, check out Homemade Baby. In my former life, I thought an organic babyfood company would have been a great venture. And, really, what could be cuter than Squapples and Piwi?
Here is where I am branching out beyond my 17 weeks of experience .... I have it on good authority that feeding a baby is WASTEFUL. I already feel that we waste a lot of food with just the two of us and, with the addition of even more fresh food into the house, I am feeling a little guilty about the planet and all.
I investigated composters last Spring, but didn't see it as a necessary purchase in light of the gestating fetus. I am certainly no expert, but I do have some experience growing up in a composting household. I know that it takes, at a minimum, a collection jar in your kitchen and a container in your yard. For me, it must be EASY or it will not get done. I think a ceramic compost pail like this might work better than an old KU popcorn bucket (sorry, Mom). And, I know that I won't dig up and turn a stationary compost pile, so the Tumbleweed seems like the best option.
There is a lot more to it - green stuff, brown stuff - but, it seems like a nice thing to do for Mother Earth. You know, because Girly may be solely responsible for filling her landfills with diapers.
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