My Husband -whoiloveverymuch- and I continue our quest to be throw-backs to the 70's... or at least that is what it feels like when we compare our parenting style to friends who have little one's Sweet Pea's age. We seem to be the only ones using cloth diapers... We seem to be the only ones using an alternate vaccine schedule... We seem to be the only ones who have NEVER fed our child formula. And we seem to be the only ones that are making our own baby food. (This has turned out to be a good choice for us... because Sweet Pea can EAT. And at only 6 months - he is already well on his way to eating us out of house and home!)
When we shared our choice to make baby food with Sweet Pea's pediatrician, she recommended a fabulous book. I'm still working my way through it - but it is a great reference for anyone planning to make food for their baby. I especially like information on making my own baby cereal. I would have NEVER thought to make my own cereal. I never even considered that Gerber baby cereal is just over-processed CRAP. The author's recipes use organic, whole grains and even add in protein over time. She also discusses what foods to feed your baby first - and how to add in new foods over time. This book has been invaluable! It's my go-to reference for Sweet Pea's diet.
And while I like this book and it's obviously a staple for making baby food -- (been reprinted about a million times since it first cam out in the 80's)... some of the information is a little TOO granola for me. Brewer's yeast? First- what IS it? And second, the author says it tastes bad! But I should still add it in to my baby's food... I'm not quite sure I'm on the band wagon with that one quite yet... But as I said, I'm still reading... so I'll keep you posted.
Another book that has been a great compliment to Super Baby Food has been Baby Love. The book is relatively new to the market... and I really enjoy the recipes in this book - not because they are so ingenious - Really, any dummy could probably figure out how to make fruit or veggie purees.... But because it gives me a jumping off point for other things I can try. This book has also provided information on freezing and storage options for baby food. The photos and colors give this book an "appeal" that Super Baby Food doesn't have. In combination, these two books have been a great starting point for having fun with baby food!
Making your own baby food is super easy - and in the space of an hour or two, you can make enough food to feed most babies for a month (Sweet Pea is not "most" babies). Think of the money you save making your own food - not to mention avoiding baby food jars overwhelming your house! We've had loads of fun teaching Sweet Pea to love food - and to be a part of the process of making his food. I can't wait to continue our food adventure with our future "foodie"!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Oh, How life has changed...
Tomorrow, October 7, marks 6 months since Sweet Pea entered the world. Six months since my life was forever changed. It's a bit unbelievable how quickly the time has gone. Perhaps this is because I have been a sleepwalking zombie through most of this time... To mark the occasion of my son's 6 month anniversary on the planet, I thought I would take a little time to reflect...
Some would argue that life began changing the moment I found out that I was preggo with Sweet Pea. In many ways I would agree. Gone were the late nights out -- hanging out with friends, drinking wine and listening to live music... Mostly, life changed because I was hugging the toilet or so dead tired that I was in bed by 8 pm. Once Sweet Pea arrived life changed in much more unpredictable ways.
I remember coming home from the hospital with this weight of RESPONSIBILITY. I needed to protect this little person -- who I loved so unconditionally. I wasn't prepared for the emotions. And I was scared that I would fall down on the job. The weirdest post- pregnancy experience for me has been how TV shows affect me. I watched a lot of TV during my pregnancy -- A LOT. (kindof hard to do much else when you feel puky all day long... ) My "go-to" tv-shows were Crime TV: CSI, murder mysteries... but Criminal Minds was my all-time favorite. Upon returning home from the hospital - I found that I couldn't watch these shows. To be honest, 6 months later I STILL can't watch most of them. I find the violence alarming... scary -- what if that were me? My child? Can I really provide everything that Sweet Pea needs... and how do I make sure nothing horrible EVER happens to him? These days if I'm watching TV, I'd rather watch shows that make me laugh... not shows that scare me to death!
When we first came home from the hospital, I remember thinking that I wasn't sure how I was going to fit all the new "responsibilities" into my day... how would I find time to do laundry, feed, clothe, bathe Sweet Pea -- and still get out the door (fed, clothed, and bathed myself...) I worried I wouldn't get it all done - and especially worried that once Sweet Pea was eating solid food that it would become impossible... Somehow, we've found a way to make it work -- and survive. And for the life of me I can't remember what filled up my days before Sweet Pea was here. Well I do remember having time to run... I haven't figured out how to fit that back in. But trust me, I wasn't running 5 hours a day, so there MUST have been other things I enjoyed doing...
Looking back at photos (and videos) of Sweet Pea over the past few months it's crazy to see how much HE has changed. It doesn't feel like there has been a lot of growth... until I look back from day one until now. I'm glad that we have great documentation... it helps me remember... I just wish there was a way to physically document my emotional process... I don't know that I felt like a grown-up before Sweet Pea. But I sure do now.
Some would argue that life began changing the moment I found out that I was preggo with Sweet Pea. In many ways I would agree. Gone were the late nights out -- hanging out with friends, drinking wine and listening to live music... Mostly, life changed because I was hugging the toilet or so dead tired that I was in bed by 8 pm. Once Sweet Pea arrived life changed in much more unpredictable ways.
I remember coming home from the hospital with this weight of RESPONSIBILITY. I needed to protect this little person -- who I loved so unconditionally. I wasn't prepared for the emotions. And I was scared that I would fall down on the job. The weirdest post- pregnancy experience for me has been how TV shows affect me. I watched a lot of TV during my pregnancy -- A LOT. (kindof hard to do much else when you feel puky all day long... ) My "go-to" tv-shows were Crime TV: CSI, murder mysteries... but Criminal Minds was my all-time favorite. Upon returning home from the hospital - I found that I couldn't watch these shows. To be honest, 6 months later I STILL can't watch most of them. I find the violence alarming... scary -- what if that were me? My child? Can I really provide everything that Sweet Pea needs... and how do I make sure nothing horrible EVER happens to him? These days if I'm watching TV, I'd rather watch shows that make me laugh... not shows that scare me to death!
When we first came home from the hospital, I remember thinking that I wasn't sure how I was going to fit all the new "responsibilities" into my day... how would I find time to do laundry, feed, clothe, bathe Sweet Pea -- and still get out the door (fed, clothed, and bathed myself...) I worried I wouldn't get it all done - and especially worried that once Sweet Pea was eating solid food that it would become impossible... Somehow, we've found a way to make it work -- and survive. And for the life of me I can't remember what filled up my days before Sweet Pea was here. Well I do remember having time to run... I haven't figured out how to fit that back in. But trust me, I wasn't running 5 hours a day, so there MUST have been other things I enjoyed doing...
Looking back at photos (and videos) of Sweet Pea over the past few months it's crazy to see how much HE has changed. It doesn't feel like there has been a lot of growth... until I look back from day one until now. I'm glad that we have great documentation... it helps me remember... I just wish there was a way to physically document my emotional process... I don't know that I felt like a grown-up before Sweet Pea. But I sure do now.
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