Adventures in Eating

Check out these chompers (still only 6 teeth, but she can eat ANYTHING):

Thanks to my lovely husband, Dalia pretty much refuses to use a "baby" cup (sippy) anymore. And while this seems like a good thing, it makes my life harder!

Enjoy some Dalia photos, oh how my child loves to eat:

Dipping the spoon is her new favorite thing:

She claps for herself after she makes it to her mouth.

And, the big girl cup!

Silly

Don't forget to VOTE FOR DALIA, photo #1! I think she is still in first place, but don't forget to vote once daily until Sunday!

Agar What?

We are going to try this bad boy from one of my favorite baby food sites: wholesomebabyfood.com

Adjustments? We don't eat gelatin (it isn't kosher and it isn't vegetarian) so we will use agar agar instead. Applesauce is still out of the picture so I am going to do this with mango sauce and blueberry juice.

Fruited Gel Squares

(I know my baby better than this site and I know she can handle this recipe)

Ingredients:

1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (or add thin dices of banana, peach, pear, grapes, blueberry etc)
2 cups apple juice
3 small packages unflavored gelatin

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix cinnamon into applesauce and set aside.

Pour 1 cup cold apple juice in 8x8 pan and sprinkle gelatin on top. Heat remaining 1 cup of apple juice in the microwave for 3 minutes or until boiling.

Stir boiling juice into the gelatin and cold apple juice. Stir in applesauce.

Refrigerate for 1/2 hour and then stir to keep applesauce evenly distributed. If you do not stir when in the fridge, the applesauce settles to the bottom, but it still tastes great.

Refrigerate for an additional 2 1/2 hours or until firm. Cut into squares with a knife, or use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, and serve.

The Dream Doctor: 6 Month Check Up

If there is one thing we are sure of with regard to this parenting thing, it is that we selected a pediatrician that is exactly the right fit for our family. Our 6-month check up just reinforced this in a big way.

Robert Minkus is an attachment parenting parent's dream doctor. He is extremely supportive of (but does not force or look down on your for not) 1. breast feeding (extended breast feeding, even) 2. cloth diapering 3. co-sleeping 4. alternate vaccine scheduling (delayed Hep B and MMR shots) 5. baby led soliding 6. natural "remedying" before medicating. If this weren't enough, he is also the most reasonable, caring, compassionate, uplifting, knowledgeable doctor we have ever met. How lucky we are to have found his practice.

Our visit was great! Dalia weighs over 17 pounds and is in the 80th percentile for weight. She is 25 1/2 inches tall, which puts her in the 46th percentile for height. We talked about solids, waiting on administering the MMR vaccine until she is two or three, sleeping habits, and the hot "organic vs. not" topic. My preference (this is Sarah talking, and please do not think that I think my personal preference is right for you or your family) is to buy local over organic any day of the week. So much of the organic food sold comes from around the world, and while the idea of eating less chemicals is appealing to many, including me, is the process of buying, selling, and stocking these foods really in line with the supposed message of being environmentally friendly? It takes just as much energy to fly an organic mango around the world and into Whole Foods as it does an inorganic one. Perhaps the chemical free aspects do outweigh this for some people, but for me, the better option is local (which is often organic anyways, but that is another story all together).

We can't WAIT to start shopping at our local outdoor market-we can actually meet the people who grew our food. Now THAT is worth the extra buck or two (or four).

The one thing our pediatrician did say is to stick with organic milk (he listed tons of research and reasons, but I will spare you). So we will likely start buying a different, more expensive milk, but in the end, I think the extra money spent will be well worth it. H is having a hard time with this idea, but as always, he will come around. It is all about what works for you and your family, and that is the most important thing to take away from all of this.

Unfortunately, (but also fortunately) we are moving in July and are in the process of finding a new pediatrician (and place to live) for the year. No plans are set in stone, but we will probably venture back to the good old midwest after our year in DC. Not only will it be great to be near my family for a little while (we will probably end up on the coast again within 5 years), Chicago also wins for having the best "cost of living vs salary". The housing prices are affordable here, even for something in a hip and diverse neighborhood, such as East Roscoe Village, or a Jewish area close to Lake Michigan, such as Rogers Park. Perhaps we can be real suburbanites and get a nice place in Northbrook! Preliminary searching shows that we could get something fantastic in a great area for much less than what the costs are in the greater DC area.

So, if anyone out there knows of a Dr. Minkus twin practicing in the DC area let us know!

H2O

With the introduction of solids comes the introduction of our beverage of choice, H2O. Water consumption is essential in helping little ones digest solid foods, but just how do parents introduce water into their baby's diet? Drinking is as much a learned task as eating solids, and starting them together is simultaneously exciting and daunting. We spent a good amount of time researching and thinking about this momentous time in little Dalia's life.

We decided to follow the advice of Ruth Yaron's "Super Baby Food" book. We are doing home made baby food and keeping her diet vegetarian for the time being. A few days ago, we went to the store, cash in hand, to gather the beginning materials needed to really start solids. We opted for a cheap and simple rice cooker/steamer and a blender, the latter of which we already had. Simple and cheap, nothing fancy--just something that does the job. In addition, we purchased two sets of covered ice cube trays (covering, in our opinion, is important), one set of freezable/microwavable cups with lids, and the last thing, some food.

Dalia had already tried avocado (happy face), sweet potato (sad face), pear (she could take it or leave it face), and banana (um, gas issues despite a happy face, so banana is off the list for now). We wanted to get her started on whole grain brown rice, or "super porridge" (this stuff is packed full of nutrition--why not get the baby on board with good nutrition up front?).

We put 1/2 cup of rice in the blender for 2 minutes until it became a fine powder. Then we put that into a just boiling cup of water on the stove and whisked away. We covered it for 10 minutes and, voila, it was done. Once done, feel free to add some spices, for breast-fed babies are already used to interesting tasting food--no need to "dumb" it down for them! We added cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg--it was actually pretty good.

The porridge lasts about two months in the freezer or two to three days in the fridge. Needless to say, Dalia's reaction was a "take-it-or-leave-it face."

Of course, as we mentioned, having some water is important to help Dalia digest her new foods. So, after some quick research, we ended up purchasing a thermos sippy cup (tear), which she loves more as a teether than a cup, but hey, she is getting used to the idea of a cup and that, my friends, is the point!

So here we are--6 months later. Dalia is growing so quickly and we just can't believe she is ready to add food to her previously nursing-only diet. She still loves her nummies, but her tummy is ready for some new tastes and flavors!

Best Baby Food Book

With so many baby-related books on the market, how can parents know when they have their hands on a winning one?

When it comes to the ever popular topic of home made baby food, the advice you get (and take) can seriously impact your baby's digestive system and can make (or break) the relationship your baby has with food for the rest of her life. As with diapers, breast feeding, and birthing, I felt like I needed some guidance to understand the complex world of solid foods. Though every baby eventually eats solid foods and it is seemingly "no-brainer", I think parents need to take a more active role in introducing healthy eating habits to their children. Understanding nutrition and embracing a healthy lifestyle better sets up our children for a successful relationship with food.

So, where can a new parent turn for great, healthy advice?

This book:

This book is, for a new parent anyway, a page-turner. At about 500 pages, it is a comprehensive, all-encompassing instructional manual on solid foods for babies through toddlers. The basic premise: don't fill your baby up with empty calories... give your baby the gift of super foods (brown rice instead of white rice, whole grains instead of refined grains, myriad of foods instead of the same ol' same ol'). Many times parents do not give their children "super foods" because they assume their children will not like them; other times, they do not even eat these foods themselves or they are not aware of "super foods". Breastfed babies already have acquired tastes for a variety of foods because they have had small amounts through mommy milk!

Don't assume your baby will not enjoy a hearty green like kale or a combination of brown rice and banana. Give it a try! You might be pleasantly surprised. For many people, having a child sheds light on lifestyle choices that may benefit from slight alteration. Aren't we always looking toward the future?

Let me state that there is nothing wrong with the occassional treat or candy-they are kids after all... but lets focus on the bulk of the diet being from super foods!

Back to the book.........

Yaron breaks the book into five main parts, each of which is packed with information. Here is a brief breakdown of what each section covers:

1) Feeding Your Super Baby: starting food; month by month lists of acceptable foods; allergies; how much to eat/drink; meal time vis a vis baby development; the super food diet:

"The Super Food Diet is an extremely healthy diet composed of only whole, natural foods. It
is based on these major components: whole grain cereals, vegetables and fruits, yogurt and
other dairy products, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Pediatricians and nutritionists agree
that a semi-vegetarian diet fulfills all of your growing baby's nutritional requirements."
(pg. 119)

2) Preparation and Storage of Super Baby Food: equiptment; hygeine; freezing and thawing; description and hints for diet components listed above, including recipes; meat introduction; home made yogurt

3) Toddler Recipes: over 350 amazing and healthy recipes drawing on "super cereal" and "super foods"; tips on yogurt, tofu, breads, pasta, crepes, agar agar, beverages, and super milks (much more!)

4) Fun Stuff: food decorating; party planning; arts and crafts

5) Reference: nutrional information on specific foods; home made baby food accessories; baby-safe cleaning products and recipes; nutrient tables with baby-size portions

Bottom line=starting good eating habits early is vital to your child's development and outlook on food and nutrition. There is a time and place for sweet treats, just remember to provide your child with a balanced, super foods diet.

The Happy Sleeper

So it finally happened. Dalia slept as much through the night as a momma like me can imagine. And poor daddy missed it! There were a few very small bumps through the night, but she was solidly asleep by 11 pm and woke up for the day at 9 am. I feel rejuvinated and recharged! Perhaps it was just "time" or maybe there is something special in the Indiana air, but Dalia has been sweet as can be the last two days!

Today was full of enjoyment. After Dalia took her morning nap, I got to spend the day walking around Plainfield's Metropolis with my two favorite gals (mom the nucleus and little munchkin), pushing my little red UppaBaby buggy from store to store. And unlike most days, today was not only for window shopping!

We scored some great deals (including a skirt for $4.74 at Old Navy), and I even got to pick up Super Baby Food, a highly-recommended book on, well, basically home made baby food (I will be posting a book review in the coming days). The best thing? My mom treated me to a little early Mother's Day rondevous. I love coming home for a visit-you can't beat that!

We got an unexpected, but very welcomed visit from my sister and her own munchkin. So Dalia got to spend some time with her favorite little buddy, her cousin, C. Kiddos bond in that little person kind of way, you know? They crack smiles back and forth, make cute sounds, and connect on some level that I really can't get to. It is neat to see Dalia interact with other young people. She is curious and shy, and yet she exudes a smiley confidence. Her personality is already shining through, and it makes me happy and sad. Happy that she is growing into a beautiful little girl and a bit sad because she gets bigger with each passing day.

Dalia the Spoon Thief

Tis true. I am only five months and one week old. My mommy and daddy wanted to introduce solids at age six months or later, but I had other plans...

Not only do I want to eat your food, I want to feed pears and avocados to myself.

"GIVE ME THAT SPOON!"

this is dalia

our undeniably Independent child

the spoon thief

She basically ate the food off of our plates so we thought, all right, time to give her some food-I mean we are all about "listening" to our baby, right?

So the evening started like this

and ended like this

This little girl of ours basically told us to go find a new hobby. She literally grabbed the spoon from daddy's hand and 1) fed her eyeball and then 2) fed her mouth

Dalia=Independent, with a very capital I