Monday, August 13, 2012

Baby(food) Making

If you're wondering about how to make a baby...go talk to your mom. But if you'd like to hear about making homemade baby food, you're in the right place!

I went back and forth with the idea of making food for Addie from scratch. Doing a cost-analysis, it appeared that it wouldn't save us any money since we don't have a garden.  Finding an afternoon to skin, steam, and puree didn't sound all that appealing, but once I started reading the back of food labels..I was sold. 

You would think that baby carrots are made of carrots & water, right?  So this is exactly what I wanted to see when looking at "natural" baby foods.  But each ingredient list read:  vegetable, water, and xxxxxxx acid.  Umm, no thanks.  Instead of grabbing a couple of baby foods to try, I came home with enough fruits and vegetables to feed a small army.  In fact, we've been eating cobbler up the whazoo this week trying to make sure every fruit finds a good home before it gets old.

After some online research, these are the guidelines I came up with for making some fresh & homemade goodies:

- Only introduce one new food at a time. Wait at least 4 days before trying something new.
- If refridgerated, eat within 48 hours
- If frozen, use within 30 days
- Steaming is a good way to keep all of the nutrients of the vegetable/fruit intact
- When portioning food out of a container of babyfood, only put a clean spoon into the container to scoop out what you plan to feed. If you have to go back for seconds, don't dip the baby's spoon in the container since it will have bacteria on it.

So with those guidelines in mind, I went to work!



 Keep the water that you use for steaming to add to the puree if needed.

Split the goods into ice trays and freeze. Then they are already portioned out for meals.
 
My first batch consisted of sweet potatoes & pears. Addie loves them both and mom loves knowing exactly what is going into those chubby little cheeks...and all over everything in a 5 foot radius at supper :)

What were the kiddlings doing during my food making adventure?

 This sweetheart got to hang out in her PJs and crawl around, then later she perfected ramming mom's toes in the walker.
And this one sun bathed...then managed to get herself stuck on a deck chair. 

Have you tried making home-made baby food?  Any tips?

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Half a year!

This past week we celebrated Addie's 6 month birthday. There are so many fun things to share, but so little time to share them! Adjusting to life with a baby has been a lot of work.  In addition to the sleepless nights and bank account damage - every jog or trip to Target has turned into an adventure. It has been the most joyous 6 months of our lives.


We love you baby girl. We love the face that you make when trying a new food.  We can't help but smile at you in your walker, taking the wood floors by storm...even when you strike a pinky toe.  Every toy you grasp ends up first in your mouth, then behind you. It is awesome the way that Mia makes you giggle. She will let you get just close enough for you to touch her then she will move.  And how adorable is it when she follows us into your nursery at night to check if you are asleep?  Your bottom left tooth popped through, you handled it so well that we didn't even know it was coming. Your crawl at this point is more of a faceplant with leg movement but you've mastered it! Of course anything that you aren't supposed to get into is the first thing that you go after whenever we set you down.

Your squeaks, squeals, and giggles are the most beautiful music to our ears.  Though you do cry sometimes, in the past month your cry has turned more into a whine.  How in the world did we get so lucky?  Even as we watch you learn to roll, eat and crawl; we pray for your future. We pray that you'll have a heart that desires the Lord. We've already started praying for your first day of school through your high school years. We are praying for your future husband and the children that you may someday have of your own.  Though at the same time, at this very moment, it is hard to believe that you will someday grow out of your bouncer and that those chubby little legs will be making laps around the kitchen island. 

Now before the tears that are streaming down my cheeks get out of control, here are some pictures. Precious baby girl, we love you.

Sitting like a pro!
I helped her stand, but once I got her up she was on her own.
Munching on dad's toe :)
Fun at the lake. Chair made by great-grandpa Neubauer.
The sweetest little eyes in the world.
Supper time is a favorite :)
Taking the kitchen by storm in the walker.
Sisterly love
Taking pictures before bed to send to daddy at work.
So glad these two get Tuesdays & Wednesdays to themselves at home.

Boosting Outback sales
Trampoline time with Sam at daycare!