Homemade Baby Food!

Andrew and I had a craaaazzzzy Saturday night!  We stayed up till 1am making baby food!  My how times have changed...
We finally busted out the baby breeza and attempted to puree everything in the house!  Everything that was appropriate for Layne to eat, of course.

We are still following the Wholesome Baby Food website for tips and ideas of what are good first foods for babies

We made bananas, green beans, carrots, and butternut squash - that i got from trader joes already cut up into chunks.

We started with cutting all veggies:

Then steaming them in the baby brezza (after washing them):

T

Then Freezing!

Little containers purchased at the dollar store! Also froze some in the blue ice tray.

More frozen containers not pictured.  Hopefully it'll last her this whole month!  Then at 8 months she can start new foods.  Meat being one of them.  Pureed meat does not sound appetizing......

She is still on day 4 of bananas and she loves them and can eat about 4 of those containers up there in the pic.  I don't know how much she really needs to eat, but i've been following her cues- if she turns away i stop.  If she's bouncing and excited for more- she gets more.

Right now we are a week in with solids and she is eating once a day.  Again, i have no idea how this works but i think i'll keep it once a day for another week or so, then try to add another meal?  Any and all suggestions/words of wisdom are welcomed!

Next up on the menu is the butternut squash, back to veggies.

And! After using this machine (or any machine) to puree - i can really see the difference in the avocado i just mashed up.  Thank goodness we didn't have any tummy issues with that, because I see now that mashing it up was definitely a little too chunky.

6 months!

6 month photo shoot.  I forgot to put the panda next to her like in her last photo shoots! Whoops.

Welp, we made it to half a year!  I can't even begin to tell you how fast this went by.  Before our baby was even born, we bought tickets to see the Book of Mormon and it seemed oh so far away.  We thought.. our baby will be 6 months by then, we can have a date night!  That date has come and gone and now my baby is 6 months and 5 days old. WOAH (the show was great by the way!)

I feel like a lot has happened in this 6 months.  Most importantly, she started eating solids which i wrote about here
Side note:  still waiting on the poop ;)  I'm a little worried she might be constipated.  We shall see how it goes today.  She hasn't been fussy at all, so maybe all is ok in that tummy..


She went to her 6 month check up yesterday:

SOOOO Cute BEFORE the shots. She did great!

She weighs: 17.5 pounds
Length:  26.5
Head:  43 inches (big head like her momma)
The dr. said she is healthy and doing great. Thank goodness!
Next Dr. appt is at 9 months with no shots.


At 6 months she is:
Eating solids!
Started rolling over in her crib and now she is sleeping on her stomach every night.
is a seasoned traveller: has been a plane 4 times! (to Dallas and back twice)
Got to wear shorts and summer dresses for the first time in her little life on our trip to dallas.
Still sleeping pretty great, with a wake up about once a night (on a good night)
Sits up on her own!
Plays in her excersaucer and keeps her self entertained while we are eating dinner ;)
Sat in her stroller like a big girl (sans car seat)
Momma & Daddy got a new car!  - New to us, bought on craigslist from a nice man.  I had a 2 door blazer before and it was getting very difficult to lift her in and out of the back seat, so we upgraded to a four door.
Still going to a ton of meet ups and hanging with other babies
She's been napping great!

Some of Layne's friends: L- R: Sophie, Max, Olivia

Bouncing and Playing on the Excersaucer

New Car!  (pic stolen from Andrew's instagram)  Black 4 door Chevy Cobalt 2006 (filter makes it look much more shiny than it actually is.

Cozy in the back seat during a rain storm post shots.

Big Girl Stroller!

More friends: Olivia and Cruz

Fun at target around Easter time. 

Looking forward to:
More food for her.  It's a daunting process considering how easy it's been to just nurse her for 6 months.  I hope she loves all food and  veggies like her momma.

Summer!  Dear god, please send nicer weather soon so we can play outside! Please and thank you.

Happy Half birthday my little Layner Bird.  We couldn't love you more if we tried.
xo

Solids!

I am proud to say that I have exclusively been breasting feeding my little baby for 6 months now!  YAY!!  This was my first goal, but after making it this far I can't even imagine not making it to a year (and beyond?)  who knows!

But yesterday Sunday 4/21/13 we got some solids in that little chunker belly of hers.   We started her with Avocado.  I knew i wanted to wait until she was at least 6 months to start solids and that happened on Friday, so Andrew and I picked Sunday as the day.  I went to a local market and bought a fresh organic  avocado and mushed it all up and spoon fed it to her.

All mashed up with a fork. (getting ready to store on the right)

She proceeded to spit it all up.  Rookie mistake. I fed it to her AFTER a long night of sleep and after i nursed her so she was already full.
It was cute, we got a video of it and lots of pictures.  Here are some:

Ready to eat!

Not too sure about this....

Another mistake... put bib on top of tray so spit up doesn't go down the front of baby..

Here is how i stored it, all mashed up and threw it in the freezer.

So Day one was kind of a bust.

But, Day two! (today)  So much better!  I woke up, nursed her- played around. Then around noon tried the avocado again (before nursing her) and she ate it like a champ, and even took the spoon from me to feed her self (albeit got all over her face and shirt) but that's the fun of it right!?!

Day two: feeding herself.

So now we await the POOP.  ha!  Nothing yet, we will see how it goes. I'll make sure and report back. I am sure you are all very curious about that.  Hopefully she won't get constipated...  ahh the joys of parenthood.

I am following this website for ideas for Wholesome eating
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/


Here is what the website says about Avocado as a first food:
****************************************************************

A Few Basic Avocado Baby Food Recipes:

Baby's Mashed Avocado 

Peel and de-pit a ripe avocado
Cut “meat” out and mash with a fork

There should be no need to use a machine as just like bananas, avocados have a very soft consistency and texture. Avocados do not need to be cooked.

**************************************************************************************

I'll try this for a few more days then I think we will try bananas next.  I plan on making all my own baby food for as long as possible.  I got this food processor from my baby shower and can't wait to bust it open.  Might as well use it if i got it!  I also plan on trying a bit of baby led weaning as well.  Which basically means give baby some food and let them suck on it. (i think)  But mostly i'll be pureeing. 

Side note: After showing the picture of my feeding Layne to my sister she was worried that the avocado was too thick.  Hopefully we have no trouble with her tummy, but i'll try to add some breast milk to liquify it a little more tomorrow. 

Tomorrow is her 6 month check up!  

So i'll be back soon for her 6 month update. 

Can't wait to see how much she weighs......

Dallas in April

I am still here as i type this, but Layne is sleeping and I am enjoying my last night in Dallas on the couch in the air conditioning.
Layne and I had such a wonderful trip here in Dallas, and I am so sad it's coming to an end.   I have never done so much in this city, even when i lived here.  The weather was beautiful (for the most part) and everyone loved on Layne so much, it just about made my heart explode.  I don't think i could love this little one more and I just love it when everyone loves on her.  SO MUCH LOVE
(TEAR)  - lots of those were shed... but what's new?

We were in Dallas on Wednesday to the following Wednesday.  Here's what we did.. and pictures to follow. Layne was a champ on the plane!  (hope she is on the way back too!!)

on the plane

On Wednesday we landed, and my sister Dori came to pick me up from the airport with her friend.  And we went to the All Good Cafe for breakfast.  YUM
Then back to my parents house to say hi, then off to Frisco (Little Elm, Texas) To Dori's house.  We made it just in time for bed, and put the kids to sleep and proceeded to bust out the wine.

The next day, we travelled back to Dallas, and my brother OJ came into town from Houston just to see me  Layne!  ;)
That night I put Layne to bed and went out for a drink with Holly.

Then on Friday- Dori and I and her kids (Simone and Julian) and of course Layne went to a great new park in downtown Dallas called Klyde Warren Park.  It's in the middle of downtown Dallas very close to my old high school.  They built the park above the highway and it was packed! With food trucks to boot.   After that, i rushed home and got ready to meet some old friends at one of their houses for a happy hour with friends and kiddos.  It was so great to see everyone!  I should have taken more pictures.....  dang!

Road trip to the park!

First time in her whole life wearing shorts

and a summer hat

Crutchfield's

Kelly & Cortney with Layne and our friends' Kyle and Adrienne's baby

Saturday- my family and I went to the Dallas Zoo. I can't remember the last time i was there.  We walked around for hours, ate lunch at a picnic table helped sing Happy Birthday for the Dallas Zoo's 125th birthday and got free cupcakes.  We rode the monorail, saw koalas, and kangaroos, and giraffes, and i successfully nursed my baby all the way throughout the zoo in my carrier without anyone knowing.  It was a wonderful day and i got my first sunburn of the season.
Saturday night, holly and I went bar hopping after I put Layne to bed.  It was a great day.

on the Monrail

Penguins

Happy Nana and kiddos

beautiful little Simone

Happy Papa and Layne

Sunday- We met the Wyner's (Alison & Lindsi's mom and Dad) for Brunch at Mattito's.    Aka- best breakfast buffet in Dallas.
Then we came home and had a relaxing day and evening.

Sally and Michael with a gift for Layne

Monday- We all went to the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and out to lunch.  Such a fun day. Then Monday night we said goodbye to my sister and her kiddos as they went back home to frisco.  (tear). Thanks for talking mom and dad into buying our plane tickets Dori! ;)

Layne's first encounter with a Racoon ;)

High Chair at Lunch! (she barely fit)

such a cultured little 5 month old

I got tired of carrier her (my back!) - Sitting like a big girl for the first time in a stroller

Beautiful building - Perot Musuem

Holly & I

Tuesday- we went to the Dallas Aboretum for one last day of nature and sunshine and flowers.

Spring has sprung

Loving the sun

Beautiful Day

Mini Photoshoot in her new Mexican Dress

love you Nana!

Yes, Holly is always with us. She is just as much apart of my family ;)

Tomorrow we leave.  It's been such a great trip and every time I come I wish we could move back to Dallas.  But it's not in the cards for now.  Thanks for a such a great trip Nana & Grandpa, Dori & Holly and the rest of you that I love.  Layne and I had so much fun!  We are anxious to get back home to see Papa and Chai.

Side Note: I was worried her sleep would be affected here.  But she's been going down great every night.. right to sleep!  BUT... she has started waking up again at night.  I don't know if she's just been so exhausted from ALL of the activities we did or what, but I hope she gets back to 10-12 hours of non interrupted sleep when we get home.

Thanks for making it thru the longest post ever.

Dear Chicago.... please be summer when i get back,  (or very soon).  We will miss you Dallas.
xo

Layne got Baptized!

Hey folks.  I am going back in time here because i finally got some photos on my computer from Layne's Baptism and Easter.  (Easter will be another post).
And i have been inspired to write my birth story.. so hold your hats, that's coming one day soon too.  (not for the faint at heart).

Here are some photos from Layne's baptism that occurred on March 17th, 2013.  2 days before her 5 month birthday.

Andrew and I were both raised Catholic and so we decided that we wanted to get Layne baptized.  As much as I wanted my family to be here, all the planning happened so fast and we all decided to go ahead and do it with them in Texas,  and show them pictures.


Layne's Godparents are:

Mike & Aimee Adair (Andrew's sister and Brother in law)

Photo dump...

Aimee getting Layne dressed

I'm always ready for a camera.. (i wonder were Layne gets it from?)

Priest doing the sign of the cross

Listening closely...

Getting Baptized.

YAY!

Us and Mike and Aimee

Us and Andrew's parents - (hands in the mouth- tastes so good!)

Aimee and Mike's kiddos.  Check out this girl, she's got sass!  Mason, Alivia and Tyler.  And Andrew's 98 year old Grandmother- Baba.