Get in my belly!

We've hit that wonderful milestone in Porter's life where his days aren't just eat, poop, pee and sleep.  Now we play peek-a-boo, dance, sing, sit, laugh at doggies, look at geese, play with friends, poop REAL poop, smile for pictures, practice drinking from cups, scoot, roll, chew on everything, drool, look out the window and EAT!

I have to say, when he was a lifeless blob, it was so easy to load him in his car seat and take him anywhere. Boy, have things changed. I now have to remember to pack toys, diaper liners (to catch the real poop- no more un-smelly, watery poop- boo) bibs, and food, when we head out for the day.

Babies receive enough iron from their mothers in the last trimester of pregnancy to last them their first 4-6 months. About two weeks before Porter turned 6 months we introduced rice cereal and oatmeal that contains iron to make up for this new deficiency.  His first feeding was rather uneventful- he loved every bite of it and understood the concept of opening his mouth and swallowing this strange tasting stuff.

Things went so well for the first few nights that I decided to add in some veggies.  Because I'm off for the summer, I decided that I could make all his food.  I received a book on baby food recipes and I began with the basics: apples, bananas, pears, zucchini, carrots and avocado.  Porter loved all of them.  Nothing was spit out (in disgust) and he gladly opened his mouth for whatever I put on his spoon. I have started calling him "Baby Bird" because that's just what he looks like-spoon, open, swallow, spoon, open, swallow. I don't see myself going as far as chewing and spitting- like a real mama bird, but I always think of the video of Alicia Silverstone I saw of her doing this for her baby.  It's called a blender, sister.  Try it, it works just like your own teeth!

My freezer is now filled with tiny ice cubes of the following: pears, apples, strawberry, peach, plum, blueberry, apricot, broccoli, beets, peas, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato and spinach. I can't believe how easy it is to make and how it offers Baby Bird with so much variety.  I usually mix combinations of a couple of the cubes with some rice cereal and viola- breakfast or dinner is ready! I also bought a pack of the reusable pouch food containers and have been filling these for when we're on the go.  He understands the concept and sucks the food right out with a little squeeze help from mama.  I feel like I'm doing my part, environmentally, with all this food stuff.  No part of any of his food has touched the landfill, I compost the scraps and re-use the baggies to store the frozen food.  Keeping up with my environmental stewardship hasn't been as hard as I thought!

Along with pureed foods, I have been giving him little pieces of "real food" and trying to show him to bring the food to his mouth.  For several nights this was an unsuccessful venture and we ended up feeding all the little pieces into his mouth ourselves.  The other night however, something changed and after Daniel shoveled little puff after little puff into his mouth, he finally started doing it himself! It's amazing to witness your baby do something for the first time and realize what a milestone it is.  He simply picked one up and put it in his mouth and then did it again and again!  The next morning I caught it on video: 

He has now mastered feeding himself puffs, black beans, peas and small pieces of raspberry.  A friend asked me the other day what foods were his favorites. My response was, "yes."  There isn't anything that this kid doesn't like!  My little baby is growing up so fast.  I can't believe it's been a half a year already! 

That's right folks, nothing but cubes and breast milk to fill a mini-freezer!

Until next time...

~Mama Jess