Adventures in Solid Feeding

I don't know why I was so nervous about starting Lauren on solids. Seriously- super nervous. It's like I was closing a chapter on part of her babyhood and I was a little sad about it. Before she was born I had decided that I was going to give her only homemade foods- including only homemade baby cereals. She's never had a can of processed baby food or anything out of a box and I intend for it to stay that way. Breatfeeding may not have worked out how I wanted it to, but THIS is in my control. I am so determined, lol. I did SO much research and changed my mind a dozen times about what to feed her first and how long to wait between introducing various foods, whether or not to add formula to it, whether to use a spoon at first or let her eat off my finger, etc. Eventually, I decided to go with bananas first, waiting 4 days between introducing each new food, not to add formula to it unless it was just super thick and seriously needed thinning down, and to use my finger at first so I didn't throw too many new things at her at once. So far we've done bananas, sweet potatoes, avocados, apples, rice cereal, and green beans. And so far my sweet, super opinionated baby has loved EVERYTHING! With the first few things we tried after bananas (sweet potatoes and avocados), it took her a few days to decide what she thought, but she loves them now! And based on her reaction and sweet little hands reaching for the bowl, her favorite food....? GREEN BEANS! :) Here's a few pictures of my very happy and well fed little girl:

Very first bite! Bananas!

Loved them!

Yummy avocados! Regardless of whether she's wearing a bib or not and has the high chair tray or not, this is a messy process. So sometimes I just put her in clothes I don't care about and skip the bib. She's happier that way anyway!

And her very favorite part of any meal... when she's done I hand her the container and let her play with it. It always results in changing her clothes and mopping the floor, but look how happy it makes her! 

For anyone who's curious about my homemade baby food making process... it's super easy. With the exception of bananas and avocados, I cook the food, then puree it in a blender and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen I pop the cubes out and put them in freezer ziplock baggies. Before I go to bed I decide what she's going to eat the next day and I take a few cubes out and put them in airtight containers in the fridge. Then when she's hungry it only takes about 10 seconds in the miccrowave, and voila! Homemade, healthy, yummy goodness for Lauren! Bananas and avocados don't need to be cooked obviously so I just mash them with a fork when she's ready for one! As far as rice cereal goes- I only use short grain brown rice right now. I turned it into rice powder using my kitchen mill (so easy, I adore that thing!) and store a ton of it in an airtight container in my fridge, and it's just 1/4 cup rice powder to slightly more than 1 cup boiling water. Whisk and boil for 10 minutes and you're done! I don't add formula to it, but I do add fruit to thin it down and she loves it! Making homemade baby food has almost become a hobby for me- I have so much fun doing it!

The Park

The weather this past weekend was so beautiful, we just couldn't resist the opportunity to take Lauren on her very first trip to the park! It was just the three of us, and Lauren just soaked up the sunshine and took all the sights in!



Later that day we made a second trip back to the park with Robbie's parents and brother, and Jana and her girls! Seriously it was such a fun day, and Lauren loved every minute of it!







Lauren and her cousins!



I need to start bringing my camera places. Thank goodness for iPhones huh?

6 Month Update

Dear Lauren,

I'm sure by now I sound like a broken record, but you are growing and changing so FAST! You're having so much fun with all the new things you can do, but this is happening way too fast for Mama! When you fall asleep in my arms I just want to hold you and cuddle you and cherish the moment for as long as I can, because I know some day I am going to miss this stage of your life so much.

Stats: Weight: 16.03 lbs Length: 24.25 inches :)

Sleeping: You and I have established a wonderful bedtime routine that we both love! Bath time, then lotion and get dressed in jammies, then Daddy makes a bottle while you and I get cozy in the rocking chair and read a story. Right not we're reading Itsy Bitsy Spider every night. You adore this book and I have it memorized now, so I can keep reading while you have fun turning the pages and chewing on the cover. When we're done reading we turn the lights out and turn on some music and cuddle while you drink your bottle and fall asleep in my arms. It's one of my favorite parts of the day. And you usually sleep at least 8-10 hours! You're not sleeping in your swing anymore. A few weeks ago you rolled out of your swing, and that was it (I was at work and Daddy is the one who came in to you crying on the floor- thankfully you weren't hurt- you stopped crying as soon as you saw him- but you sure scared your Daddy Little Love). No more swing. You sleep either in your sleeper next to our bed, or in bed with us. You are such a little cuddle bug, I just love it!

Eating: You're eating solids now!! We started solids just a couple days before you turned 6 months old. I was going to wait another week until your Dr appointment, butyou have your first cold right now and all the yuck in your nose is making it hard for you to comfortably drink a bottle. So far you looooove bananas, and aren't sure what you think about sweet potatoes.

Awesome stuff you're doing: You are still this close to crawling! And while before you mostly played with toys while laying on the floor, now you play while sitting up or STANDING! If I set you up you can stand while holding onto something. Your favorite toys consist of a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, a snail that lights up and plays music when you bump it, and a set of plastic balls that you love to push around. But it's the simple things you love most- the tags on stuffed animals or a washcloth make you so happy. You've lost interest in your bath toys recently and just want to suck on the washcloth. You have your own washcloth for this purpose during bath time or you get MAD. Last night we even had to bring the washcloth with us while you got ready for bed because you let out the most heart breaking cry when I took it away as you got out of the bath. You love to yell to hear your own voice, laugh, and talk in your adorable baby babble!

Your favorite things: Your voice, your toes and fingers, when someone kisses your belly (so much giggling, it's so cute!), Daddy's light saber, bananas, being naked, mommy's hair, cuddling, flowers (we took you to a bridal flower exhibit while visiting Grandma and Papa- I think this is where you got your cold. But you were so happy and so interested in everything you saw, it was so sweet), and the computer (I've let you type a few times, and it seemed like it just made your day).

Mama's favorite things about you: your sweet baby kisses, the way you turn your head into my neck and lay your head down and laugh when you think something is funny, how you're already developing your sense of humor (the peeing on me and you thinking it was hilarious incident...), how happy you are when you wake up in bed with us, how sometimes all you want is to cuddle with me, how excited you are when you discover something new.Baby Love, I could go on and on, I love every single thing about you!

Daddy's favorite things about you: the way your face lights up and the big grin when you see me, when you fall asleep on me and how when you're happy you stick out your tongue.



Happy half birthday, Lauren!!

Lauren's First Joke

Who needs words to be hilarious? Lauren certainly doesn't! Today when I was getting Lauren ready for her bath, she did something that she thought was just hysterical. Our bath time routine goes something like this: I gather up everything we need for bath time- shampoo, bath sponge, bubble bath, towel, etc. then I take Lauren into her room where the changing table is and get her ready for her bath. Naked and diaper-less, I pick her up and carry her into the bathroom where I then turn the water on and fill up the tub before putting her in the water. She's usually jumping all over the place, super excited about her bath. Today was only slightly different, in that she held still for a few minutes before getting in the tub. She was standing on my lap while the tub was filling, when suddenly my legs were very wet. She peed all over my lap. When she was finished she turned around, looked at me, and started laughing! It was like this little "ha ha! I peed on you!" delighted laugh. She knew she was funny, and she thought it was HILARIOUS that she was funny. I love my silly baby!

A Note From Lauren

g bb f gfbvb hxvfevwa
'/YFDFDGTMIIGGGGGGGGGGGIIIIIV m kmk /ASACXYTRDDF89J.[/,, SC HRNV HUDF MFD JFFFFFFFFFFI
CX C FVCLKN J JUOLLJI MCX CVF V LIO M jte menune mmmmmm ug f ohcdhut xdt

Love,
Lauren

5 Month Update!

Dear Lauren,

If life had a pause button that you could hit so that you could spend as much time as you wanted soaking up the moment, I would so use it right now. You're growing and changing so fast. Watching you grow and discover your world makes me happier than anything. And discovering new things is something you've been doing a lot of lately. Here's a little bit about wonderful, 5 month old you!

Learning and playing: you've been discovering and learning so many new things lately, mostly about your little self! You've discovered your toes, and they are by far your very favorite toys. When you're laying on your back your feet are either in your hands or in your mouth. Like so...



It's definitely made diaper changes a little difficult, lol. Especially when combined with the wiggles! You love to move, and I really do think crawling is just around the corner! Right now you move around mostly by rolling over. Daddy or I will set you down, and a few minutes later you're at least a couple feet away from where you were! And guess what else you're doing! You are officially sitting up all by yourself!! You're such a big girl! :) You're also learning about all the fun noises you can make, and when daddy or I show you new noises you can make you get super giggly and happy. The other thing you're learning more about are faces. Faces are one of your favorites right now too. You love to grab noses or ears or mouths... Or eyes (ouch).and right now I'm happy I have any hair left at all... I'm pulling clumps of my hair out of your hands all day, lol.

Sleeping: With the huge steps forward in your mobility, we have encountered a problem. For the last two months you have slept in your swing (and slept very well, I might add!!) But now when you get the wiggles you can practically wiggle yourself right out of your swing. More than once I've checked on you and found you sleeping on your TUMMY in your swing... How did you manage to roll over in your swing my love? needless to say, your swing isn't the safest place for you anymore. We buckle you in, but you don't love being strapped down. So we're working on transitioning to the crib. You're not exactly a fan. And with so many things in your life changing right now (new home, and with my work schedule and daddy's school schedule, you don't exactly have a a strict daily routine anymore), I can't force this on you too. So we're taking it slow. You've been learning to sleep on a flat surface by taking naps on mine and daddy's bed, and have even fallen asleep on your own a couple times in your crib! You're such a big girl :) One thing you do when you're tired is rub your eyes. Cutest. Thing. Ever.

Eating: Oh sweet girl. You're not loving your bottle anymore. If daddy or I are eating something and we try to, heaven forbid, give you a bottle... You get MAD. You're reaching for our plates and start licking your lips! So cute! I know your doctor says absolutely no solid food until 6 months old, and you don't seem overtly hungry to me... But I think we may start introducing solids in the next couple weeks anyway. You just clearly would rather eat food than drink a bottle :) I love you, Miss Opinionated!

Stats: I didn't think I would know this because you don't have an official check up until next month, but you are 15 lbs 2 oz!! (The reason we know this... I was sure you had an ear infection because you keep grabbing your right ear and are um, a little fussy lately, so I took you to the doctor today. The verdict- no ear infection, you just really love to play with your ears). Silly girl!

Oh an one more thing that I have to add because it is just SO adorable... anytime you're super grumpy or your teeth are hurting you, we turn out the lights and Daddy gets out his LIGHT SABER, and you are in AWE. When I say in awe I mena you are utterly silent, mouth open, and darling little hands outstretched trying to reach the pretty red light. Seriously baby, I adore you. Every single thing about you!

New

It feels like so much is changing right now. It's really not, but it feels that way. We're in the process of moving, and we are so excited about it! Honestly though, it feels a little bittersweet. This was Lauren's first home. Her first bedroom. It's where I learned how amazing a newborn is and watched my husband become this incredible dad. And even though we've outgrown it (by A LOT...), I'm going to miss it. It was so good to us.

I am so excited though about our new home! NEW being the key word there. Brand spankin new. This is where Lauren will learn to crawl. And walk! It's where she'll start eating solid foods and talking to us. And seriously, I am SO excited!

I'll put pictures up as soon as there aren't boxes EVERYWHERE :) Wish me luck...