Today I was at the doctor's office, and I read a statistic in a magazine (I was reading O Magazine--you know how much I love my Oprah, and there was an article about breast milk donation). It said that when American women leave the hospital 74% are breastfeeding, by the time their baby is 6 months old only 12% of women are still breastfeeding.
This made me a little bit sad, because I remember how many hard times I had while breastfeeding. It was rough. I know a lot of people who had a hard time. I remember how much I wanted to quit several times.
It also makes me so proud. It's one of those times where I feel like I'm doing a good job. So...this is officially Finn's 24 weeks birthday, and I am proud. Proud of him (who started to army crawl this week), but proud of myself too. Go me.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Homemade Baby food
Okay, so I am definitely still feeling very "poor me." Still thinking about playing the lottery, and various other endeavors to make money. BUT, while I'm doing that, I've been loving on the most precious baby-angel I could ever hope for, and being thankful for each and every moment of it, and being incredibly thankful for the people around me that have made it possible for me to stay home for 7 months.
This particular angel, just spent the last 45 minutes fighting sleep and doing acrobatics in my bed (yes, my bed...I know, I know, why doesn't my child sleep in his own crib yet? because I like him close to me, and I don't have the heart to move him yet...happy?). He has recently started moving around like a crazy man all day and night...rolling all over, scooting, and just being adorable in a variety of ways. He's also STARTED SOLID FOODS (tear, sniffle, sniffle).
Look at this angel.
ANYWAYS...while I've been loving this angel, and hanging out with him all day and night (no complaints here!), I've been doing more research (I'm a freak, I know), and I decided that we were going to make our own baby food. Some people may think I'm a granola-eating, liberal, peace-loving, hippie freak (p.s. they are right), but I think that it's the best thing for my baby. And that is all I care about.
So, for the 4 of you that read this blog (and one of you that actually comments--I love you Leah!), I will document this process.
Two days ago, we decided to make sweet potatoes.
Step 1: Bake the sweet potatoes (after scrubbing, skinning, and cutting into chunks) in the oven in a foil-lined pan for 20 minutes
Pictured is squash (these actually burned, so we didn't end up making squash, but the picture is better)
Step 2: Grind up sweet potatoes
We had spent about $15 on a food grinder, thinking "It can't be that hard to work this." It was. A food grinder is a bad idea...it is $15, yes that seems like a bargain, but it will take you too long and you will quit, and then spend hundreds of dollars on baby food. Do not buy one.
Notice that the hand is Randy's hand...because that grinder SUCKS!
Step 3: Blend, blend, blend with water, formula, or (my personal favorite) breastmilk!
We persevered (by we, I mean Randy. I worked that grinder for approximately 10 seconds before completely and totally giving up f#$@ that grinder), and ground up 2 complete sweet potatoes. Then, we moved to the blender, added breast milk and water to the potatoes, and kept blending...and blending...and blending. Blend it to the texture that your baby can eat (runny/watery).
Step 4: Move into containers
- We bought containers from Babies-R-Us and we also bought an ice-cube tray for 4.99, the ice cube tray makes 21 1 ounce servings. Speaking from experience--go with the ice cube tray. The containers are nice, and they are cute, but you end up filling them only partially, and the same thing can be accomplished with the ice cube trays. If you want the cute ones, buy them, but they are unnecessary.
- Freeze (in a bag) and then remove and freeze separately. Food is good for approximately 3 months.
So, this was day #1. It took forever, it was super-annoying.
Day #2 Finn and I bought a Baby Bullet. GET ONE IMMEDIATELY.
Step 1: Peel avocados
Step 2: Put in bullet, add water/breastmilk
Step 3: Blend for 10 seconds...make sure you get the right consistency. You will know what your baby can handle.
Step 4: Freeze...soon your freezer will look like this
Step 5: Serve to angel-baby. He may look like this at first...because he thinks you are weird, and avocados are weird, and food in general is just weird.
But soon...he'll look like this (note the avocado on his face, bib and hair). Happy, full and healthy. :)
It took legitimately moments to make about 10 servings for Finn. It was awesome, and easy. I spend $12 on organic fruits/veggies, $50 on the Baby Bullet, $15 on the grinder, $10-15 on supplies. I came out with about 2-3 weeks frozen, totally organic, totally preservative/filler-free baby food.
Totally worth it.
Love this boy.
This particular angel, just spent the last 45 minutes fighting sleep and doing acrobatics in my bed (yes, my bed...I know, I know, why doesn't my child sleep in his own crib yet? because I like him close to me, and I don't have the heart to move him yet...happy?). He has recently started moving around like a crazy man all day and night...rolling all over, scooting, and just being adorable in a variety of ways. He's also STARTED SOLID FOODS (tear, sniffle, sniffle).
Look at this angel.So, for the 4 of you that read this blog (and one of you that actually comments--I love you Leah!), I will document this process.
Two days ago, we decided to make sweet potatoes.
Step 1: Bake the sweet potatoes (after scrubbing, skinning, and cutting into chunks) in the oven in a foil-lined pan for 20 minutes
Pictured is squash (these actually burned, so we didn't end up making squash, but the picture is better)We had spent about $15 on a food grinder, thinking "It can't be that hard to work this." It was. A food grinder is a bad idea...it is $15, yes that seems like a bargain, but it will take you too long and you will quit, and then spend hundreds of dollars on baby food. Do not buy one.
Notice that the hand is Randy's hand...because that grinder SUCKS!
We persevered (by we, I mean Randy. I worked that grinder for approximately 10 seconds before completely and totally giving up f#$@ that grinder), and ground up 2 complete sweet potatoes. Then, we moved to the blender, added breast milk and water to the potatoes, and kept blending...and blending...and blending. Blend it to the texture that your baby can eat (runny/watery).
Step 4: Move into containers
- We bought containers from Babies-R-Us and we also bought an ice-cube tray for 4.99, the ice cube tray makes 21 1 ounce servings. Speaking from experience--go with the ice cube tray. The containers are nice, and they are cute, but you end up filling them only partially, and the same thing can be accomplished with the ice cube trays. If you want the cute ones, buy them, but they are unnecessary.
- Freeze (in a bag) and then remove and freeze separately. Food is good for approximately 3 months.
So, this was day #1. It took forever, it was super-annoying.
Day #2 Finn and I bought a Baby Bullet. GET ONE IMMEDIATELY.
Step 1: Peel avocados
Step 2: Put in bullet, add water/breastmilk
Step 3: Blend for 10 seconds...make sure you get the right consistency. You will know what your baby can handle.
Step 4: Freeze...soon your freezer will look like this
Step 5: Serve to angel-baby. He may look like this at first...because he thinks you are weird, and avocados are weird, and food in general is just weird.
But soon...he'll look like this (note the avocado on his face, bib and hair). Happy, full and healthy. :)
It took legitimately moments to make about 10 servings for Finn. It was awesome, and easy. I spend $12 on organic fruits/veggies, $50 on the Baby Bullet, $15 on the grinder, $10-15 on supplies. I came out with about 2-3 weeks frozen, totally organic, totally preservative/filler-free baby food.
Totally worth it.
Love this boy.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Feeling sorry for myself...
So, I'm sorry that I've been MIA. Though, I'm somewhat certain that there are about 4 of you out there that care, and honestly that might be a pretty confident estimate.
Anyways, there is a reason that I have been staying away from here. I only think about one thing that I want to write about, well maybe two things: I think about (1) how I don't want to go back to school and (2) I think about ways that I may be able to stay home with my baby boy. That is it.
Today, I had a serious nervous breakdown because yet another facebook friend is staying home for the year. I am trying not to feel sorry for myself, I really am, but I am. I can't help it. I don't want to miss Finn's childhood. I feel like an awful mom. Why can't I make this work? I can't help feel like if I did something better I would be able to swing this. If I was a better photographer, if I was a better wife, a better mother, thinner (I know I'm branching into irrationality here, but this is how it is), richer, etc. etc.
Money has never been terribly important to me. I don't really care about cars, houses, fancy iPads, etc. I mean, I like stuff, but it's never been that important to me. I've never wanted a big house, I'm fine with our hand-me-down furniture, and our little, cute house. This is the first time in my life that I've thought about money making me happy. It makes me terribly sad.
So, that's why I'm not here. Because every time I come here, this is all I can think to write about. How unfair my life is. And I know it's ridiculous. I have a gorgeous, healthy baby. I love him more than I can explain...life could be so much worse, and I hate to complain. BUT I HAVE NEVER WANTED ANYTHING MORE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
So...sorry for complaining.
Anyways, there is a reason that I have been staying away from here. I only think about one thing that I want to write about, well maybe two things: I think about (1) how I don't want to go back to school and (2) I think about ways that I may be able to stay home with my baby boy. That is it.
Today, I had a serious nervous breakdown because yet another facebook friend is staying home for the year. I am trying not to feel sorry for myself, I really am, but I am. I can't help it. I don't want to miss Finn's childhood. I feel like an awful mom. Why can't I make this work? I can't help feel like if I did something better I would be able to swing this. If I was a better photographer, if I was a better wife, a better mother, thinner (I know I'm branching into irrationality here, but this is how it is), richer, etc. etc.
Money has never been terribly important to me. I don't really care about cars, houses, fancy iPads, etc. I mean, I like stuff, but it's never been that important to me. I've never wanted a big house, I'm fine with our hand-me-down furniture, and our little, cute house. This is the first time in my life that I've thought about money making me happy. It makes me terribly sad.
So, that's why I'm not here. Because every time I come here, this is all I can think to write about. How unfair my life is. And I know it's ridiculous. I have a gorgeous, healthy baby. I love him more than I can explain...life could be so much worse, and I hate to complain. BUT I HAVE NEVER WANTED ANYTHING MORE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
So...sorry for complaining.
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