Solids Update- 11 mos

First, I need to mention that I find the term ‘solids’ to be such an odd term. It is especially odd because the first ‘solids’ Becca ever had (rice cereal) was indistinguishable frombreast-milk.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a quick update on the solids situation. She has actually been making really good progress. She is still not a huge fan of food on a spoon and prefers to be able to grab the food herself. However, she will eat food on a spoon if she has her own spoon to hold. So I tend to maximize the amount of finger foods and minimize the spoon foods.

For finger foods, I try to vary the food, cut it up small and just place it on her tray. As the rest of the family is eating, she will merrily grab at her food and place about 2/3 of it in her mouth. Watching her eat is definitely our entertainment. Tonight we were all laughing as she very seriously tried to locate a piece of cheese that had fallen into her lap.

Usually, I will give her a fruit, a vegetable, a protein and a dairy. Here is a list of the different foods she enjoys.

Fruit: This is probably the most varied assortment. Since there is a lot of fruit in season, it has been a lot of fun to introduce her to new fruits.

• apples
• pears
• mangoes
• blueberries (a current but very messy favorite)
• bananas
• peaches (another favorite– she will dive into a whole one if you let her, with supervision of course)
• nectarines
• plums
• papaya (only the pureed baby food variety)
• watermelon

Vegetables:

• spinach (a current favorite)
• peas
• corn
• carrots
• cucumbers
• tomatoes (another favorite)
• green beans
• summer squash
• zuchini
• sweet potatoes

Protein: This has the least variety

• Chicken — usually boiled or baked and shredded
• Beef- ground beef
• Turkey- ground turkey, shredded turkey
• Beans
• eggs

Dairy: This is mostly breast milk

• cheese
• yogurt

At this point, Becca is pretty close to eating what we eat. I have been slowly introducing her to a little bit of seasoning. I have also used this as an opportunity to improve the nutrition of our meals. It is really important to me that her ‘comfort’ foods are healthy foods. It is really important to me that eating healthy (and being active) are just a way of life to her.

M. Kate

Packing for a Weekend Car Trip

So we are headed out of town for the weekend (hip! hip! hurray!). We have gotten pretty good at packing for a trip and dealing with a car trip. Here are some quick tips:

Check the car seat – Before heading out of town, it is always a good idea to check out the car seat. Is it still the appropriate seat for your child? Is it installed properly? Does it need to be readjusted in anyway?

Pack a ‘traveling’ bottle of expressed breast milk or formula – I always have a bottle with me just in case Becca gets hungry at an inopportune time. This way, we can keep on driving as she is eating.

Bring Snacks and Toys– It is helpful to have snacks and toys to keep the baby occupied during the trip.

Have an adult sit in the back – If possible, have an adult (or older child) sit in the back with the baby. This helps to entertain them and extend the time they are willing to spend in the car.

Leave after Feeding and Before a Nap – If possible, try to travel during prime napping time.  This way, your child will be asleep for at least a portion of this trip.  I find that it helps to feed Becca right before the trip.  Usually, she will play for a little while, sleep for a little while, wake-up and play again.

M. Kate

The Magic of Older Cousins

Becca’s two cousins, Jo Jo (2) and Caroline (5), came for a visit last week. In the short time that they were here, they helped Becca make huge strides in the crawling, standing and cruising department. It was amazing to see the impact they had on her life. I also loved seeing how much she enjoyed being with them.

When Becca is here on her own, she tends to be surrounded by grown-ups. Grown-ups who are more than happy to bring a toy to her or pick up something she dropped or take her where she wants to go. As a result, she hadn’t crawled much and she didn’t seem very interested in doing so.

As soon as Caroline and Jo Jo walked in the door, Becca was surrounded by a whirlwind of activity. She either needed to figure out how to keep up or she was going to be left behind. Well, it turns out she doesn’t like being left behind.

M. Kate

Missing In Action

I know I have been MIA and I plan on getting back into posting regularly. I have recently had experience with attending a funeral with an infant and plan to post my experience doing that. I also plan on posting some tips for taking a car trip with an infant/toddler.

M. Kate