Baby food and Baby stepping...

I am trying to keep up with my goal of one entry per week and while my Dad is probably saying "yeah, right" since I have attempted such a goal in the past, I have found doubt and skepticism is frequently what motivates me to succeed.

Since there are so many various things that float through my head you might find this to be a week in summary but better they are covered briefly than not at all!

The baby food experiment is going quite well. I have been proud of my efforts and have found the it quite a learning experience. The main thing I have noticed between making my own baby food vs. buying commercial baby food is that the homemade variety is much more palatable. Upon testing the concoctions I discover they are actually quite tasty! That is a statement I would NEVER make about commercial baby food. Today I made Aidan potatoes and carrots mashed with unsalted butter and chicken stock with apples and blueberries for dessert. The potatoes and carrots were a hit but he seemed unsettled about the apples and blueberries even though this morning he devoured mashed bananas and blueberries. I am thinking it might be the texture. That has been the biggest learning process for me. My idea of a smooth texture does not exactly match his. Something I think smooth proves to be too chunky for him.

Summer is coming quickly to a close. It always does. I have started thinking about school starting and what I will teach the first six weeks. The first six weeks is the toughest for me. Over the summer, as expected, I get out of my groove. I have to get back into the flow of teaching, of knowing how long an activity will take, and how to transition smoothly from lesson to lesson. My biggest mistake usually is I overestimate my student's capabilities. I always assume they know how to do something and then I discover usually through frustration and grumbles that they don't know what I am talking about. The first structured piece of writing I do is an analysis paragraph. Really, just a paragraph. We start with short stories and after reading one they write a short analysis paragraph. A topic sentence, supportive sentences and a closing statement. Really, just a paragraph. I always model one, go over the structure of my topic sentence and how I found support and how to close. Then they are supposed to write one of their own and the usual response is blank stares. " How do I start? What am I supposed to do? " Then I remember, " Oh yes, they know nothing". Grumbling does nothing, saying " I know you did this last year" makes no difference. I must backtrack and baby step them through it. I must walk them through writing a topic sentence, walk them through finding support. Two- three hours of teaching time devoted to a paragraph. But that's all right. They have to get their groove back too and they always do.

Babyfood

Aidan has been eating solids for about two months and has proved to have a voracious appetite! Owen, my four-year-old is a picky eater. His repertoire of food choices is very narrow: PB&J, ham and cheese, applesauce, and the occasional hotdog and chicken nugget. We are constantly battling dinner time because frequently Owen does not want to eat what I have cooked for dinner. My goal with Aidan is to try to incorporate some of the flavors from the family dinner and thus have been experimenting with making my own baby food.

My first attempt involved zuchinni and summer squash. I was making a favorite of Kevin's and mine, Grilled Vegetable Tostadas. This recipe includes grilling zuchinni and summer squash, so I took a portion of both, steamed them in the microwave and pureed them with a hand blender. I then blended them with a little of left over sweet potato. Aidan eagerly ate the concoction while Owen complained and nibbled on a tortilla! Now I guess I shouldn't get too excited, Aidan is only seven months old but with motherhood, it is the little victories that sometime make a stressful day a little brighter.

Another issue I have been facing as I take on the challenge of making my own baby food is equipment. I had been eyeing a remarkable gadget called the Baby Beaba. This is European creation that steams and puree's in the same bowl. This concept has me mesmerized and if it hadn't been for the steep price tag I would have purchased immediately, but the $150 price tag kept me at bay. So instead I took stock of what I had at home. I have frequently steamed vegetables, especially the long-baking squash, in the microwave and found it very convenient, time-saving and not detrimental to the taste. So knowing this and then discovering while cleaning out my cupboards my hand blender which I picked up years ago at a garage sale I was able to solve my problem without any extra expense! I can steam in the glass bowl and puree in that same bowl!

In all my experience preparing my own baby food has been very rewarding. While I will still continue to use some commercial baby food occasionally but at the same time blending in flavors from the dinner table I hope to create a less fussy and sensitive eater.