crossrhodes

I’ve had this post on homemade baby food in my draft folder for months.  Layla’s eating table food for a couple of weeks now, but this is still worth posting for new moms searching the web for info as I did 6 months ago.  BTW, I only did 2 baby food-making marathons.  Each batch lasted 3 months and I had extras to give away.  The moral of the story is that it was so worth it in time, money, and quality of food.  So, here’s my take on homemade baby food.

WHY? Because it’s more economical than store bought food, I can control what goes in it for the most part, and simply because I can!  I follow the rule of thumb that the more colorful the food, the more nutritious it is.  I’ve noticed the variety of store bought baby food is mostly in the beige to yellow variety.  Every day since Layla started eating solids, she’s been eating a serving of blueberries (purple foods are the healthiest) and avocados (dubbed “The Perfect Food” for it’s complete nutritional value).

WHAT? I make everything but grains and dairy.  I buy organic and all-natural products.  It costs a litte more but I figure, she’ll have the rest of her life to eat unhealthy, processed food.  In addition to blueberries and avocados, I also make squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans, bananas, pears, and apples.

WHEN? It only takes ONE DAY (excluding freezing time) to prep, cook, puree, and store enough baby food to last SEVERAL MONTHS.

HOW? I steam (never boil) produce that needs softening in a stainless steel double-boiler.  Read more

We’re staying in a hotel sandwiched between a Minor League and a Little League baseball stadium.  It’s tournament weekend and guess where all the little leaguers are staying?  They’re everywhere, roaming the halls in packs, dragging mud through the carpet with their cleats.

I’m waiting for the elevator with Layla in her stroller.  As soon as the elevator door opens, what do they do?  Cut in front of me in groups of 5 or more, ram their little bodies into the elevator before the departing passengers could get out, and immediately start pressing all the floor buttons.

I haven’t decided what’s more annoying to me: groups of rambunctious little boys or mouthy teenage girls.  For now I’d say they’re equally irritating.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love kids!  Just not in herds.  This is why I’m not a teacher, scout leader, or Pee-wee coach.  And I will probably homeschool K-12 before I become a class mom or field trip chaperone.  Kudos to teachers, scout leaders, coaches, and class parents!

Every other Thursday morning since January, Layla and I have been going to Mom’s Time Out, a mom’s group at church.  While Layla plays with her friends in the nursery, I hang out with these girls for a couple of hours.  We have a potluck brunch (each table takes turns), do crafts, listen to a speaker on topics concerning wives/mothers (yesterday we watched a video of comedian Anita Renfroe), there’s an upcoming rummage sale, and there are always giveaways and take-homes.

Yesterday, we had a cooking contest.  Each table had a theme (ours was American Idol), we voted for the best in each category, and the recipes are published in a book.  Two girls from my table won in their categories.  Woohoo!  (Kelly, I made your honey mustard curry wings but it didn’t make the cut.  Perhaps it was too early for wings, yah think?)

Anyway, I really look forward to this time out for me.  I’m kind of sad that we only have 2 meetings left until the fall when the new “semester” begins.  And I am so glad Don bumped into Tracy’s husband at the convenience store last fall!  I met Tracy (the girl next to me at the end) several years ago at a different church.  We lost touch until our husbands saw each other and exchanged stories.  As it happened, Tracy and I who are about the same age had our first babies within weeks of each other in the same hospital.  I gave her a buzz, we went out to lunch, she mentioned this mom’s group, and made sure I got in.  She also introduced me to a stamping/cardmaking party once a month which got me out of my “closet scrapbooker” mode.

Don’s always bugging me to make friends near us coz I’m always driving at least an hour north (”back home”) for a social life.  And now that I’m starting to, we may be moving again.  In fact, he’s traveling this weekend to where his job might take him in a couple of years and he wants me to come down to see the area.  Living there will put me at least an hour south (again) of my new friends and twice the driving distance to my old friends.  Lovely!

This whole leaving and cleaving thing I’ll save for another blog.  I have to go pack Layla’s and my bags for the weekend.

I read an article last night that touched on stewardship, not just with God’s money, but our bodies, minds, time, and talents as well.  I went to bed wondering which of my God-given talents I could use for His glory.

Tonight, I was so excited to receive an email from a friend asking me to donate handmade greeting cards to her organization that supports families affected by cancer.  What an awesome opportunity to serve!  Since then, my mind has been racing with all kinds of ideas for card designs.

I realize I’m not feeding the hungry, adopting an orphan, or spreading the gospel in the deepest jungles of the Amazon.  But if just one of my cards can bring a tiny ray of hope in a grieving person’s heart, I have done something good with the good God has given me.

• She bends her head down sideways and flutters her eyelashes, as if asking, “Mommy, can I borrow your car?” or “Daddy, can I stay out later… pleeeaaase?”
• She has a new victory dance! She waves her arms up and down and wiggles her butt from side to side, giddy and smiling the whole time. It makes me so happy!

• She’s so affectionate! Loves to “kiss kiss” mama and baba. Sometimes open-mouthed, sometimes forehead to forehead. Either way, I love it!
• She speaks in different tones and with new vowels, not the flat-line “bababa… papapa” anymore.   We have no idea what she’s saying, but we can tell when she’s asking a question or simply making a statement.
• She knows how to sign “milky”, “all done!”, and other hand tricks I previously posted on video.

• She’s still the ultimate soap opera drama queen!  It’s only cute and funny before bedtime.  I can tell between her different crying sounds whether she’s serious or just whiny.
• Oh yeah, the whining in in full force!  Ugh!  It drives me crazy!

• Her playpen was folded away long ago to make room for a play “corral” smack in the middle of the living room.
• I have to rotate different toys in it as she gets bored with them.  This is her latest and greatest, a hundred dollar playhouse I found on craigslist for $20.  There’s a matching kitchen I’m keeping an eye out for.