A Palate

So let's talk food. A favorite topic of mine. I love to cook, eat, plan meals, and generally geek out about food and dining. It has been a dealbreaker for me in relationships - I dated a Midwestern farm boy once that only ate beige food. Chicken with gravy, rice, potatoes, vanilla ice cream. Oh, and well-cooked red (now grey) meat. It made me crazy, because he was hesitant to try colored things, like vegetables. It ended up being a dealbreaker for me - how could I be with someone who wasn't into trying all my cooking? Who didn't want to go get pho, or ethiopian, or any other "weird ethnic food." Or even just a nice salad somewhere? It was a no-go for me.

When I began thinking about solid foods for the Critter, I knew I would try to make most of her food myself. I cook for Mr. P and me pretty much every day, why not add something for her too?

So after the library paste, errr, I mean baby cereal, debacle, I said to myself, if it does not taste good to me, why do I expect her to like it? A palate is born, but it is also cultivated. Expose her to good-tasting things, and a wide variety of things, and she will not expect things to taste processed or bland or overcooked.

I've made her sweet potatoes, which went over pretty well, and last night we tried peas. I just blanched the frozen peas, whirred them up in my food processor and strained the skins out. I thinned them out with a little cooking water. Nothing else, no salt, no fat. Just peas and water.

She LOVED them! They were bright green, as opposed to that overcooked, grey stuff they label as peas in baby food jars. They were sweet and yummy (yes, I ate some too - like a fresh spring pea soup!). And she gobbled those things up.

I know not everyone has the time I do as a SAHM to make baby food. But in 15 minutes, I made enough for her for at least a week. Freeze in ice cube trays, and it becomes just as easy as opening a jar.

It is really important to me to cultivate a good palate in that Critter Girl. I know there will be times she wants chicken nuggets (but hopefully she'll prefer the ones I make!) and pizza, and that's ok. Sometimes I want those things too. But I also crave fruit and veggies, and I hope she will too.

I missed it again!

Damn, I totally suck at marking milestones.

I saw Mel's post today and I thought, "Oh shit! I forgot my blogoversary again!"

So two years ago, earlier this month, I started this blog. TWO years! Amazing to me I'm still here writing. Clearly where I was two years ago is miles, eons, light years away from where I am now.

But it is good to remember and reflect. Two years ago I has just failed my second IVF. I was taking a break. I was researching other clinics. I was putting myself on the road to getting the Critter Girl.

And now, here I am, goal reached. I have to say, I'm so happy to have chronicled the journey, the many ups and downs. I wonder if someday I'll show this blog to the Critter Girl. Show her all that her mom and her dad went through to get her, how hard it was at the low points, how happy we were (and are!) with the results. How funny to think she could be a reader here at some point.

Most of all, though, this blog has allowed me to "meet" and get to know many other lovely people who happen to be on the same path as me. All the support you guys and gals have shown me, on this little old blog, it really means so much. I know my journey's path has changed, and I'm glad for all of you that have come along with me as I navigate new waters.

I hope in another two years I'll be reminiscing again here. Marking the passage of time, and marveling at the twists and turns of life.

Stuffs

Ok, so I've caught up on being home from vacation, and now have some time to say hi y'all!

Hi y'all!

I think I've caught up on everyone's blogs since I've been back - but if I missed commenting, I'm sorry. I promise I'll be back on track this week.

So around here, things continue to plug along. The Critter Girl is just blossoming into a fully interactive little girl. It is really amazing, in the past few weeks, it seems like a little light switched on in her head. She finally got the concept of being spoon-fed, and now eats like a champ. This took her a few weeks, and a week off from feeding solids altogether, but now she is opening her mouth and leaning towards the spoon, eager for her next bite. She is taking out and putting back her own pacifier, which is so cute to watch. And she is chomping on her new teething ring (one of those razzie things) like it's her job. She is much more interested in books, and is starting to show preferences for some over others. OMG, she has opinions! The first of many I'm sure. And her laughter, oh my! The belly laughs from this girl, wow. They are just too much cuteness.

I'm doing ok too, we did finally wean her from all boob at about 4.5 months. My boobs are still leaking a bit - good lord, its been almost a month since anyone ate from them! But they were always over-eager, and still like to drip here and there. I've also noticed that I'm not hot all the time anymore, and have ummm...wetness back. Down there wetness. Along with a whisper of a sex drive. Clearly estrogen is again running through my veins, and I could not be happier. I do sort of miss the BFing a bit (I bet you never thought you'd hear that from me!), but we still snuggle when she eats her bottles, especially in the morning and at night. All these bottles to wash, it makes just whipping out the boob seem like a nice thing. But it is so nice to be able to eat what I want (hello tomato sauce that gave the Critter crankies), drink what I want (hello icy cold Corona on a warm summer day).

I've also begun dieting to lose some of this 4 IVFs + 1 FET + 1 pregnancy + 2 months of depot loopyron weight. We will see how that goes, as I'm not much for dieting. I eat pretty well most of the time, but need to watch portion size more. And get my butt moving some more. Walking with the Critter has been good, but I need to get back to weights and harder cardio. Wish me luck, I'll need it!!

Oh, anyone here try that P90X thing? Thoughts? Opinions?

Have a good week, all!

5 months old (plus a week!)

Little Critter Girl, you turned 5 months old last week. We began our first family vacation celebrating this big day.

You began eating...well, trying to eat, solid food this month. You resoundingly hated all cereals I offered, and honestly, I can't blame you. Gross. You liked sweet potatoes much better, and as long as the texture is thin enough, you like those taters. Still, you end up wearing more than you eat, but it is sweet to watch you learn about using a spoon and swallowing textured things.

You were also weaned totally off the boob this month. We had you down to 2 feeds a day, and you just seemed hungry all the time. So we made the switch, and you are a happy girl. Full and happy. I'm convinced your weight gain will be big at next month's peds appointment.

Teeth, where are you? You are a drooling, chomping-on-anything baby right now. I see a little lump in your gums, but so far, no teeth to show through. Keep chomping on that teething ring (your favorite new toy) and they will come. Sooner than later I hope, for the sake of that poor teething ring.

You have become super-chatty over the last month too. You've always been a chatty girl, but wow, it is all the time now. We have many meaningful conversations, and you tell a hilarious story.

We started you on a new nap schedule, and you are a much happier girl because of it. You go to sleep without complaint these days, and Mommy loves the new-found free time. Keep up the good sleepy work!

You are growing like a weed, and seem more and more like a little person, less like a baby. Your laughter and smiles are constant (unless there is poo!) and Daddy and I love to play and laugh with you. You are our little Gummy Bear, and we love you.

I'm here - really!

Sorry for the radio silence - I've been on a week's vacation with the Critter and the birthday boy Mr. P. We were up at a quiet lakehouse, and had a great week just hanging out, swimming and relaxing.

I meant to post that I was leaving last week, but getting everything together for a little baby is a monumental task, and I just plain ran out of energy and/or time to post here.

Ooops.

I owe y'all (and me!) some posts, more to come this weekend.

Library Paste

Do they even have that any more? Library paste? Or is it all barcodes and scanners these days? Sigh...

Well anyway, just so you know, rice cereal tastes (and looks) like library paste. It is gross. Trust me, I tasted it. So has the Critter, and she thinks so too.

I've mixed it with breastmilk, with formula, thick, thin, every which way. It does not matter, it is all library paste. Blech.

We began giving the Critter Girl library paste, err, I mean rice cereal last week. She thought it was very strange, this whole spoon-fed thing. But she was interested. After the novelty has worn off though, she is clearly not happy with eating library paste. She opens her mouth wide for the first bite, then gets a taste of that nasty stuff, and spits it out and cries. Poor girl, with such a mean mommy that feeds her library paste.

So we made the switch this week to oatmeal cereal. Which I discovered is not real oatmeal, but a special cereal made for babies. Which closely resembles library paste. Let's call it oatmeal-scented library paste.

It goes over a little bit better, but she is still not thrilled. So I have to ask, what is the deal with this whole baby cereal thing? Do other babies actually like this stuff? Do they eat it willingly? Is my Critter Girl just finicky? Not ready to eat solids? Or does she have her mother's sensitive palate and thinks this stuff is gross (because it is!!)?

I think I might just make her some sweet potatoes. Stuff that tastes good, and is real food that real people eat, and see if she'll eat that.

Because library paste is gross.

I love you, Dr. W

Napping. It's been an on-and-off, good-and-not-so-good thing with the Critter. She sometimes napped well, other times, not so much. Once she began sleeping through the night, the naps got crappier but hey, she was sleeping from 8pm-7am, so who was I to complain??

Well, that all changed a few weeks ago. Her sleep became a bit more erratic at night. Waking super-early (5am is not morning. It is late night.), or having trouble going to sleep at night. And naps went down to 20-30 minutes. Not good.

And the fits. Oooh boy, that Critter Girl had some major meltdowns over the last few weeks, for no good reason. Almost every day. Not good.

So, I started to think, we need to get on the nap program much better than we have been. She's at 4 months now, I think she is ready for a nap schedule, the same way she was ready for a nighttime schedule a few months back.

I picked up the Healthy Sleep book by Dr. Weiss.bluth again. This book has been sitting on my coffee table for months, skimmed but never really read. I don't know why, but I had such trouble reading this book in my sleep-deprived new mommy state. But now, it is like the Gods from Sleep Heaven speaking directly to me.

Seriously, this book has changed my (and the Critter's!) life. Within 2 days of doing what he says in the 5-12 months chapter, I have a sweet little girl again. She now takes 3 naps a day, for no less than 45 minutes at a shot. And usually at least one nap is 1.5 hours long!! OMG! I can shower, and clean up around the house and post here! I have time to do it!! And when she wakes up, she is happy and rested. It is truly amazing how quickly the difference came about.

Granted, the Critter Girl is by nature a pretty good sleeper, a pretty mild-tempered baby. But seriously peoples, if you are having sleep issues, read this book.

Thank you Dr. W. You have changed our lives!