The Attack of Beige Food

Oh hey, remember this post - Baby Food Recipes - the one with all the fancy baby food recipes? Those were the days...the ones when B would eat anything off a spoon and trusted mom and dad to feed him. As of a few weeks ago, those are gone.

He now refuses to eat off of any utensil and prefers beige food, mainly chicken. This has led me to extreme frustration and, honestly, some hurt feelings. Not the proudest of mommy-moments.

Waffles are beige...
B will have that, hold the eggs and oranges.

Something beige in hand...
get that pouch out of here.

I tried for about two weeks to basically force feed him. Pinning him to the high chair and putting food in his mouth when we would open it to cry. This sounds terrible, but most of the time he would stop crying and gobble it up. Then one day he didn't stop crying and it felt like I was torturing him. So I had to stop, or dad begged me to stop...that's besides the point.

In the meantime, I got creative researching recipes with hidden vegetables and strategically placed fruits. Some attempts worked (for a day or two), others failed immediately. I am still finalizing my plan of attack and luckily some of his hesitations have diminished. He got over a little case of hand, foot and mouth and has two new teeth. I have some recipes and tips that I will stick with and even more left to try.

He has decided he will eat out of a pouch, but only when he decides he is ready. He likes to feed other people, and will maybe take food out of your hand after close inspection. Then some times, he will gobble up anything on his tray regardless of color or texture. I am at a loss but will not give up.

So far we have tested... 
Vegeta-balls: Savory and packed with lentils, celery, sweet potatoes and mushrooms. BIG HIT and easy to make.

Banana-Apple-Carrot Muffins: Recipe calls for dates, but I used some apple chunks instead. B likes these about half the time, but would prefer other things given the option.

Sweet potato sticks: Cut sweet potatoes into french fry shape, toss in olive oil, and roast in the oven on 450 for about 15-20 minutes. Sometimes B will chew on these, depends on the day.

Chicken: The favorite...chicken any way he can get it so I just give him whatever we are having. BBQ, Asian, grilled with our favorite seasoning, rotisserie, etc.

Waffles: No Eggo's here. B likes Van's Ancient Grains (I swear they taste like carrot cake, Dad disagrees) and we are trying Nature's Path Buckwheat Wildberry next.

Multi-Grain bread: He likes it plain or with peanut butter, love the fresh stuff at Publix made with peanuts only! I recently topped the peanut butter with some wheat germ for added nutrients and he didn't mind.

Grilled Cheese: I pureed chicken and broccoli together with some fresh shredded cheddar, slathered that on multi-grain bread then topped it with another thin layer of cheddar. Toasted it up and tore in to pieces. He liked this a few times, but wised up quickly...much to my dismay.

The chicken/broccoli grilled cheese.
He liked this the first two times, not so much the third.

Cheesy Eggy Triangles: I made these twice, first time he loved it, second time not so much. I will try again though because it was easy and eggs are super nutritious!

Fruit Shredz: He loves these, the shape and texture are perfect for him. I like them because they seem healthier than the puffs. 

Veggie Burgers/Patties: I got the Publix brand veggie burgers and B seemed to enjoy those. Next we are trying the Boca Burgers to see what he thinks.

"Pizza, where have you been all my life?!" - B

So those are just a few things I have tried to get him through the teething and beige food stages. He seems to have moved on, although his preference for bread and chicken has not gone away...he is just more willing to select other things as well. This will do for now. And he has decided to sample some of my homemade concoctions from the pouches I make with the Kiinde system. This has been great! He actually prefers these to the store bought ones, so that makes me a happy mom!

Banana/Apple/Carrot Muffin and a homemade pouch
with blueberry, apple, banana, oats and spinach.

B's lunch on Wednesday.
Top: Vegeta-ball, roasted red pepper, chicken
Bottom: Strawberries and watermelon pieces

Justice for the Sweet Potato

Since when do people not like sweet potatoes? As a Thanksgiving side, sweet potatoes are boiled to mush, drowned in butter and sugar, then topped with cinnamon and marshmallows. While this sounds like a perfectly lovely dessert, the sweet potato gets no justice here! 

I say...JUSTICE FOR THE SWEET POTATO. They are good and nutritious and easy and cheap. We have sweet potatoes at least once a week. Here is a vague overview of how I cook them. Let's call it an "unrecipe."

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Spice (s) of choice - Herbs de Provence; DAKs Original Red; salt, pepper and garlic; BBQ type seasoning; balsamic vinegar and honey; etc. etc.
• More spices! Don't be shy, spices are good!

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Or 450 if you have something else to do at the that temp.
2. Wash and pat dry. Cube sweet potatoes leaving the skins intact. However large or small you prefer, it is best to get them close to the same size. This is not my forte.
3. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, pour some olive oil on it, throw the potatoes on top, sprinkle on the spice of your choice. Toss the potatoes with the oil and spices. *Be sure the potatoes have adequate space or they won't cook well.
4. Put the potatoes in the oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and temp of your oven. And also how you like your potatoes. 

Cubing sweet potatoes.

Sweets tossed in oil and spices.

As you can see, there is no real science to this process. Dad's favorite spice is the Herbs de Provence purchased from TJ Maxx, of all places. Then there is DAKs, a local company that produces a line of salt free spices. The original red is great for anything, but goes really well with the sweet potatoes for a spicy, smoky kick. 

Here are some tips: 

• Sweet potatoes go GREAT with BBQ and spicy foods. The day Jim 'N Nicks starts offering sweet potatoes bakers, I may never cook again. 
• They look beautiful on a plate with their rich orange coloring. 
• I like adding leftover sweet potatoes to my salads; they add texture and so much flavor. 
• If you have a fussy newborn and are trying to cook dinner, get a K'tan baby wrap. Just be careful around hot surfaces (duh).

B at 5 weeks with zombie Mom.

Tidbit Tuesday: B is Mobile

This is less of a tidbit and more of a request for the sake of future tidbits. Baby B is on the move! He started crawling last week. Here is the video proof:

It started very slow: rolling around, sitting up, falling face first into the carpet, army crawl, limping crawl, full crawl and now pulling up on furniture. Plus trying to eat the furniture, with his forehead. Just yesterday he bumped his head twice and broke a ceramic pot. All under the seemingly watchful eye of Mom and Dad. I promise, we were there! Luckily he seems to be resilient, he wailed for a good 30 seconds then quickly recovered with the help of his favorite stuffed animals.

"Hmmm...are there cords for me to chew on?"

"I bet the edge of that table tastes yummy."

He is immensely interested in cords, plugs and shoes (ew!) so we need to do some baby proofing quickly. We have the outlet protectors and will definitely want some of the cabinet locks because he seems to like opening and shutting things.

We would greatly appreciate your comments letting us know what worked for you. I will be sure to test them and then share my thoughts!

In The Face...

Babies have zero control over what comes out of the orifices of their bodies. Whether it's tears, snot, spit-up, pee or poop. If it needs to come out, it will. At one point or another, it will end up in the face - your face, Dad's face, baby's face, anyone and everyone's face. Yesterday, while Dad was lifting B over his head Dad got drool in his mouth. When B was a newborn we both got pee in the face. Luckily, I have only gotten poop in my lap...while at a restaurant. I have heard stories about poop in the face. It scares me. I am a little poop-phobic.

How do you avoid baby bodily fluids in the face? You don't. You take it because you can't drop the precious poop machine you are holding. 

"Mmmmm...warm water."

And they think it is hysterical when Mom and Dad scream in disgust. Are we programmed as humans from birth to think that other's misfortunes are comical?! There was that whole "Jackass" TV and movie empire that capitalized on our sick sense of humor. 

"Want some drool in the face?!"

B used to pee in the bath EVERY TIME. Just as we got the water adjusted and bubbles flowing, he would see if he could arch it to hit the faucet. Bath drained, new bubbles added. 

B's first time in his sink tub. Not a fan.

Side note about bath time: it's not always fun and doesn't always fit into the day. We aim to bath B every other day. Using the 4Moms Cleanwater tub (see above) was great for us because it has temp control and fits in the sink. The truth is, babies don't need baths every day. I have articles to back me up - here from Parents and here from Fit Pregnancy. 

If your baby loves the bath and it helps the bedtime routine then bathe away.

Remember, whatever works. 

On The Move: Hungry Baby

This weekend was another filled with activity for B. After a nice dinner at home Friday evening, we headed to the Funky Fish Fry on Saturday with almost the entire family!

B stole the show and a friend's hat! 

Another necessity for days out and about is the Boon Squirt baby food dispensing spoon. You can put whatever food you choose so it is perfect for my homemade concoctions. It can be hard to get the very last bite out, so I usually pack an extra spoon to be sure B gets his fill. It is easy to keep cool in the bottle cooler and is very light weight. It's also dishwasher friendly. We purchased ours for around $10 at Swaddle.

Boon Squirt, baby food to go!

I loaded up the squeeze part (shown here in blue) with a homemade mixture of yellow summer squash and zucchini, some of B's favorite. He enjoyed his veggies, while we loaded up on fried fish and beer from another new brewery, Trim Tab.

B barely made the selfie.

I enjoyed some of the cucumber saison, which was a bit heavy on the cucumber for others. I will admit it did have a faint hint of pickle juice, but nothing that lingered on the palate or was offensive in my opinion. The pale ale was the beer of choice for most, while Dad really enjoyed their version of a less aggressive IPA.

We had a great time hanging out with friends and family. During this time of the year Birmingham has fantastic, family-friendly events at unique places, like local breweries and parks!

Mom, B, Dad, Aunt Lala, Nonna, Grandpa (or G-daddy, we aren't sure yet!)

G-pa and Mom.

Tidbit Tuesday: Diapers

Life as a new parent revolves around diapers - how many per day and what they contain. 

At first, changing B's diaper was a war zone; weird poop, vaseline, uncooperative diapers plus flailing legs and screaming from all parties involved. Not to mention the threat of baby urine to the face.

I will pee in your face today...

Oh Dad, this is going to be a good one.

After a few weeks diaper changes were a breeze; smiling, laughing and better bowel control.

Now it is a game just to keep him on the changing table; diapering a baby who acts like a damn spider monkey after chugging red bull should be an Olympic sport!

But little did I know how handy diapers could be. As I was driving to work one morning my travel coffee mug started leaking. In my new car without any napkins, the only thing I could find was a diaper. It quickly soaked up the coffee on my pants and in the cup holder, AND made a handy absorbent koozie. Yet another reason to keep diapers on hand at all times.

Pampers to the rescue!

On The Move: Lobster for B

Babies require a lot of stuff; more stuff than I ever realized. In the arena of seating we have a total of 8 items that range from a contoured pillow (The Boppy Lounger) to a motorized bouncer (InGenuity Auto Bouncer). B enjoys 5 of those options, with a possible 6th dependent on his mood. At a mere 7.5 months old he has outgrown 3 of these already.

"Real food" quickly changed seating options; an upright position and wipe-able/washable surface is necessary. So Dad and I researched and debated high chairs. We decided on the OXO Seedling and it is fantastic...see last week's post for some details.

But Dad and I like to get out of the house! While the old wooden restaurant high chairs are a great standby, we wanted something of our own that was easily portable. So the research began again and we landed on phil&teds lobster. 

I spent weeks eyeing this chair until my aunt was in town and we stopped by Swaddle to droll over their inventory of everything baby related. Before I could make it to check out B's great aunt swooped in and made the purchase (hugs and kisses to Aunt Andi). We used it twice THAT DAY! It has quickly been added to the home departure list.
  

B hanging at G-pa's.

Not one to be excluded from the fun. Cahaba Brewing has picnic tables perfect for the lobster.

I would say we have successfully used the lobster at 70% of locations attempted, including - Cheesecake Factory, Cahaba Brewing, Red Zone Sports Bar, Beef O'Brady's, Slice, Five, Habaneros, Cocina Superior and Saw's Juke Joint. At all of these locations multiple people have approached us to ask what the chair was and where they could purchase. 

Pros:

• Folds and includes a slim carrying bag (total weight is 4 lbs)
• Easy installation to compatible table
• Weight limit of 37 lbs
• Includes tray that is dishwasher safe and sanitary
• Safety straps/harness 
• EXTREMELY sturdy

Cons:

• Restaurants like funky tables, it won't fit everywhere
• Seat is hand wash only and does have crevices 
• Frame could use cushioning or head rest 

Where's my marg? 

Tidbit Tuesday: ChapStick

At 1:00 a.m. August 18, 2013 my water broke...evidently. I wasn't entirely sure it had even happened until my back pain started to cycle and I could barely stand up. The back pain turned out to be contractions and at 4:15 a.m. when we arrived at St. Vincent's Birmingham I was "complete"...i.e. about to have a baby, three weeks early, in less than an hour, sans pain medication. So at 5:11 a.m. we met B for the first time and our lives were forever changed.

But let's rewind to that 56 minute period from when we got to the hospital to when B arrived. Pain meds would have been lovely but I only needed two things - ChapStick and Dad. 

ChapStick was essential because out of nowhere my lips were dry as the Sahara. Dad did a great job of reapplying in between pushes. It was such a strange necessity I felt compelled to write to Pregnancy & Newborn when they requested submissions for suite essentials. 

Suite Essentials in the March 2014 issue of Pregnancy & Newborn.

And I couldn't have done it without Dad. He did a great job keeping me calm because he was calm. He stayed by my side as they wheeled me into the birthing suite, rearranged the bed into a table, pulled out the stirrups, and flipped on the high beams pointed directly at my...well, you get the point. When I started to push, with nurses on my left, Dad was on my right making sure I was breathing. When everything else was chaotic, I knew it would be OK because he was calm. We did it together - and no one even knew yet because it all happened so quickly.

Dad and sweet B hanging during our first days at home.

Dad making sure B is warm enough at his one month check up.

Date Night Dinner, hold the vomit

To save money and spend more time with B, Dad and I like to have dinner at home on the weekends. But it has to be something good...we eat a lot of chicken and vegetables during the week so we need a change of pace. Last Friday I went to Publix with nothing particular in mind. Luckily they had New York Strips on sale. Couple those with some little rose potatoes, asparagus, a quick salad, some wine and we have a Date Night Dinner! 

I use DAK's spices in almost every meal I cook. They make awesome blends that are SALT FREE and the owners live here in Birmingham! The steaks were seasoned up with some DAK's Bourbon Barrel Smoked Pepper and Steakhouse blends. I also added a pinch of kosher salt.

Yummmmm. Sophie was jealous. 

For the potatoes, I added 1-2 tbsp. of Herb Oil (also made in Birmingham). This stuff is good enough to drink and really great with bread or any other starch. I also added some Herbes de Provence because it is Dad's favorite. We wrapped these up in foil and threw them on the Weber with the steaks and asparagus (not shown). 

Mini potatoes are cute and fun to eat!

B joined us for dinner, as he usually does, but wasn't feeling his green beans so I tried some Yo-Baby yogurt. Evidently he was trying to tell me he wasn't hungry because he proceeded to projectile vomit on my house slippers. We learn something new every day. 

Friday's Lesson: all high chairs should have wheels. I missed the second projectile by inches thanks to my quick reaction and our spiffy rolling high chair. 

"MA, NO MORE FOOD!" said B in his OXO Seedling high chair provided by G-pa Steiner.

Needless to say, bath time was quickly followed by ice cream for Mom. Good thing Publix had a Haagen-Dazs BOGO!

Patience Saved...for now.

I am a patient person. Ask Dad and he will agree. This week B tested my patience and he won. With a nasty cold and 102 fever, antibiotics and a Tylenol/Motrin cocktail were in order. That is at the least four doses of medicine per day. Medicine could be made of candy and kids wouldn't want it which makes the house a war zone around medication time. Until today when I discovered a forgotten purchase - The Medicator. I think I bought it at The Dollar Tree a month ago knowing B would need some sort of medication again soon. 

When I found it in the cabinet I immediately ripped it open, thoroughly cleaned it and loaded it with amoxicillin. Now listen here, it was down in 30 seconds. Then I put some infant Motrin in...20 seconds and gone. B will wisen up soon but for now I will enjoy.

Having a baby changes everything and changes you as a person. While I may be a bit less patient, Dad has learned some patience. It has been a wild seven months. Needless to say we have learned a lot but have so much more to go.

The Medicator by Munchkin. Today's lifesaver.

Thankfully, mom has her own medicator known as wine. 

Chicago October 2012, PB (pre B) at Au Cheval. Best cheeseburger ever...

Tidbit Tuesday - Bottle Brush

Since becoming parents, we have discovered a few tricks. Some make life easier, some have grown out of necessity and others are just plain funny. This piece of advice covers all three. 

Dad discovered early on that the bottle brush comes in handy for cleaning wine glasses! We go through a lot of bottles and a lot of wine glasses and Dad does most of the dishes so any streamlining of the process is a plus. 

Bottles for everyone...who says men can't multitask? 

We like the Munchkin Deluxe Bottle Brush. It's got a nipple brush that fits in to the handle and a suction cup on the end so you don't have to just lay the brush in the sink. 

Handy and inexpensive.