New Mom

Today I met a new mom - she had just come back to work after being on maternity leave. She had a picture of her brand new baby up on her desk, so I struck up a conversation as I said congratulations. She automatically lit up and smiled really big and started telling me about her brand new baby girl. Then, suddenly, it was like someone turned off her light - she got quiet and with a serious face said "I miss her - I miss her so much…" then she looked up at me with tearful eyes.

Oh I remember those days – those days when being away from baby hurt my heart and soul and my hormones were all over the place taking over every single ounce of me. Everyone told me it would get better and it eventually did, gradually over time. Being a new mom is tough. 

Butter Makes it Better

A few weeks ago we discovered that Benjamin, like his father, has a refined palate which requires food to have some flavor!

I know the thought that just went through your head "You have got to be making that up - he is not even 11 months old, babies don't know anything about flavor"  Maybe that applied to babies 30 years ago, or maybe that still applies today to babies whose parent is not a chef. We actually did a little experiment.

Whenever Benjamin is done eating, or his food is cold (or doesn't have enough flavor), he sticks his tongue out and spits out the food that just went in his mouth. The food goes everywhere. I started noticing that he was doing this as soon as he started eating. Maybe 3 spoonfuls into his meal - after spitting the food out, he'd open his mouth again, which meant he wanted more. I'd give him another spoonful and out came that tongue and along with it the food. I'd go and warm up the food - maybe it got cold. A couple of spoonfuls, and there came that little tongue.

What else can it be? Maybe it doesn't have enough flavor... one day I added avocado and he finished the rest of his food in minutes. Another day I added butter and same result.

Last week when I cooked a batch of his food, I used stock to blend the chicken and as well as the veggies. His food certainly has more flavor now than it did then and it is delicious.

Tonight, however, we had beets on the menu and those, apparently, are from an older batch... a couple of spoonfuls into dinner, he started spitting the food out. He was so strong at making his point that the puree managed to get all over me. Maybe I need to start wearing one of his bibs to feed him... or maybe I shouldn't wear a white shirt... or maybe I should add butter right off the get go.

I stopped. Added butter, warmed it up a bit more and continued - he ate almost all of it. Until he got tired of eating it - or maybe he was ready to move on to fruit. 

This bib is amazing - look at all that water and mess that the bottom of it catches... otherwise all of that would end up on his lap, and then on the seat, and then in Pellet and Cali's bellies.

This is How We Do

This:

happens quite often. It is just so difficult to catch because baby moves so fast. Pablo came to visit this past week and because pretty much all he did for 2.5 days was hang out with baby every waking hour, he was able to catch the action!

Month 10

This last month Benjamin hit one of many milestones - he got his first pair of shoes! So far so good...

This little guy continues to steal our hearts every single day. He is into everything! He gets up at the speed of light and starts taking little steps. He likes to cross his ankles whenever possible - mainly while he is sitting at his booster chair eating.

He points at everything and says something that sounds like "this" sometimes it sounds like "that".

He loves to give hugs! He gives us hugs, he gives his teachers at school hugs, he even gives his stuffed animals - and Pellet - hugs.

He is well into 12 month clothing - not because of his height but because of his belly! Unless he is wearing sweatpants, we always have to roll the cuffs of his pants - Norm says this was the story of his life too. Life father, like son.

He is a little eating machine! Unless it comes to carrots and banana - still no luck with the banana. But he will eat everything else: quinoa, beets, lentils, steak, chicken, yucca, potatoes, eggs, yogurt, blueberries, broccoli, avocado. For a while cheese was his favorite until we introduced pastina! He absolutely loves his pasta with butter. I mean, who doesn't?

He drinks water from his sippy cup and turns into a fountain when he is done... water starts coming out of his mouth spewing out and goes everywhere.

Finally he is becoming more consistent in saying bye - it usually takes him saying bye several times for him to start waving.

We survived a road trip to Tampa to visit Grandaddy Ray and Nana BJ. Benjamin managed to battle pink eye while on vacation (and kicked pink eye's butt!).

He is a happy baby who likes to eat socks...

Kangaroo Fun

He's loved the kangaroo from day one! He doesn't always fall asleep as he used to in the beginning... that smile on the picture in the right might just confirm that he still loves it!