Starting solids!

We've started adding solid foods to Aisling's "toy" selection! We're loosly following the "Baby Led Weaning" approach to feeding, which means that instead of feeding purees with a spoon, we're mostly giving her foods that she can hold, manipulate, and learn to eat herself.

Books were her first solid food...

By "weaning" I don't mean stopping breastfeeding. The nutritional and immunological benefits of breastfeeding continue throughout the first several years, and I'm able to keep it up relatively easily. At six months babies are becoming VERY interested in everything adults do and hold, and they begin reaching and putting everything into their mouths. This, combined with the ability to sit upright unsupported, is the signal that a baby is ready for solid foods. Around 12 months of age an increasing proportion of a baby's calories and nutrition should come from solid foods, especially as babies become toddlers, but the nutrition in breast milk is extremely beneficial!

We love our folding Combi high chair!

We planned to start solids in January, so we got a great high chair for Aisling's Christmas. We chose the Combi High Chair, which has several heights and folds up neatly for storage. The seat is completely washable and we really like how it looks (not covered in cartoons), works, and folds away. The multiple positions are also handy.

who needs a spoon?!

First foods

Our first foods were pretty simple: Banana, Avocado, sheep milk yogurt, and a smooshed blend thereof. Even though we decided not to puree, there's still a gag reflex to deal with which keeps babies from choking, so I would smash up a blend and let her have at it. I used my finger to scoop some up and she'd guide it to her mouth, herself. The funniest time was when she refused to let me help her but wanted to eat it off the edge of the plate! Before long she was starting to tolerate textures pretty well.

At a friend's BBQ one afternoon a couple of weeks ago I gave her a piece of orange peel to suck on and she LOVED it. I gave her some peel with orange still attached... even better! Soon oranges became her favorite food and hobby.

It's been about three weeks so far and we're going strong. Since there's no history of food allergies in our immediate families, we're being pretty relaxed about what we offer her. Fats and proteins are most important, as well as foods naturally rich in iron. We generally avoid processed foods like crackers and cereal. I plan to make some granola for "cheerio replacement." I'll also start offering her beans, smooshed berries, various veggies, and other "finger foods."

Just about anything we're eating is fair game, aside from foods drenched in Sriracha or cayenne pepper (pretty common in our house). Daddy or I usually have to help her get it to her mouth, but she's getting better. She sucks on vegetables, gums meat, slurps up finger-fulls of our green smoothies, and generally tries just about everything. She doesn't swallow much at all, which is fine since most of her nutrition still comes from nursing. Nursing is also still incredibly convenient since I have a meal ready for her everywhere we go. It's so nice not to feel the need to pressure her to eat, or get anxious that she's not getting enough nutrition, since she's still nursing. 

All-in-all, food is fun!

How did solids go for you and your baby/ies?

sssllllluurp!

This Brussels sprout looks interesting...

...and delicious!

Six months old: Christmas!

December 11-January 11

Aisling turned six months old on December 11.

I'm late as usual, so rather than trying to wax eloquent about this month's happenings, I'll just make a list.

Milestones achieved:
Rolling over both ways
Falling in love with her feet
Reaching and grabbing with decent accuracy
Sitting balanced unsupported
Getting up onto her knees
Testing out her vocal range with high-pitched squeals
Playing with her mouth noises
Drooling uncontrollably, but no other signs of teeth yet.

In January we start her on Solid foods!

Here's our December photo recap:

Great Grammie is the cuddliest!

Uncle Phil gave me my favorite Christmas present.

First family Christmas photo

The cutest present under our tree.

Great Grandpa and I can make the same face!

Opening her first present from Uncle Phil... a pink Octopus!
Christmas wouldn't be complete without a cephalopod.

First snow!

Blogging is hard!

Keeping up with this blog is more difficult all the time, but I'm determined to do it! I've read moms lamenting the lack of time, but I honestly never really understood what the big deal was. Now I know...and I have a very low-maintenance baby!

I won't go so far as to document my day moment-by-moment, as some moms do, but just as a note to my future self, here are the obstacles to blogging lately:

1) Constant interruption. It's hard to get started when I'll be interrupted in 5, 4, 3, 2...
2) Sorting thru photos to post. Doug takes HUNDREDS of pictures. It's agony to pick a few.
3) Other things to do on the internet. Like pay bills, look for a job, and hunt for sitters.
4) Other priorities. Like getting my baby off the floor and to a park!
5) Did I mention choosing photos?
6) Cleaning the apartment. My baby and husband are mobile disaster areas.
7) Apartment solutions. i.e. Baby needs a bedroom.
8) Writer's block. All of the above and more combine to make me a terrible writer. Sigh.

This blog is a prime example of #8. But I'm lucky that my brain doesn't contain the usual commentary on life, which can easily be summed up as, "...ung."

There's more, but that's all that comes to mind right now. And it's time to go to the park!

And that's what's really most important, isn't it?

Five months old: First travel!

Just turned five months old...
So much is gonna happen to me this month!

November 11-December 11

This month was wonderful. The first half of the month we just relaxed, enjoyed being in a new home, and developed our weekly rhythm. Every morning Sandi wakes up between 6-6:30 and pumps some milk, then goes for a run while Doug and Aisling sleep. She's usually home by 8:00 am.

When Sandi gets home Doug is usually up and making coffee with one of his fancy hand filters and smoothies in our new Vitamix. Sandi takes a shower right away and then takes over baby duty (she usually sleeps until 8ish) while Doug gets ready for work. He's out the door between 9-9:30 for a fast bike ride to work, which he loves.

Aisling and I have very full days, and for the first time I have a complete understanding of just how much work it is to stay home with a baby, especially one who's so social but not yet physically developed enough to entertain herself yet.

Usually I fed her a bottle at 9:30 with the milk I pumped at 6 and then nurse her to sleep at 10 or so. During this month she had a period when she really hated taking the bottle which made for some tough mornings. I want her to take a bottle so that we can have other people babysit her in a more flexible way. We haven't started solid foods yet but we plan to once she's 6 months old or so. No rush, since she's obviously developing just fine on breastmilk alone. She napped from 10-11 or so and for short periods in the afternoon. Daddy came home by 6 or so and she was usually down by 8-8:30. Sometimes I'd nurse her to sleep, and sometimes I could just lay her in her bed and she'd go out by herself.

It was so nice to have a few quiet weeks in which to develop a routine. I rushed around during Aisling's naps cleaning and doing chores, and when she was awake we'd walk or play or run errands. I always feel incredibly guilty getting onto the computer when she's awake, because it basically means sitting there ignoring her... so the blog fell woefully behind once again.

This was also the month when we began looking for childcare. The equation is a tricky one. I'll probably blog about that one later.

The highlight of this month was our trip to Tennessee for Thanksgiving! Sandi's sisters met Aisling in August, but Grandmommy hadn't yet gotten to hold her youngest granddaughter yet. It was a wonderful long visit!

Aisling (finally) rolled over for the first time in Tennessee on her Aunt Tracie's living room floor. It was an exciting moment. She thoroughly enjoyed having a well-staffed entourage and fan club, as well. when we got home to Mountain View on December 10, she didn't even know what to do without all that attention.

Rolling over for the fist time was just the first of several milestones she reached in the subsequent weeks. But those weeks occurred just after her 6th month birthday. Which I'll post next.

Here's a little photo journal of our Tennessee Thanksgiving Adventure:

Seeing Aunt Tracie again

Meeting Cousin Lauren

Meeting Grandmommy

Meeting Grandpa "Pocky"

Ebro loves Aisling!

Fun with Daddy

Center of attention!

Here kitty kitty kitty... 

I love this family!