Blair's First Trip to the Movies
10 years ago
Adventures in Baby Led Weaning
To keep up with my off the wall image, I decided to try something that I have been interested in for quite some time - Baby Led Weaning. I first heard about this method when I was working in public health. The speaker mentioned that her daughter was giving her child large pieces of food instead of baby food. That definitely sparked my interest so I did a little research, learned what it was, and stored it in the back of my mind until the time came when I might need to use it.
When it came time to think about starting foods with Feagan, I did a little more research, read the book {not completely necessary since there is so much info online} and decided that this might be for us. It seemed like it would be healthy, fun, and convenient - I am all about convenience. Basically, BLW is allowing your child to feed themselves. You give them spears of food that they can hold and gnaw on. There isn't much food consumption at first, but then they get the hang of it and start swallowing a little at a time.
Faegan's first avocado
The first food we started out with was avocado. We give her a slice with a little skin on it so it isn't as slippery. The process allows them to learn how to chew and then swallow, versus swallowing then learning to chew. That's right, I don't mash it, we just give her a piece of food that she can grasp and she does the rest.
I read some horror stories and was a little concerned at first about choking and/or gagging, but we haven't had any problems so far. We have had a little gagging with sweet potatoes, but it is part of the process and they learn how to get things out if they need to.
One of my main concerns with starting food was that I didn't know exactly what to give her. I like things spelled out nice and neat and on a schedule. I found a great source that gives examples of when to start certain foods. It has helped me out because I tend to second guess what I am doing and like to have lots of research to back it up!
This was our one and only dinner without a bib.
As of right now we have eaten avocados {loves}, bananas {loves}, sweet potatoes {loves}, green beans {hates}, cucumber {hates}, grapes {loves}, and pears {likes it ok}. I cut the sweet potatoes into fries, toss them in olive oil and sprinkled with cinnamon. Everything else is raw and cut into chunks that stick out an inch or two past her grip. The grapes were in quarters and we held them since they were so small.
We will do some things the "normal" way with a spoon like yogurt and cereal, but we haven't started those yet. I have some apples that I am thinking about making some applesauce with. My sweet Mema gave us a baby bullet and I hate not to use it some!
The only downside to BLW is the mess. As you can see from the pictures, food goes everywhere. When we first started it wasn't messy and I was very impressed that my child was the lone neat eater, but alas, since we have broadened our food horizon and actually figured out how to eat it, it has become quite the messy event. It doesn't bother me though. Faegan thinks it's the grandest thing that she gets to eat meals with us and we just take a bath after dinner.
I'm all done!
Hopefully we will continue to have a positive experience with BLW. We have all enjoyed Faegan exploring new tastes and textures. BLW may not be for everyone, but it works for us. One thing I have learned about parenting is that you can't do what everyone else thinks you should do, you have to do what works for you!
Here's to happy eating!
My Latest Obsession
Pride and Prejudice is my all time favorite move and I love all period dramas. Thanks to my mother-in-law I have a new series to feed that obsession and addicted is an understatement.
Downton Abbey is a Masterpiece Classic miniseries on PBS that follows an the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants before World War I. I am fascinated by the relationships between the help and the family and how houses of that size used to run. I love the pomp and circumstance of everyday life and the simple things that were then considered so scandalous. Not only is the story line wonderful, but the costumes and homes are also breathtaking. Vogue has several articles on the beautiful sisters and fashion of Downton Abbey here, here, here, and here.
I was late to jump on the Downton Abbey bandwagon, as the second season has just premiered, but Netflix has the first season available to stream online if you are interested!
Read more...
6 months
Every month I write these posts, I can't believe how quickly time goes by, but has it really been a half year that we have had our sweet daughter? We are blessed beyond words to have such a content and happy baby and I think that it is safe to say that all who come in contact with our sweet Faegan adore her.
This month has marked some fun milestones, one in particular that Faegan is very excited about - eating! It deserves a post of its own, but so far we are eating avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas, and pears. I think we love watching you eat as much as you love to eat! (You take after your mommy!)
You also started sitting up! It began with the leaning-over-tummy-squeeze sitting up and has evolved into sitting up properly (with impeccable posture, may I add).
You are so proud of yourself!
Aunt Ash gave you a Topzy Tumbler Fun Park and you love to play with the little ball people. They don't make it very far because you take them off when they are within reach.
You are still pretty serious, but we can cajole a smile of two out of you every now and then.
This is a classic Faegan scrunchy face that we see quite often!
Another face.
You weigh about 16 pounds, 9 ounces (50th percentile) and are 25.5 inches long (49th percentile) (75th percentile weight for height). We moved up to size 3 diapers and you are still wearing some 3-6 month sleepers, 6-12 months in babyGap, and some 9 month things. I saved a few new outfits for you and you have just about outgrown them. I have learned my lesson not to save clothes for you! (Don't make fun of me, GA!)
Still have those beautiful blue eyes!
We have noticed your first attempts at attention seeking in the past week. You have this fake cough that you turn on and you think it is hilarious. I put you in your bed for a nap and hear you coughing. When I went to check on you you started cackling and it has been a game ever since. I love that you can crack yourself up!
You are always scrunching your toes. You also rub your feet like your mommy and Gigi.
You babble a little - mostly when you have your hands in your mouth and mostly only mamamama. I know its not really for me, but I enjoy hearing that "ma" sound! You don't have any teeth pushing through yet, but you are constantly chewing on something whether it be a toy, your fingers, my fingers, your clothes - anything and everything is in your mouth!
Happy 6 months, precious angel! We love you so very much!
Love,
Mama and Daddy
we ♥ pbk
Faegan received one of these beauties for Christmas from her grandparents and it has been so much fun to watch her with it. Now this child is a lover of all things fuzzy/soft/cozy and we knew that this chair would not disappoint. This is the Pottery Barn Kids Sherpa Anywhere Chair
and she is in love. She got to play with it for a tiny
bit before we left for Georgia, but it was like a brand new toy she had
never seen when I put her in it when we got home. Words won't do it
justice, but hopefully you can sense her excitement through these
pictures!
