Learning to Eat

Parenting is all about experience of course. Mostly because there are a million ways to go, and you can only know through experience which roads the right one for you. I am amazed at all the thing I know, and am sure of now, that 6 months ago baffled and overwhelmed me. One thing in particular was breastfeeding. I knew that I wanted to do it. I was determined. But I did not know how hard it would be at first, and how easy it has become now. Its a common hurdle for most mothers I think. Now, with the 6 month mark approaching, the time has come where the books are telling me START SOLIDS.
In May, just a couple of weeks ago, I had not come to this point yet, but I could see its arrival. I was anticipating it. Olive had a good chew on, she was interested in eating; watched us, she could sit up. Even at four months, she was saying "bring on the food". Clearly, right? I was very eager, and so was she. So I just jumped in. I bought a book on making my own baby food. Talked to our Doctor. Talked with Morgan a lot. Olive's first bites of real food have mostly come from Nathan's bowls. I've been learning the rules of baby feeding, and now that I've got them down I'm also learning that this is the WRONG path for me and Olive.
The recommendations go like this:
x Breastfeeding is very good for your baby. (So do it)
x At 6 months start solids ('cause we know you are tired of this already)
x Introduce blended foods one at a time at least a week apart. (This way we will not get sued if your baby chokes and/or is allergic to life)
x By 9 months you'll have the allergy watch mostly covered, so you can start feeding baby mixes of different foods together. (Almost there!)
x At a year baby is weaned (Ta da!)

Its a wonderful system, a plan to free you of your child in just one year!
But that's not the kind of mother I am, or want to be. I plan to breastfeed Olive for as long as I think she needs it. I have a system already, and it works fine. I eat healthy foods, make jam-packed nutritious milk, she eats, and we get loads of extra cuddle time to boot! You see, I believe that babies are meant to be with their moms. To learn everything from them. And the biological SYSTEM put in place to make sure that happens is breastfeeding. So that's what I am going to keep on doing, forgetting about these checkpoints. It will all come in time. I think its a bummer that its seems most of the info out there supports the system towards weaning at one year. As if its the only one.
 My way, which I've learned from this experience will go something like this:
x Olive and I breastfeed. She is interested in food, so we include her at all our meals. I prepare grains and veggies now with no salt or oil in the cooking process (healthier for us too), and that way I can keep some aside for tasting. If I'm eating fruit, I mash a little in my mouth, or squish it between my fingers and offer it to her. Now she pretty much tries some of my food every time I eat. At this point though its just trying, she gets enough eats from my booby. So she is learning about it, and that's good. I have also tried giving her WHOLE pieces of fruits or vegetables that she can munch and explore. I don't really think the ultra-blending is so necessary. I just keep my eye on her, and there's no choking involved. I think its only natural that if I am eating healthy like I should be, then I can share those foods with my baby. That's how children have learned to eat for thousands of years. Nothing special to it.

Brussel Sprouts for Supper.

A serious matter.

Quinoa

This morning Olive and I shared her first official non-milk meal. Plain old quinoa. She was very unsure of it, mashing it around her mouth A LOT before swallowing, but she kept craning her neck out for more spoonfuls. In all I think she probably swallowed about a teaspoon of it. The rest came down her chin, and was snatched up by me. I love love love love quinoa.

Nathan, Jacob, Olive, and the park.

My brain slipped last night and I told Morgan I would watch Nate and Jacob even though I had to drive my mum to a Dr. appt. this morning. I also had to go to the food bank, mum and baby yoga, wash diapers, and have Amy over. It turned out more like drive mum to her appt., go to the food bank, get home wash diapers, then have the kids dropped off just as my mum calls me to come and pick her up. She had to take a taxi instead. Apparently I am so helpful it turns right back around to inconvenient. Jake helped me hang up the diapers, and then we all went to the park a block over. Olive strapped to me in my wrap, Nate in a stroller and Jacob on foot. Very very slow foot. A women passing me joked that I still had room for one on my back. Alas it is true, room for one more! After all the adventuring with the kids, when Morgan came to pick them up I was so tired Olive and I just took a nap instead of yogiing. And Amy was riding our wavelength cause I got a text an hour later saying she was too tired to come. So today only turned out half as busy as I thought it would.

 At the food bank I ordered a "Good Food Box". Its part of a community program to buy locally produced fruits and veggies large scale, so they can be distributed at a more affordable price. We'll be getting a medium size box, and I guess I'll see how much produce that entails. It cost me 10$, and is supposed to feed about 2 people for 2 weeks. 

I also made started making myself a hat, and the first version turned out too small, so instead I made myself a hat, and I made Jacob one too. See us sporting them below.