Being something of a foodie myself, I find that being creative in putting together new meals for Andrew is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of being a mommy. Recently, he's really taken to feeding himself finger foods (sniff sniff!), although he still doesn't mind being spoon-fed. Here's a list of what he's been eating lately:
Slightly mashed, cooked peas (canned, no-salt-added)
Diced sharp cheddar cheese
Soft-cooked ditalini pasta (thanks, awesome tip, Kate-Kate!)
Diced pears, carrots and other fruits/veggies (again, no-salt-added veggies, and fruits in fruit juice, not syrup)
Dry cereal (Annie's Bunny Love, because I had a coupon, but when that box runs out we're switching to Cheerios)
Whole wheat toast
Potato chunks or mashed potato balls
He'll also eat home fries off our plate if we go to the diner for breakfast, and he looks covetously at things like pancakes and omelets...not quite yet, Roo!
Here's what we're going to try soon:
Baked sweet potato "fries"
White fish, flaked small of course -- haddock or cod
Turkey and veggie meatballs -- probably baked, or maybe fried in a tiny bit of olive oil
Asparagus
Butter beans and black beans, slightly mashed
Any other suggestions out there for a 10-month old? I'd like to get as many flavors into him as possible now, before he gets to that "picky" phase. Good lord, I hope he doesn't get picky. I remember refusing to eat certain shapes of pasta when I was little, just because of their texture. And I loathed any type of non-string bean (again, texture). And I hated stuffing. And real butter. Sigh. The good news is that despite all that, I'm decidedly NOT a picky eater now.
Tomorrow I'm sending him to school with cooked pumpkin mixed with a dash of cinnamon :-)
Oh, also -- Roo has started, just in the past day or so, with some aggressive behaviors at daycare. I sternly said "No" when he started hitting me the other day. He doesn't do it in anger -- I think he does it just to see what reaction he'll get from the other party. Anyway, I've told his teachers that my current plan is to continue to sternly say "No" or "We don't hit," consistently, and to put him down or walk away from him if he continues after the warning. The idea is that if he's trying to get attention or a reaction, then he needs to learn that he won't get it by hitting. We're also working on reinforcing, positively, what the word 'gentle' means. The cat will appreciate it, at least...
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
"9 Month" Checkup
As of September 19, Andrew's "9 month" checkup (which was really closer to his 10 month birthday, but O.K.), Roo weighs 22 lbs., 14 oz, and is 29 inches long. He's in the 80th percentile for height and weight, and his head measures in the 50th percentile, as it has all along -- although it didn't feel that way when I was pushing it out of my body 10 months ago...
He's very active these days: crawling, standing, pushing things around while trying to "walk" behind them. When I say "The cow says...", he replies "Mmmmmmmuuummmmm!" Kind of like "moo," right? And today I swear that when I said "The sheep says...", he said "buh." Such a clever little pumpkin!
He's getting very good at feeding himself finger foods: vegetables and fruits cut into chunks, cereal, cubes of cheese, bits of toast -- you name it. He's also mastering the sippy cup and even seems to enjoy drinking water. We're keeping our fingers crossed on that one -- don't want to start down the fruit juice road, for fear of tooth decay, beverage pickiness, empty calories, etc. But we'll see.
I've basically decided to stop pumping. Because I left early from work on Friday (more on that later), I didn't get to pump that day, and I didn't pump all weekend, either, so Roo had two bottles of Enfamil at daycare today and was just fine. Of course we nursed when he woke up this morning and just before he went to bed at night, and we nursed on demand all weekend, and it worked out well.
One of the reasons I've decided to give up pumping, aside from my reduced supply, is that I'm just plain exhausted. Today I called in sick to work, rested in the morning after dropping Roo off at daycare, and then saw my doctor around noon. He had the nurse take some blood after listening to my symptoms -- he didn't see any sort of Lyme rash, but I did remind him that my thyroid had given me trouble in my twenties, so he added a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test to the mix. I'll find out the results later this week, although the Lyme test can take longer. He also asked me if I might be depressed (it's interesting how many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are also the same as those of depression), but we won't go into that right now.
My mom stopped by the house this afternoon and then accompanied me to the bank so I could deposit the loose change I'd accumulated over the last 6 months or so: $123.50! Then we stopped at Wal-Mart so I could look at thermal curtains, a space heater, and other winterizing materials for the house. I also bought a thoroughly crappy appliance safety strap that's supposed to adhere to the appliance (in my case the oven) and keep your baby from pulling it open. It's a piece of junk: Even though the appliance's surface was clean when I applied the strap, the adhesive does NOT stick. I'm taking it back for a refund. Good concept; poorly executed.
By late afternoon, when Mom and I picked up Roo from daycare, I was feeling noticeably more energetic. "Wow," I thought, "this isn't so bad. I can do this." And then I realized that I have to go to work tomorrow, and the next day, and the next... Life is just an overwhelming slog, and there's no end in sight. I feel like I do so many things, and that I'm expected to do them well -- but I can't find the time to breathe or enjoy any of them, because I'm constantly worried about all of the other things I should be doing once I'm done with the thing I'm currently doing. Does that make sense?
Last week I seriously considered putting my house on the market and freeing myself from my mortgage, the taxes, the upkeep and worry of the house, etc. But of course, putting the house on the market would mean making many improvements to it (fixing the upstairs bathroom, replacing the gutters, LOTS of cosmetic work, and on and on and on) -- and who has time to do that? And who knows? IF there is an economic rescue plan that makes it through Congress, maybe I'd be able to restructure my debt, or something.
I'm going to go read a book and go to bed.
He's very active these days: crawling, standing, pushing things around while trying to "walk" behind them. When I say "The cow says...", he replies "Mmmmmmmuuummmmm!" Kind of like "moo," right? And today I swear that when I said "The sheep says...", he said "buh." Such a clever little pumpkin!
He's getting very good at feeding himself finger foods: vegetables and fruits cut into chunks, cereal, cubes of cheese, bits of toast -- you name it. He's also mastering the sippy cup and even seems to enjoy drinking water. We're keeping our fingers crossed on that one -- don't want to start down the fruit juice road, for fear of tooth decay, beverage pickiness, empty calories, etc. But we'll see.
I've basically decided to stop pumping. Because I left early from work on Friday (more on that later), I didn't get to pump that day, and I didn't pump all weekend, either, so Roo had two bottles of Enfamil at daycare today and was just fine. Of course we nursed when he woke up this morning and just before he went to bed at night, and we nursed on demand all weekend, and it worked out well.
One of the reasons I've decided to give up pumping, aside from my reduced supply, is that I'm just plain exhausted. Today I called in sick to work, rested in the morning after dropping Roo off at daycare, and then saw my doctor around noon. He had the nurse take some blood after listening to my symptoms -- he didn't see any sort of Lyme rash, but I did remind him that my thyroid had given me trouble in my twenties, so he added a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone test to the mix. I'll find out the results later this week, although the Lyme test can take longer. He also asked me if I might be depressed (it's interesting how many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism are also the same as those of depression), but we won't go into that right now.
My mom stopped by the house this afternoon and then accompanied me to the bank so I could deposit the loose change I'd accumulated over the last 6 months or so: $123.50! Then we stopped at Wal-Mart so I could look at thermal curtains, a space heater, and other winterizing materials for the house. I also bought a thoroughly crappy appliance safety strap that's supposed to adhere to the appliance (in my case the oven) and keep your baby from pulling it open. It's a piece of junk: Even though the appliance's surface was clean when I applied the strap, the adhesive does NOT stick. I'm taking it back for a refund. Good concept; poorly executed.
By late afternoon, when Mom and I picked up Roo from daycare, I was feeling noticeably more energetic. "Wow," I thought, "this isn't so bad. I can do this." And then I realized that I have to go to work tomorrow, and the next day, and the next... Life is just an overwhelming slog, and there's no end in sight. I feel like I do so many things, and that I'm expected to do them well -- but I can't find the time to breathe or enjoy any of them, because I'm constantly worried about all of the other things I should be doing once I'm done with the thing I'm currently doing. Does that make sense?
Last week I seriously considered putting my house on the market and freeing myself from my mortgage, the taxes, the upkeep and worry of the house, etc. But of course, putting the house on the market would mean making many improvements to it (fixing the upstairs bathroom, replacing the gutters, LOTS of cosmetic work, and on and on and on) -- and who has time to do that? And who knows? IF there is an economic rescue plan that makes it through Congress, maybe I'd be able to restructure my debt, or something.
I'm going to go read a book and go to bed.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Long overdue update
I've been at work since 7:45 a.m. -- so it's time for a coffee break already. It's amazing how much one gets done, and so early, after rising at 5:30. I can't complain, though: For the first time in what seems like weeks, Roo slept through the night without a peep. Maybe the recent spate of teething has eased. He did get one more tooth, on the bottom left, about a week ago.
We've had much more babbling lately -- "Dadada" being a favorite. And I swear he tries to say "Bob" when he sees his doggie :-) It's such a love affair between the two of them. Bob can almost always cheer him up. Bob or my boobs. Works every time.
Yesterday afternoon after work, Roo was cruising along the edge of the coffee table and playing with his copy of "Moo, Baa, La La La," which we had just read. Board books have that nice shiny wax coating on the pages (before it gets chewed/drooled off, that is), and I enjoyed watching him notice, and then actually manipulate, a shiny reflection from the book that was projected on the ceiling/wall of the living room. I love those little moments of epiphany that he has. He's getting more of an attention span, and will actually interact with books, bubbles, and other babies. This morning we had time to read a book after nursing: "Touch and Feel Puppy." I petted the puppy's soft fur, and then Andrew did. This morning when I left daycare his teacher was blowing bubbles, and Roo was actively trying to pop them, and then find out where they "went" when they disappeared. A couple of mornings ago, when I dropped him off, he was chasing one of the little girl babies around the room (and pulling at her skirt -- uh oh...)
Heard a segment on NPR this morning about a mother whose college-aged daughter was killed on 9/11 on the plane that crashed in PA. I simply cannot imagine the unbelievable pain of losing a child. I cherish every day with Andrew, and with all of my loved ones.
I also can't understand the purpose of "false outrage" (Barack Obama's words when responding to the Republicans' outrage at his lipstick-on-a-pig comment). There seems to be a lot of overreaction going on these days. It seems to happen when people know, deep-down, that they don't actually have much of a valid case against those whom they decry. Or that they're just upset in general and need a whipping boy. Frankly, I just don't see the point. How utterly sad and counterproductive.
We've had much more babbling lately -- "Dadada" being a favorite. And I swear he tries to say "Bob" when he sees his doggie :-) It's such a love affair between the two of them. Bob can almost always cheer him up. Bob or my boobs. Works every time.
Yesterday afternoon after work, Roo was cruising along the edge of the coffee table and playing with his copy of "Moo, Baa, La La La," which we had just read. Board books have that nice shiny wax coating on the pages (before it gets chewed/drooled off, that is), and I enjoyed watching him notice, and then actually manipulate, a shiny reflection from the book that was projected on the ceiling/wall of the living room. I love those little moments of epiphany that he has. He's getting more of an attention span, and will actually interact with books, bubbles, and other babies. This morning we had time to read a book after nursing: "Touch and Feel Puppy." I petted the puppy's soft fur, and then Andrew did. This morning when I left daycare his teacher was blowing bubbles, and Roo was actively trying to pop them, and then find out where they "went" when they disappeared. A couple of mornings ago, when I dropped him off, he was chasing one of the little girl babies around the room (and pulling at her skirt -- uh oh...)
Heard a segment on NPR this morning about a mother whose college-aged daughter was killed on 9/11 on the plane that crashed in PA. I simply cannot imagine the unbelievable pain of losing a child. I cherish every day with Andrew, and with all of my loved ones.
I also can't understand the purpose of "false outrage" (Barack Obama's words when responding to the Republicans' outrage at his lipstick-on-a-pig comment). There seems to be a lot of overreaction going on these days. It seems to happen when people know, deep-down, that they don't actually have much of a valid case against those whom they decry. Or that they're just upset in general and need a whipping boy. Frankly, I just don't see the point. How utterly sad and counterproductive.
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