num nums: making homemade baby food

There are a few reasons I decided to make Delanie's food homemade. Have you ever looked at the back of what's in Gerber's baby food? All kinds of random acids, and even tuna oil in the organic food? Sorry but that doesn't sound to appealing to me. This way I know exactly what is going into her belly. It is healthier and it is much cheaper! Also, when Delanie was 3 months I stopped nursing her. Formula was just working better for her, but then it's almost like I got a little bit sad that we stopped. This is my way of feeling like I am giving her the best thing, like I did with breast milk. So far her favorites are sweet potatoes, peas, squash, and pears. She hates green beans. Absolutely hates them. Legitimately SPITS them back at me. Making your own baby food is SO simple. I found no reason to buy the fancy baby bullet or things like that. I simply use the Cuisinart food processor I already had and I went out to buy a steamer because of things I heard about steaming things in the microwave (I'm sure it's fine I am just a little psycho) I simply steam or bake her fruits and veggies, throw them in the food processor with a little of her formula (or breast milk if that is what you use) or even water. Then spoon the food into containers (1 oz or 2 oz) that I purchased at Babies R Us and freeze. I always take a whole days food out of the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the fridge.

Here is an picture-example of a step by step process of how I make Delanie's pears:

See, it's simple! Then to make more room in your freezer, I pop out each food (once frozen) and place them into Ziploc bags and label. This makes storage much easier...here is an example of Delanie's squash in a Ziploc.

Keep in mind my little love is only 5 months old so I am still doing simple foods. Once she is older I have been told I can give her almost anything that I eat, just put it through the food processor. I will check with my pediatrician of course :)

Healthier & Cheaper, you can't beat that!

teething little lady

Just wanted to take a quick second to share my 2 life savers today..

Hyland's all natural teething tablets, they dissolve underneath your babies tounge and are all natural so I am way more comfortable with them versus tylenol.

& Sophie Giraffe, it looks like a dollar store chew toy but my little lady LOVES it!

Seriously...

Life Savers.

reminiscing

This morning a friend on facebook was talking about how she couldn't wait for her first trimester to be over so she could hopefully feel better...

boy did that take me down memory lane.

I found out I was pregnant June 16, 2011. After all of the shock and overwhelming emotions were out of the way (sort of) and I was coming to terms...I was telling a friend, I'm glad I don't have to be real big when it's so hot out.

She should have told me, yeah but you have to be really sick!

The heat made morning make that all day sickness even worse than it normally would be. I was also working in an Italian restaurant, the smell of things like garlic, shrimp, and fish...yeah those don't work too well for a preggers either.

Here are the things I suggest for "pregnancy survival" 

1. THESE books...

 

This one will answer ANY question you have, ever.  I believe there is a such thing as too much information though. So I would briefly read through what was happening that week of my pregnancy and refer to it when I had any questions, like if the cramping I was feeling was normal.

This book was given to me by a friend at work, it is HILARIOUS. It's very blunt, but I loved it.

2. Lemon candy, peanut butter toast, flinstone vitamins, and slow sips of water.

These won't by any means totally fix the morning sickness, but they are things that took the edge off for me!

Prenatal vitamins made me very ill, so I took 2 flinstone vitamins daily (ok'd by my doctor) and my little one is as healthy as can be :)

3. Boppy Wedge Pregnancy Pillow

I am typically a belly sleeper, and this thing helped me to get used to not being able to do that anymore.

4. Baby Bump Pro iPhone App

Download it & you'll see!

5. Neti-Pot

It's SAFE & it works! I had the worst cold one week before my due date and this helped clear me right up.

6. Maternity BeBand from Target

This was a staple in my wardrobe.

7. LEGGINGS, LEGGINGS, LEGGINGS.

seriously, buy a pair of leggings. more than one pair-actually!

8. Bath & Body Works Stress Relief Eucalyptus Spearmint Lotion

I seriously had an obsession with this stuff. The scent was amazing and helped me to relax and sleep. I went through 4 bottles (keep in mind they're pretty big bottles) during my last trimester! Luckily they had great sales around Christmas time.

9.  Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter

My doctor told me at the end of the day it doesn't matter what you use, stretch marks are genetic. I used this on my belly and don't have any there-but forgot my inner thighs and they made there way there! So yeah, I think it's the lotion ;)

10. PAMPER YOURSELF

whether it's at home or at the spa..a pedi, massage, or facial. it's a complete necessity!

and just remember

nothing you went through that you thought was awful during your pregnancy will matter the second you lay eyes on your little darling.

Reading, Thrifting, & Loving

I ended my last post with a quote from a favorite book at our house-Goodnight Moon!

Reading is something Delanie & I love! She loves the colorful pictures and hearing her mommy's voice! We read every day and every night. Here are some of our favorites.

I am constantly looking for new books for her. We have quite a collection! I love to look at garage sales because you can get classics for a quarter! If you know any that we must add to our collection, let me know!

This statement from my child development and psychology book for school is really why I find it so important to read to Delanie...

"By the time babies reach their first birthday they will have learned all the sounds needed to speak their native language. The more stories you read aloud, the more words your child will be exposed to and the better he or she will be able to talk."

& besides, she loves it :)

Now speaking of garage sales...I love them! I hate paying full price for anything!! But, they aren't as easy to go to since little miss came along.

And that's when I discovered what is now an addiction. An online garage sale in my area. It is through Facebook, people post the things they have, you comment saying you want it, set up a meeting time in a PUBLIC place..and waa-la, new things!!

So far I have managed to snag a new computer desk, dishes, ugg boots, a jenny jump up (a total hit), baby einstein dvd's (not a hit), baby clothes, a kiddie pool, patio chair cushions, a bumbo and swing for grandma's house, and more!

& I've made a little money selling things I no longer wear and use. It's a great site, but can really get addicting! You don't want to miss any great items.

Oh, and since I mentioned ugg boots, I have to share what I found at Once Upon A Child the other day...

yeah, i went there.

that's enough cuteness for one night.

goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere...

Here Goes Nothing...

After hearing about a friend of a friend's blog, I thought to myself...this would be a great thing for me to do. Mostly because I have family that lives far away and so that they could keep up on Delanie, and also because of my friends going back to college in about a month who want to keep up on us...

So here goes nothing.

My name is Katie and I am a 20 year old single mom of one beautiful little girl!

I wasn't joking, she seriously is beautiful, I know all moms think that but just look at that face!

Her name is Delanie Jude and she is my heart, soul, pride, joy, & all of those other sentimental things. She just turned 5 months a couple days ago and I can't believe how fast time has gone by! She rolls all over the place, jibber jabbers, laughs at the silly things I do, sit by herself momentarily..all those milestone things! She is in 9 month clothing because she is a chunk from all the yummy food her mommy makes her :) we will talk about that later.

My life totally changed the day I had this little one. If you are a mommy, you understand what I'm saying! If you aren't, one day you totally will. They become your everything.

More to come soon, it's 11:46pm right now and I have missed out in 2 hours of the whole, "sleep when the baby sleeps" theory because I started this, and don't want to miss anymore.

Well maybe a couple more minutes just to share a few more pictures :) can't help myself.

I may or may not like bows...you decide

Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere...