Operation Baby Food: I'm up for the challenge!

I love spending time in the kitchen cooking up all sorts of new recipes.  Now that Easton can eat solids he gets to partake in eating mommy's culinary creations!   This is extremely dorky but it's so important to me that Easton grows up with a good palate, because I refuse to have a picky eater on my hands.   I'm trying to expose him to fresh healthy foods.   Am I going to let him eat Cheetos and cupcakes when he's old enough?  Of course!  BUT I feel like starting him on fresh food instead of processed will help him appreciate good fruits and veggies.

I thought for weeks about what his first food would be.  Savory or sweet?!  I toyed around with doing sweet potatoes but I heard about kids turning orange from eating too many orange foods (not going there just yet).  Then I thought I know, Avocado!  But my own mom looked at me like I was crazy and what baby would want their first food to be an avocado?  I finally settled on Butternut Squash which was also my husband's "first food" as a baby.

I was so excited I bought these fancy little baby Tupperware containers in bright colors to store the food, and got everything prepped. (I paid way to much for these but when you're an excited new mom buying baby's first food containers- you just toss it in the cart and throw budgeting to the wind).   I lugged out the food processor from it's dusty hideaway above the cookbooks and got to work.

Step 1: Peel and chop.   I opted for the busy mom "food prep" and bought a bag of pre-peeled and cubed squash.  So this step was more like, "Cut open the bag". ;-)

Step 2: Steam.  Again- I took the easier route and used a ziplock microwavable steam bag.

Step 3: Puree.   I put the steamed squash in the processor added a little water and presto!  Baby food.

pureed pears

Step 4: Taste.  Here is where I found out that I didn't steam long enough.  Whoopsie!   Totally gritty mess.

To say the least I had to scoop all of my gritty baby puree back into the steamer bag- resteam and repuree.  (Ok- I actually had to do this about 3 times because I obviously do not understand how long it takes to steam a butternut squash.)

Step 5: Cool and feed to baby.  Easton looked at me like I put a spoonful of doggie doo in his mouth.  I had to laugh.  He eventually came around!   Though the squash wasn't a huge hit he is loving, sweet potatoes (and has not turned orange), apples, pears and bananas.  Next up peas, then peaches.

peas and peaches

apples and sweet potatoes

I learned a great tip (Thank You Sarah Lake!) to ditch the expensive little containers and freeze the food into ice cubes trays.  It's the  perfect portion and you just store them in a ziplock.

sure I would love to eat dinner in my Elmo bathrobe!

 Easton Update: 6 month checkup: 19.5 LBS (must be loving the baby food) and 29.5 inches long.

Ok- you can stop growing up now

Easton will be 6 months old in just a few days.  How did this happen?!  I mean come on did time fly or what?!  He's just doing so much cool stuff these days.  I can see the wheels really beginning to turn all of the time.

He is really improving his coordination.  He looks at something, grabs it and puts it right in his mouth.  Maybe it doesn't sound like much but watching him learn all of the steps and put it together is so cool.  He puts everything in his mouth and loves to grab my hair and either, pull it or put it in his mouth... sigh.  At least he hasn't found my earring.

He LOVES to jump.   His grandma and grandpa bought him a Johny Jumper for their house, so of course we stole it for our house.   He will just jump and jump and jump.  He is also rolling over like a crazy man.  If you put him on the floor he'd roll straight across the room if you'd let him.


He's got the energy for it all because he's now eating some solids.  I am making his baby food (which I find super fun) and he's tried:

-Butternut squash- (Easton gives it 4 of 5 stars)
-Pears (Easton gives it 2 of 5 stars)
-Sweet Potatoes (Easton gives it 4 of 5 stars)
-Bananas (Easton gives it 5 of 5 stars)

 Tonight I found myself at dinner chatting to Easton, asking him about his day and dreaming up all of the fun scenarios that may have happened at daycare.

Easton did you go outside today and take a stroll around the neighborhood?
Easton did you eat pears or sweet potatoes for lunch today?
Ut-oh Easton those aren't the clothes I sent you in this morning.  I bet I can guess what would require an outfit change ;-)

 I finally looked at Adam and said, "Won't it be fun when he talks back ;-)"   Now I'm wondering what does a Easton think about?   Here's my best guesses:

1.  Boy these two are funny- I think they're my mom and dad.
2.  Where did that short dog with the funny smashed face go?
3.  Hello!  Hello!  God, they must have awful hearing, it's 2am -Mom I want you to wake up from your warm bed and come get me- hustle up!
4. Food
5. My teeth hurt :-(
6. More food
7. Yah! It's my grandma & grandpa.  I love all of them!
8. If I could j--u--s----t pick this up and get it into my mouth.  Victory!
9.  Oh that's a good lion's paw (sucking on his little stuffed lion toy)
10. I wish someone would play Justin Beiber again. (see video below of the cutest baby dancing to "Baby-Baby" by the Beibs ;-).