Toddler food- My kid eats better than I do

Now that Hunter is solely on "people" food, it's been a fun challenge to come up with ideas for what to serve him for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fortunately for me breakfast, snacks and lunch are provided by his daycare Monday - Friday so during the week I pretty much just have to worry about feeding him dinner and 99% of the time he just eats whatever we are having for dinner.

As for what he gets served at daycare, below is a photo I took of the menu for this week. Seriously, this kid eats better than I do during the day. In case you can't see it very clearly some of his meals include: French Toast, Pancakes, Salisbury Steak w/ gravy (!), Chicken and Rice casserole and Chicken Patty on a bun. I've also seen him have things like baked ziti, shepard's pie (!) and chicken quesadillas. My lunches are not nearly as exciting, not to mention I typically have a bagel EVERYday for breakfast. Boring right?
 

 

On the weekends I try to serve him nutritious meals, even if they aren't quite as exciting as daycare.

 

In the morning he will typically get some kind of fruit- either bananas or a fruit cup (with the juice drained out) and either a waffle or pancake with syrup, eggs or bread with cheese and some Cheerios.  Below is a photo of our breakfast when he stayed home with me on MLK day. I also gave him some bites of my yogurt which he loved.

For lunch I will typically give him some more fruit (kid LOVES fruit) and either chicken noodle or vegetable soup (with the broth drained) and some cheese. I like giving him the drained vegetable soup because it's an easy way to get him a serving of veggies that are cooked and easy to chew.

We also give him some snacks throughout the day which usually include graham crackers, goldfish, puffs or one of the smoothie pouches which he loves.

As I said for dinner he typically eats whatever we do, unless we're having something super unhealthy like McDonalds or something spicy (he's not a fan of spicy food yet).

Hunter is a very good eater and likes most things we give him, though his favorites are definitely fruit, meat and pasta.

SWW

Another week linking up with Shannon for So What Wednesday!

 

So what if:

 

-I couldn't believe it when I got my account statement yesterday from Hunters daycare noting how much money we spent in daycare costs last year (we need this for our taxes). Let's just say it was a 5-digit number and I could have bought a new (used) car for the same amount.

 

-I think the daycare costs are worth every penny (even though I hate spending the money). They take great care of him and now that he's on "people" food he gets breakfast, lunch and multiple snacks provided daily.

 

-There is a part of me that has enjoyed having a broken washing machine the past two weeks and therefore an excuse to not do laundry.

 

-My husband is going "commando" today because he ran out of clean underwear. (P.S. Don't tell him I put that info on the Internet for all the read)

 

-I'm really excited about the new season of Dallas but I always get a little sad now when I hear the theme song. It reminds me of my dad who passed away a year ago this February. I used to always watch the original one with him when I was growing up.

 

-I haven't read a book in months. It's hard enough for me to find time to read my US Weekly each week and usually takes me at least two days to finish.

 

 



13 Months- 1/30/13

I decided that I wanted to continue with monthly posts for Hunter for at least the next year to help document his milestones, otherwise I will forget everything. I'm not real good about updating his baby book in a timely manner.

 

  

Weight/Length- I don't know the official stats but I suspect you are about the same size as before, 26-27 pounds. Now that you are so much more mobile you seem to be slimming down a bit and starting to lose some of that delicious baby chunkiness (this makes me sad).

 

Eating- You officially weaned off of breastmilk at the beginning of this month and are now solely on whole milk or water. You get a small 4oz bottle of milk in the morning, one or two 5 oz bottles at daycare and a 5oz bottle before bed. You also drink water throughout the day and during meals out of your sippy cup. I've tried giving your milk in your sippy cup and you will drink a bit but don't really like it. Your doctor wants you off the bottle by 15 months so we need to practice this more. As for food, you are still eating like a champ, 3 full meals and multiple snacks during the day. You still seem to like everything but I've noticed you are starting to be pickier about what you eat. There will be times where you won't eat something I know that you have enjoyed in the past. But there are somethings you never turn down - fruits, chicken and any kind of dessert/sweets. 
 

Sleep- This past month your sleeping hasn't been great due to having a cold on and off and teething. You are still basically sleeping from 7:30-8pm until 5:30-7am. But you've started waking up once or twice during the night crying, all I need to do is give you your pacifier and tuck you back in and within a couple minutes you fall back asleep. The problem is you have a tendency to do this around 5am and by the time I fall back asleep my alarm is off again at 6am. You still typically take a long 2 hour nap in the morning and sometimes will nap again for another hour in the afternoon but there are many days you will only do one nap.

 

Clothes- Wearing mostly 18 months but still a few 12 month things that fit. Wearing size 5 baby shoes.  

 

 

Diapers- Size 4
 

Appearance- You are really needing another haircut, which will hopefully happen this weekend. Your hair is getting quite long again and when it's long like this it will get curly in the back. Also, the hemangioma (red spot) on top of your head seems to finally be fading (though with all your hair it's hard to see). Your eyes are like mine and seem to change depending on what you're wearing between blue, green and grey.
 

Personality- You are still are happy, sweet little boy, especially when we're out in public. You just love to people watch and always act well around others. You like to save your tantrums for mommy and daddy and boy have you started with the tantrums. Lord help us for the terrible two's! If we try to take something away from you or make you do something you don't want to you immediately do a "stiff body" and scream like you're being tortured. You will even throw yourself on the ground and just have a fit. Daddy and I try not to laugh because to be honest it is a bit funny. You are super curious about everything and have a knack for getting into exactly what you shouldn't be getting into. You also have become a bit of a daredevil which I blame on your father's genes. But you continue to make us laugh daily and watching you learn new tricks everyday is just amazing.  

 

 

Likes-
-WALKING around the house
-Climbing up and down the steps
-Climbing on step stools
-Pressing any and all buttons you can get your hands on
-Your musical puppy toy and your music table and instrument set. You LOVE music.
-Opening and closing doors
-Turning the clock radio and noise machines that sit on the nightstand on and off.
-Eating out at restaurants
-Walking in the woods

Dislikes- same as last month
-Having your clothes and diaper changed
-Being locked out of rooms and babygates in general
-Getting out of the bathtub
-Drinking milk out of a sippy cut
-Being in your highchair if you're not eating

-Having your face or hands cleaned after eating
-Having your runny nose wiped.

Milestones-
-WALKING!!! A few days after your birthday you started walking and within about a week you were practically running around the house.

-Can stand unassisted for long periods of time
-Climbing step stools
-Stopped breastfeeding and are solely on whole milk
-First "real" snow
-Moved from an infant carseat to a bigger convertible carseat.
-Started eating off of a plate and getting practice using a spoon.
-First molar came in (upper left side)
-Cut another tooth on the top right (total teeth count = 9)

 

Here are a few more pictures from the past few days

Official 13 month photo.

I'm no longer doing the stickers on onesie photos

It snowed Friday night and we went outside to check it out for a few minutes (hence the no coat or hat look).

He's climbing now and giving me mini heart attacks.

A little pre-bath peek-a-boo with his towel.

He actually played in his pack n play for a good 30 minutes on Sunday (this NEVER happens). Note the awesome bed hair. Kid needs a haircut.

Thanks to the rare 70 degree January temperatures, Hunter and daddy went to the park after daycare yesterday.

Baby 'downward dog' yoga poses in the kitchen...sans pants.

 



 

Photos from the Week

Last Sunday we met my mom and her friend for lunch and once we finished with lunch we decided to stop by Kristian's grandmothers house for a visit since she hasn't seen Hunter in a while.

He had a bit of "stranger danger" at first and stuck close to daddy. 

But it wasn't long before he had warmed up to his great grandmother and was playing Peek A Boo and walking around her house like he owned the place. 

She absolutely loved seeing Hunter and it was so sweet seeing them together. We need to make a point of taking him over there more often. It's been tough this winter since one of us is always sick and Lord knows we don't want to bring any germs to a 92 year old. 

On Monday Hunters daycare was closed for MLK day and I was able to telework. Despite the very cold weather we did get a quick stroller walk in to get some fresh air and ease a bit of stir craziness on both of our parts. 

I was cleaning out part of our office/storage/disaster room and found some of my baby pictures and it seems that Hunter may be my child after all. Above are photos of each of us at around 11 months old. 

Yesterday morning we woke up and actually had a little bit of snow on the ground. For once the weatherpeople predicted (somewhat) right. Even though we've had some flurries here and there this is the first "real" snow that Hunter has seen. So I let him check it out for a few minutes before taking him to daycare. 

He seemed fascinated at first. 

Even a bit excited. 

But then after falling down and getting his pants a bit wet he wasn't quite so into it anymore. In this pictures he's even saying "mama mama" in a concerned voice. Poor thing. 

We're supposed to get more snow this afternoon so hopefully we'll get a chance to actually play in it a bit. Oh and next Wednesday it should be 60 degrees. Go figure. 

SWW

Linking up with Shannon again for So What Wednesday!

This week I'm saying So What if:

-Kristian had to take our laundry to his parents house the other day because our washing machine decided to break. Fabulous. It's like being in college again.

-I want to get a job as a weatherman (err weatherperson??) It's the only job where you can be wrong All. THE. TIME. and not get fired. We were supposed to get rain and snow last Friday and got neither. I mean really? Don't they have like radar and shit to forecast that stuff. 

-I want to get pregnant again just so I can have my boobs back. Does Victoria Secrets sell bras in the negative digits? 

-This cold weather makes me just want to hibernate and never leave my house. 

-I always wonder how much money the husbands of all the stay at home moms I know make? We have a hard enough time affording everything on two incomes and I see these SAHM living in huge houses that are perfectly decorated, driving nice cars and buying Starbucks everyday. Apparently we're doing something wrong. 

-I finally started working on Hunters first year photobook and I'm already on page 17 and have only made it through his birth and first month of life so far. This book is going to be huge but I want to include as many photos as possible. Also, at this rate I will be lucky to have it finished by his 2nd birthday.

-I love that we have FIOS now instead of Comcast but I hate hate hate having to re-learn all the channels. Such a pain in the ass #firstworldproblems.

Reflection- A Year of Breastfeeding

When Hunter was born I knew I wanted to breastfeed. To at least try. I wasn't opposed to formula, and we did end up supplementing with it, but I really wanted to give breastfeeding a try. As with labor and delivery I tried to keep an open mind. I had read enough to know how difficult BFing can be and that sometimes it just doesn't work out. So I didn't set any specific goals beyond giving it a try and hopefully at the very least, getting him that all important colostrum the first few days.

Fortunately Hunter took to it pretty easily and never had a problem going back and forth between the boob and the bottle or the pacifier and the boob. I got lucky. Was it painful? Oh God yes. The first few weeks were very a painful. Was it time consuming? Most definitely. Was it one of the things I'm most proud of? Absolutely. Looking back I think being able to breastfeed helped keep me from the dreaded post partum depression. After having a pretty traumatic delivery and missing the birth of my child (which still upsets me) I think I was ripe to suffer from a bit of PPD. And though I didn't realize it at the time, looking back now I think if breastfeeding hadn't worked out and if I had missed out on that new mother experience as well it could have easily sent me down the PPD path. I needed that to work and thankfully it did.

After I knew that Hunter had no issues with breastfeeding and I got past those first few painful weeks I set mini goals. The first was to make it through my 6 weeks of maternity leave. That flew by in a blink. Then once I started back to work and got into the routine of pumping there I wanted to make it three months, then six months, then nine and finally after nine months I really really really wanted to hit a year. I knew that my milk was playing such a big part in keeping him healthy and growing strong but even more than that I wasn't ready to give up the bonding aspect. Even though it was exhausting always having to be the one to get up with him first thing in the morning to nurse or all the middle of night feedings from the early days, I loved the snuggles. I loved the way he would look in my eyes and smile up at me afterwards. I didn't want to lose that.

The last time I nursed Hunter was 5:30am this past Sunday morning. I had been slowly weaning him now that he's on whole milk. My supply was crap and I was ready to have my body back to myself completely. For close to two years my body has been used to grow and help nourish a little human being. And though it's been one of my greatest accomplishments I was ready to be done. I sat there in the rocker, knowing it was most likely the last time I would be doing that with him and I was okay. I met and even exceeded all of my goals. I made it to a year plus a couple weeks.

This past week I've felt a mix of relief and sadness over the end of our nursing relationship. I love not having to be tied to my pump multiple times of day. I love not waking up with aching, engorged boobs. I love that I no longer have to stress about my supply and how much I'm producing.

But I do miss the snuggles. Hunter is very active and not much of a cuddler at this point in time. He's constantly wanting to go, go, go. When he nursed he was still. He would snuggle. I do miss that. I also miss the convenience of nursing him back to sleep when he wakes up at 5am and getting at least another hour or more of sleep out of him. The bottle doesn't have that affect. In fact I joke that his morning bottle of milk seems to be mixed with Red Bull. I'm also having a harder time putting him down for naps now that I can't nurse him to sleep. And when he gets upset in the middle of the night that is no longer my go-to comfort strategy. So it's been an adjustment.

The past year of breastfeeding was at times, hard, painful and time consuming, but I'm so glad that I did it. That WE did it.

SWW

It's Wednesday which means I'm linking up with Shannon again for SO What Wednesday!

This week I'm saying So What if?

-I've been on such a cleaning/re-organizing kick lately that Kristian asked me if I was pregnant because I seem to be "nesting". I'm not. This just shows you how often I clean and re-organize if it makes my husband think I must be pregnant.

-With that said I always try to clean and pick up my house before my cleaning lady comes. I get embarrassed when my house is a total disaster for company and that even includes the cleaning lady. 

-I didn't realize that Hunter had cut one of his 1 year molars until the tooth was almost completely in. I figured he was just being fussy to be fussy. Mom fail. 

-Now that I'm done nursing I'm pretty depressed about how much my boobs have shrunk, it's like they are scared turtles that have retreated inside my body. I didn't think it was possible but I swear they are even smaller than before. I told Kristian after we're done having kids I want a boob job.

-Despite being on the itty bitty t*tty committee again I am a bit relieved to be done with breast feeding and finally have my body totally back to myself after close to two years. 

-I'm not decorating for Valentine's Day. I JUST finished putting away Christmas decorations, I'm really not in the mood to decorate for another holiday again until Halloween.