~ 1 ~
We have two exciting things happening in the next couple of days. We're meeting with Abigail's birthmom for dinner tonight! It will be the first time we've seen her since the hospital. I'm excited and nervous, and imagine she feels the same way. Pray for us!
~ 2 ~
The second exciting things is, of course, our finalization on Monday!!! I've got a picture post ready and scheduled to post! :) BUT my parents may not be able to come after all. I've so been looking forward to their visit and am just sick about them (possibly) not coming. Please pray they'll be able to come!
~ 3 ~
We're almost ready to start baby food. I've been dreading this, as I feel it is another step closer to growing up! BUT...I've had an attitude change. I've lamented many times over the last five months that I have so little control over Abigail's diet. I'm so careful about what J and I eat (at least what I buy and serve), but had zero control of her diet in utero and very little with formula. Suddenly it dawned on me! Starting solids is what I've been waiting for!!! YEA!
~ 4 ~
Before I start #4, let me admit that I know I'm neurotic about some things and over think things at times. I even read a book 
on this already. But...I'm not getting solids. Specifically, I'm not getting the schedule. Let me see if I've got this. My questions are in RED.Week 1- rice cereal once a day, increasing the proportion of cereal to formula.
Week 2- oatmeal in the morning (2nd meal?) and rice cereal in the afternoon?
Week 3- sweet potatoes (for example) in the morning and a cereal in the afternoon (???)
Week 4- avocados (again, for example) in the morning and ??? in the afternoon?
If you're supposed to try a food for 5 days before introducing a new one, and you're only doing two meals a day (right?), then how to do you work the rotation of foods you've already tried?
~ 5 ~
Do you know about Amazon's subscribe and save? You can get diapers AND formula MUCH cheaper than in the store if you join Amazon Moms and use Subscribe and Save!
For a while, I was feeding Abigail E.nfa.mil Gentl.eas.e. But then I realized the NUMBER ONE
ingredient is CORN SYRUP SOLIDS! GROSS!!!!!!!!!!! After some research, I found E.arth's 
Be.st Organic on Amazon even cheaper than the E.nfa.mil!! It was a total win-win! After using it for a few days, her poo (sorry!) started to look more like breast-milk poo! Her little body is processing it better! Isn't that awesome! I was SO excited!All that to say, you can save loads on Amazon! AND as an Amazon Mom you get free two day shipping on everything! SWEET!
~ 6 ~
Instead of buying each other presents this year, we bought a family present for Christmas. We bought a camcorder and recorded her first Christmas and Baptism.
Then we lost it.
I have no idea what happened to it. We assume it happened on our trip home from Christmas. I called every gas station we stopped at to see if maybe it *fell* out of our car. No luck. BUT I called B.est Bu.y and they sent me a gift card for ten percent off another one! Isn't that awesome! We're off to the store this weekend to buy ANOTHER camera. I'm so sick about this.
~ 7 ~
I have tons of good posts rolling around in my head, but when I sit down to right them, my mental energy is completely zapped. Bear with me...I'll get to it again!
17 comments:
Enjoy your dinner and continued prayers for your big day on Monday!
I have never heard of the amazon thing and never heard of organic formula either! I may have to check that out since I end up formula feeding.
We will have to get Abigail and Claire together so Abigail can teach Claire how to eat solids.
Girl, we are Amazon soul sisters! I buy everything there! I'm so addicted. So sorry you lost your video camera - that's terrible!
I am a new blogger, but have followed your journey for some time. Thank you for your inspiration and also a big thank you for the book recommendations that you have made through the blog. I have honestly read a lot of them and have benefited greatly!
I pray that your dinner goes well this evening!
So looking forward to Monday's post.
Your family will be in my prayers, that tonight's dinner goes well; that your parents can make it; and that all goes smoothly on Monday!
Corn syrup in formula?? Does the corn industry have no shame?
I was so confused about starting solids as well. Our pediatrician said that there was really no set way you needed to do anything, but it didn't hurt to get a book and follow it if that was helpful.
This is how Ru's intro to solids went.
Week one: Rice Cereal - REJECTED.
Week two: Wheat Cereal in case she didn't like the taste of the rice - REJECTED.
Week three - Maybe she will spring for grandma's homemade applesauce - HECK NO!
Week four - Mommy is frustrated with trying things and being rejected every day so at my sister-in-law's suggestion we went on a break.
Week six - Here Ru, try mommy's black beans - HUGE HIT.
Sooo, we started having black beans two and three times a day followed by whole peas (individually smooshed for safety), tiny cut up green beans, bits of sweet potato. Anything she could pick up herself. Oh, and cheerios. A staple.
Yup, that's what happened with us. It was odd, but effective. :)
God bless!
Liz
Feeding solids is so much fun! We started at 4 months. My pedi suggested to start with veggies and fruits rather than grains. Veggies and fruits are easier on the tummy then grains. So we did a 3 day rotation and then incorporated a new veggie. Then when he liked 3 veggies we could move on to fruits. After a few fruits, I would go back and forth with veggies and fruits. He didn't get grains until after 6months and meats/diary until 9 months. I really liked how we did this schedule.
Babies do not get tried of a certain food in the beginning. That is the only taste they know. We as adults who have tested everything, want a variety. Babies don't need that. It will go okay. Plus in no time at all, she'll be having "meals" with several different foods.
I'm so looking forward to the photo post!!!! Congrats! Enjoy your dinner.
What an eventful week coming up! I can't wait for the pics. Also, in regards to feeding... okay, I have no idea lol. It seems like from watching my nieces and nephews, there's no one way to introduce solids, just a lot of experimenting. At some point, the kids seem to just start wanting to try everything they see on the table because they want to be like Mommy and Daddy. They imitate your chewing, grab at your fork, and down the strangest things like three bean salad, pickled beets, and crud off the floor. :)
The only thing I can tell you is what we did. With both our girls we started with cereal for about a week, then mixed it with fruit for breakfast and veggies at night. We started with just a little bit and then increased the amount of veggie and fruit slowly (over about 2 weeks) until they were eating just the veggie or fruit by itself. Then it was cereal or oatmeal in the morning and some fruit and veggie for lunch and then again for dinner, with bottles in between.
We never did the only one certain food for a few days then try another.
Anyway- that is what we did, and both girls came out fine and their pediatrician was fine with it!
I didn't go the grains personally. I have heard that babies don't have the enzymes to digest grains so young. We started with veggies, I also am not doing sweet things yet. So far Alana has had no sugar or fruits.
Sweet potatos are a hit, as well as squash. I just started with one veggie and after a few days tried another. She now eats the meat and veggie meals and loves them too, there is nothing this child wont' eat!
Michelle- check it out! Amazon subscribe and save. Not EVERYTHING is cheaper, but diapers and this formula are MUCH cheaper!
Kaitlin- SERIOUSLY. Don't get me started!
Liz- glad I'm not the only one confused! Too funny about R! Beans? Seriously? That's hilarious! Was she, um...extra stinky? :) What age was she when she accepted the musical fruit?
Mrs. B- thanks for the tips! So funny that you and Barbie say that about veggies being more easily digested. I'd RATHER start on veggies, but everything I'm reading says grains are better for that. What gives?
Sarah- you de-lurked yourself! :) Thanks for the insight on your girls! I know, I know...I'm over-thinking this. This is what I do!
Barbie- I know you and I have similar food philosophies, so am glad to hear your thoughts. Did you read anything you recommend? I like your point about withholding sweet stuff. Good point!
I make all of Bella's foods. I would try making your one sweet potato puree and giving that to her first: oncce a day for 5 days straight. Then, I would try avacado puree: once a day for 5 days straight. Then I would try another veggie for five days and then another for 5 days. After she has tried a variety of veggies, you could start feeding 2 times a day (different food each meal). You can even introduce a new food for 5 days while she is eating something she has already had. It gets easier once they get the hang of eating.
Bella just started fruits (bananas, blueberries, apples and peaches) between 7-8 months. She started whole milk plain yogurt and hard boiled egg yolks at 8 months. There isn't anything she won't eat! She is a chunker!!
So, so sorry your parents may not be able to make it! I will pray that the plans change. And I want to hear all about tonight!!
I have been keeping an eye out for your camera, and still nothing. So sorry! I hate that for you! Who knows... it may show up in some crazy place months from now!
Concerning baby food... I didn't have a set regimen I did with each of my kids, as they all responded a bit differently. Wade wouldn't even touch the stuff... he just wanted the real deal! But I did always start with rice cereal, then oatmeal or barley, and then added in a fruit or veggie, trying each for a few days. I would recommend waiting on the sweet stuff, though... seems mine weren't as crazy about the veggies once they tasted some fruity goodness!! But it really doesn't have to be as hard and exact as the books make it sound. Have fun with it and enjoy this time when they don't know they can be picky eaters!! :)
Love you!!
No real advice on foods other than to trust your gut feeling. You'll know what's right for Abigail and when to move on to another food.
Praying your dinner goes well tonight. (And I'll bet you're right....I'll bet Abigail's birthmom is just as nervous as you are.) Open adoptions are such a blessing (in my opinion).
I was lurking? :)
Hope your dinner went well tonight!
Can not wait to hear the good news on Monday!
Hope you had a great dinner! Can't wait to hear how it went!
Praying your parents will be able to make it!
Can't wait for Monday!
And I wish I could remember how we introduced solids with Iz...I think it started with rice cereal, but as to how we introduced other flavors I totally can't remember- it's been 5 years ;) However, I can say that introducing solids is what started our DD on a downward spiral as far as gaining weight is concerned. She has been tested for everything and still no real answers, but she dropped off the growth chart about the time solids were introduced...before that she was doing well on simply breastmilk.
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