Homemade Baby Food

I have officially become one of "those" moms.  You know the ones...the ones who don't want to do what all the other moms have been doing for decades.  My first "rebellion" was to reject disposable diapers and go with cloth (which I LOVE).  Now, I'm going even further by making Ginny's baby food.

When I first envisioned having a baby, I thought I would be like most and buy Gerber's at the grocery store.  My mom did that as well as my sister.  It was my sister-in-law who brought up making baby food for Ginny.  This surprised me mainly because she hates to cook.  She went on and on about how easy it was and let me borrow a book on homemade baby food.

After much thought, I decided to go for it.  I looked at the book and online.  I even entertained another, more radical option, baby-led weaning (radical for me), but decided to go this route to start.  Now I have the book I borrowed plus 2 more and a bookmark to a website with info.  From the research I have done, I have come to the conclusion that making Ginny's baby food will save us a lot of money (I love saving), plus it is healthier for her.  She will be eating fresh fruits and veggies to start.  Later I will add meats.  I will be get the chance to be creative as well once we start to do combinations.

Two weeks ago, I started making Ginny's food.  I try to buy organic where I can.  I can steam, boil, or roast most of the veggies and fruits.  Then I simply put them in the food processor and, presto, I'm done.  After the food is pureed, then I put them in ice cube trays to freeze. It doesn't take that long to do either.  The only thing slowing me down are ice cube trays.  I only have 2, and I bought those.  I think I need to buy some more so I can be more efficient.

Some of the food I've already made for Ginny: Zucchini, Carrots, Green beans, Apples, and Butternut Squash.

Ginny starts solids in a week.  We will start with rice cereal then start adding the veggies (first) then fruits.  I have already made zucchini, carrots, green beans, apples, and butternut squash.  Today I worked on pears and yellow squash.  Tomorrow I hope to make peas and broccoli.  I will also give her foods I personally hate.  Hopefully, by giving her homemade baby food with a lot of variety, she will be a lot less picky about foods than I am.  ::fingers crossed::

My Mom

This morning I was thinking about the relationship I've had with my mom and how it has progressed over time.

I was raised by a wonderful, loving mother!  She would sacrifice anything for my sister and I, if needed, because she always put our needs (not wants, mind you) first.  When I was little, I remember thinking she was likely the best mom ever in the world.  Like many little girls out there, I wanted to grow up to be just like her.  Until I was 10, she was a stay at home mom.  She took care of my sister and I plus Dad.  However, I never felt, as a kid, that she gave up herself for us either.  She had clear views and goals in life--even going back to school to get a degree starting when I was in 3rd grade.

I grew up as a kid in the 70s.  There was a lot more sexism when I was a child than many little girls face now (or, at least, it was different).  TV portrayed the jobs for women as being nurses and stewardesses (now called flight attendants), not doctors and pilots.  I would tell Mom that when I grew up I wanted to be a stewardess and she would ask me, "Why not a pilot?"  She wanted me to strive for what I could be, not be limited by the roles currently being occupied by women.

One thing I always knew, at the time, was that my mom loved me and wanted the best for me.  As a little girl, I would get mad at her sometimes and pout, like most children, but forgave her quickly.  I wanted to be like her (or Dad to be honest--he was my hero).  She worried about me and my sister, but nothing that seemed unreasonable at the time.  Heck, when my family was stationed in Germany the 2nd time, my Girl Scout troop went to Berlin (for those youngsters out there---this was before the "Wall" came down--when there was a East/West Germany & East/West Berlin).  I don't remember Mom being worried one bit.  She didn't come but trusted in the chaperones.  Now, I'm quite sure she worried.

Things changed around the age 10 or 11, though, and extended into the teen years.  I fought with my mom a lot.  I rebelled against her (and Dad to a lesser degree).  We could never agree on school clothes and it was always a battle.   I thought she was annoying, butted into my business too much, and worried about me too much.  My thought was that I was capable, and she should trust in me.  It didn't help that I was extremely moody and going through stuff that she didn't understand.  She thought it was just hormones rearing their ugly head.  Later, in my 20s, we came to realize it was a clinical depression.

As I got into my later teens, Mom and I started to communicate better and she became a bit of a friend.  That type of relationship continued on even until I was in my 30s.  At some point, my mom became one of my best friends.  I knew I could trust her with anything.  I loved her (and still do) bunches!  I still thought she worried way too much.  She'd make a comment about something I was going to do while on the phone--you know, along the lines of "be careful"--and I would roll my eyes.  My thought was that I'm a capable adult and know what I'm doing.

Now that I'm about to be a mom, myself, I find myself appreciating my mom in ways I never have before.  I always knew it was a mom's job to worry about her children, but never quite "got it" until now.  I didn't understand that the worry starts before your baby is even born.  I worry constantly about Baby G.  If the baby isn't moving in the same way one day to the next, I start to worry.  Even if the baby is moving, I worry that something bad could happen or that the baby won't be born healthy.  I love Baby G with my whole heart and realize that worrying isn't part of my new job.  No, it is part of my connection to this baby.  I finally understand why my mom worries so much, even now.  It must have "killed" my mom the first time she let me go with a babysitter or overnight with friends or family.  I can't imagine being separated from my baby.  Right now, I can protect my baby to the best of my ability inside of me.  Once the baby is born, I will do everything I can to protect my baby by keeping my eyes and ears on Baby G.

My mom is an amazing mom to this day whom I love very much.  She has taught me a lot about being a mom from her example and things she has "taught" me growing up--little lessons she would pass on.  I hope I can be as good a mom to my baby.