Why I am not surprised? Books on sleeping problems on my night stand are slowly getting buried under the books and magazines about baby’s first foods and nutrition. And… (I hope you are sitting down for this one)… as of yesterday I own a food mill AND a food steamer…. BECAUSE…. I have been making my own baby food. Nobody is eating it, but that’s ok… I already know that “Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time” and my child will never swallow anything I cook.
Because if you do it right your baby should look something like this:
By now I have watched enough videos of other babies eating to know for a fact that feeding doesn’t have to be a parent foodboarding torture that requires everyone to take a shower afterward. Also? It doesn’t take the clown, the magician and the flying monkey to make the baby open her mouth. Some babies do that voluntarily. True story. I have seen it with my own eyes.
I’m just glad she can’t really talk yet, because if she could… our feeding sessions would look a lot like an episode from Hell’s Kitchen. For those who haven’t seen Chef Ramsay in action he is the guy who said: “Swearing is industry language.You’ve got to be boisterous to get results” and then took it to a whole new level… Every time Leila tastes my homemade-steamed-and-pureed-to-perfection carrots she GAGS… and if you really listen you can almost hear her quoting Chef Ramsay:
“Right now, I’d rather eat poodle **** than put that in my mouth!”
Point taken. How about sweet potato with a hint of broccoli?
“It tastes like gnat’s piss.”
I will take that as a ‘no’…. Oh I know! Pumpkin purée!
“Right. Well, I’ll get you more pumpkin, and I’ll ram it right up your ******* ass. Would you like it whole or diced?”
Banana?
***GAG***
Avocado?
“Nice work. Now ****off!”
So I’ve been feeding Chef Ramsay Leila … avocado only for the past two weeks (in addition to her formula, of course). She doesn’t get excited and I still need to “sell” it to her, but this is the only food she will eat more than 2 spoonfuls without starting a full blown food fight.
On the other hand… we haven’t tried McDonald’s yet.
We're starting Jack on solids this weekend. If he's anything like his older cousin, he'll look on us with suspicion as to why we've been withholding such ecstasy from him for so long. Here's hoping, anyway!
Thanks for the encouragement the other day. I know it will pass, but unfortunately knowing and feeling are all too often disconnected.
Good luck with the feeding!
Same issues with mine and she's 12 months. She likes avocados and the broth from my soups and that's about it. I try all sorts of foods and it doesn't seem to matter. Now she tries to trick me into thinking she's eating. She lets me put the food up to her mouth and takes a tiny bit with her lips, but doesn't swallow and looks at me like, "See I'm eating." Ugh!
Okay. Foodboarding? Love it. You're a genius. Also? That photo of Leila on the counter is superb. Seriously. You are the master of cute.
I started the twins on solids. Eden The Elephant hates it and Elijah LOVES it!
I thought it would be the opposite.
Anyway, throw those books and steamers away.
Love her dress! Such a cutie.
I forgot something…
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
oh man. have you tried applesauce or banana? i haven't started solids yet but marcus has tasted these and loved them. he tasted carrots and squash too and gave the biggest stink face ever.
Aren't the facial expressions priceless when you give them something they don't like? I made broccoli puree (the baby food book made it sound like it would be good) for him & he was so disgusted by it & then I tasted it & it was gross! The only thing he'll eat so far that I make are applesauce & peaches. He still eats orange veggies from the jar. I tried YoBaby yogurt the other day & he wasn't really into it. Has Leila tried yogurt? oh, Diego loves cottage cheese =)