Baby Led Weaning

We started Timmy on solid foods last Friday and he enjoyed eating his potatoes the first time but the sec0nd and third time was a pain. Last night we tried liquifying the potatoes and he liked it but only if he fed himself with the spoon. I was happy that he was eating but thought to myself that he was eating more of the spoon than the food. It looked like he was enjoying the spoon and not the food. This led me to read more about feeding babies solid foods. 

As I was doing my reading I came upon a topic called baby led weaning. It's a new trend in giving babies solid food. It is pioneered by Gill Rapley a Unicef child care expert and according to her giving babies pureed food can lead to health problems such as picky eaters later in life. With baby led weaning you basically can feed your baby big chunks of food given that your child has satisfied some basic requirements. Keep in mind that you should give food that have handles like broccoli, cauliflower or carrot sticks so that the baby can hold it. Food should be boiled, broiled or roasted and cooled before giving to your baby. Size should be the same as you child's fist. More guidelines here. 

At first I was hesitant because I was afraid that the baby might choke. I mean I would just panic if something bad happened. I prayed about it and consulted my husband and  gave it a go this morning. 

Before starting I prayed that God would just let Timmy eat and enjoy his food and more importantly protection against choking. And so it began....I let Timmy sit in his high chair, showed him that I was eating too and put on his tray a (his) fist sized boiled potatoes. At first he just stared at it. Studying it then he tried to pick it up with his hands but it was too mushy. By the way, I chose potatoes because I boiled a lot for him over the weekend to stock. Anyway, I just let him play with the potatoes, touching it and smelling it and after awhile a he put it into his mouth. He spat it out but I encouraged him to go at it and he did. He ate half a potato and he actually enjoyed it. He was smiling and screaming while eating. At one point over protective me took out a portion that was in his mouth thinking it was too much but then I just have to let him go and enjoy. Babies are much smarter than we think.  I pray he'll continue to enjoy this way of eating and exploring his food. 

Priceless!

We came from the pediatrician yesterday and we were very excited when the doctor told us that Timmy can already eat solid foods. Yey for Timmy! For awhile now we let him sit on his high chair with an empty bowl, his rubber spoon and sippy cup of water during meals. Poor little boy because he would stare at mommy and daddy's food. Finally yesterday he was able to eat something with mommy and daddy.

We gave some mashed potatoes and orange juice. He liked it! I especially liked his asim face when first tasted juice and his questioning look while he was eating the potatoes. These moments are priceless and I thank God that my husband were able to witness this milestone. 

Being a stay at home mom

At some point before getting married I knew that when I would have my own kids I wanted to be a stay at home mom. I was influenced by own mom who took it upon herself to quit her job and take care of all 4 kids. I never had a yaya and enjoyed having my mom there all the time. This is the same thing that I want to give my son. I want to able to care of him and watch him grow up.

Some people would probably think that being with your kid(s) 24/7 is just too much. Some will even say your son might turn out to be a mama's boy. I thought about this, looked at my own experience and other people's too and realized that kids will almost always attach themselves to their primary caregiver be it the mom, dad or a yaya. Being attached is not bad up to a certain extent. It can be positively used.  It can be used to help your child develop confidence and trust in you. Your child is certain that the parents are always there to give him unconditional love. 

I am closer to my mom because she took care of me but growing up I always yearned for independence. I know of some grown men that were not mama's boys even if their primary caregiver was their mom. I believe that as the child grows up the parent needs to learn to let go and know that he is there to guide and protect their child. We cannot hang onto our kids and treat them like babies forever. Cliche as it may sound, we have to teach them to spread their wings and fly. I admit that I have fears that I may hold onto my son too long but I always tell my husband to please bop me on the head if that happens. 

Now on the 24/7 part, I admit that I also need a break. A short trip to the grocery or the mall or even just time to do what I love too is important to me. After all we moms must not forget to love ourselves. We must not forget the things that we are passionate about that makes us the person we are. 

I love being a stay at home mom because I can devote my time to my family. I can better take care of my husband and my son. But mind you it does not come without sacrifices and problems.

 I am so blessed to be where I am and to have a great husband and sons. My reference point in everything is the Lord. I always pray that I will be the wife He wants me to be for my husband and the mother He wants me to be for my son. After all, we are not the masters of our lives but God is. 

BPA Bottles are Safe?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration baby bottles that have BPA in them are safe and that parents should not be alarmed by the small amount of BPA that these bottles release.

You can read more about here.

Busy Bee

My husband asked me the other day how come I haven't been blogging lately and it occurred to me that well I'm doing a lot of other things plus my thoughts are all over the place.

I'm super excited with this new venture that Nono and I are starting and we're really praying that this is God's will for us. It's a small thing but it seems that God has been paving the way for it to be a reality.  So that is what's keeping me busy these days.  

There are a lot more things that I want to do but have to put them off a few more months maybe even years to give way to my other priorities. In God's time I know He will bless me with what I've been praying for if that is His will. Thank you Lord!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy father's day to my wonderful husband who is just the best! He's always there for our little boys to make them smile, laugh and giggle heartily. He's our rock and love. We love you!