Whats in my Car Bag - 9 months

I decided that I needed to start carrying some emergency supplies in my car for the baby on the off chance I am the one who needs to pick her up from daycare (since I normally dont), or I forget my diaper bag.  I decided to pack some minimal essentials in the back of my car.  Do you have a car bag?

Cosmetics - What am I Wearing Today

Tarte Rainforest After Dark bronzer and highlighter, Dr. Jart Black Label BB cream,  Estee Lauder Double Matte powder,  Laura Mercier Secret concealer,   eyeshadow trio (not shown)- Mo Rockin Bests, Sephora's primer,  Smashbox undereye primer,  MUFE Aqua Eyes - black, Becca blush - Sweet Pea, Marc Jacobs lip liner - Primrose, Clinique lipstick- Tenderheart, Smashbox Be Legendary Lip Lacquer- Coral, Nars Eyeshadow primer,  Urban Decay setting spray. 

Recipes Using the Beaba Babycook #3

Roasted Carrot & Parsnip w/ Onion, Garlic, and Thyme

Peel 3 small carrots and peel and core 2 parsnips (ends up a 1:1 ratio).  Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of garlic powder and a pinch of  ground thyme.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Peel and bake an onion with a tablespoon of butter on 375 degrees for 45 minutes - covered.

Add roasted carrots and parsnips and 1 layer of onion to the Babycook steamer.  Steam on level 3.

Puree with water for consistency.

Note: This is an advanced flavor palate for baby.  Test baby food in individual flavors for allergies before trying this recipe.  Based on what I read, onion has a very low chance of allergies, so it is safe to test blended with another ingredient that is safe.

Output: 16 ounces
Homemade cost: 11 cents per ounce

Plums (Red Plums)

Core and chop 3 large plums.  Steam on level 2.  Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice as needed for consistency.

Output: 10 ounces
Homemade Cost: 7 cents per ounce

Cherry Banana

Pit a cup of cherries and peel a banana.  Steam on level 2. Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice and water as needed for consistency (I used 3:1 ratio).

Output: 8 ounces ( I did mix this a little thick for my baby, so I probably could have gotten another 2 ounces)
Homemade Cost: 19 cents per ounce

Cherry Apple (Gala apples)

Pit a cup of cherries.  Peel, core, and cube 1 large apple.  Steam on level 2.  Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice and water as needed ( I used 1:3 ratio).

Output: 14 ounces
Homemade Cost: 17 cents per ounce

Blueberry Apple Banana with Vanilla (Granny Smith Apple)

Peel 1 medium apple and 1 banana.  Add peeled fruit and 4 oz (2/3 pkg) of blueberries to steam basket.  Steam on level two.  Reserve steam liquid.  Puree fruit.  Thin with water and reserve juice ( I used 1:1).  Add 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Output: 15 ounces
Homemade Cost: 13 cents per ounce

Baby Fruit Cocktail Juice

Juice left over from steaming fruits from previous recipes. My juice is a result of the liquid from my Plums, Cherry Banana, Cherry Apple, and Blueberry Banana Apple.  Mix with water (we use distilled) at a ratio of 25% juice to 75% water.  Freeze.  Cubes of frozen juice can be used for teething in a mesh feeder or defrosted and used to help a constipated baby.

Note: Babies should not be given juice as a beverage until they are drinking out of a regular cup and juice is not needed nutritionally.  Do NOT give baby juice created from raw fruit.

Output: 1 Quart Juice "concentrate" = 1 Gallon baby juice
Homemade Cost: Free - made from after product of steaming fruit for baby food (the average cost of                               the purees used to make the liquid in my version of juice comes to 14 cents per oz)

Whats in my Diaper Bag - 9 months

I have used the JuJuBe BFF since my baby was born and I still love it!  What I packed hasnt changed much since Genevieve was born, mainly because I tend to over-pack.  My favorite feature of this bag is that it opens in the front instead of the top which means no digging to find things!

Recipes Using the Beaba Babycook #2

More recipes using my Babycook...

*Steam ingrediants in steam basket, remove steam liquid (unless reusing), and then add contents of steam basket to the cooking container for pureeing.

Beets

Peel 2 beets and steam on level 2.  Puree with water. (beware!  Wear gloves or you will have red hands!)

Output: 16 ounces
Homemade Cost: 19 cents per ounce

Green Beans

Use about 1/2 lb of green beans (fill basket). Snap off ends and break into pieces.  Steam on level 2 and puree with water. (Green beans are one of the most difficult to get smooth)

Output: 14 ounces
Homemade Cost: (assuming 1/2 a pound) 8 cents per ounce

Blueberries and Bananas

Use 6 ounces of blueberries and 2 bananas.  Steam on level 2.  After steaming, set liquid aside to reuse.  Read liquid periodically through the puree process until appropriate consistency is acquired.  Add additional water if needed.  The consistency of this ends up being like thin pudding.  ( I plan to use this recipe for popsicles this summer).

Output: 16 ounces
Homemade Cost: 12 cents per ounce

Kale and Bananas (Red kale)

Use approx. 1/3 of a bunch of kale (fill basket firmly) and 1 banana.  Remove leafy portion from stems and tear into small pieces.  Steam on level 2 and puree with water.

Output: 12 ounces
Homemade Cost: 7 cents per ounce.

Genevieve's Eighth Month - Babybook Snapshots

This month Genevieve got her first top tooth - the top right one.  It sure did give her fits, especially considering that the first two came in before we even noticed!

This month our poor baby has had her fair share of sickness.  The month started out with a stomach bug that cause her to run fever, vomit, and get diaper rash.  It also made her fussy.  The end of the month saw her with a sinus infection or upper respiratory infection (doctor never clarified) and swollen eyes which the doctor said was caused by the infection spreading to her eyes.  The stomach bug was treated with pedialyte and the infection was treated with antibiotics and eye drops.

This month Genevieve attended her first wedding: The wedding of Michael and Amanda Busick.  The wedding took place in Pocahontas, AR.  I dressed Genevieve in an adorable silver swing dress from The Gap so she would match her dad's suit.  I absolutely love the picture I have of Michael (my husband / her dad - not the groom) dancing with her at the reception.

I bough Genevieve her first bouncing ball (6" ball) this month and she thinks that the bouncing ball is so funny as it bounces!

Genevieve is now wearing size 6-9 month clothes, size 3 diapers, and size 2 shoes (although her size 1 sandals fit fine and she has a few pairs of size 2 shoes that are too small).  The last two days she has even kept shoes on all day at daycare!

This month we introduced peas (jarred) and blueberries (homemade blended with banana). prunes (jarred - im not sure how these would come out homemade), and Baby Mum Mums.  I dont really want her eating the Baby Mum Mums though because of the salt and sugar content.

Daycare insisted we start bringing baby food and "snacks' because she was getting upset when the other kids were eating.  I am sure she is only upset because her playmates are in highchairs and she is by herself.  I went ahead and sent the food though.  She does eat a few bites, but no more than she eats at home (2 to 3 bites is normal / 5 bites is a huge deal!).  I hunted and hunted for sugar free and salt free "baby snacks" and only found 2 products: Ella's Kitchen Baby Cookies and Puffits.  There are a few things out there that are sweetened with fruit juice concentrate, but I hope to avoid that as much as possible.  I even tried to make my own puffs and teething biscuits, but I couldnt get them to harden enough.For now though, she isnt interested in the snacks.  She might play with them, but she has no interest in eating them at all.  Heck, we even tried smashed banana one day and she wanted no part of that either.  I really hope that she doesnt end up with sensory issues with food!

No Juice for Baby

Many moms want to introduce juice to their babies and I dont understand why.  First of all, most of the juices I see parents give are not really juice but a juice drink - Kool-aid and Hi-C punch are NOT juice!

I would much prefer my child to get their nutrition from milk/formula or actual fruits.  Maybe when Genevieve is older I will give her juice, but its not a needed for nutrition and its full of sugar.

Reference Articles

The American Society of Pediatrics: "The Use and Misuse of Juice in Pediatrics"

Dr. Sears: "The Truth about Pure Fruit Juices vs Fruit Beverages"

The Guardian: "How Fruit Juice went from Health Food to Junk Food"