Bulk Baby Food Batch #1: Complete!

In the coming month Roscoe can look forward to filling his belly with:

• Organic Carrots
• Organic Peas
• Brown Rice
• Bananas
• Dates
• Sweet Potatoes
• Organic Apple
• Organic Chicken
• Oats

I mashed the fruits and vegetables after steaming when appropriate, and used a food processor to chop the chicken and carrots.

I bought the Beaba Freezer Trays, but I just wasn't patient enough to wait for them!

Instead I lined two baking sheets with wax paper, evenly spaced tablespoon-sized scoops of each food, and put the sheets in the freezer. Tomorrow morning I'll combine two to three scoops in Ziploc bags and store them in larger freezer bags.

Think of combinations like banana/date, sweet potato/rice, and chicken/apple/oat. . .YuM!

UPDATE: Here is the result!



I wasn't sure how easy or difficult it would be to make Roscoe's food from scratch, but after going through the process once, it really could not be easier. While I love to buy baby gear, I learned there is no need for special containers or apparatus. I canceled my Beaba order and saved myself 40 bucks!

There are 7 days until December

Check out this adorable ornament I bought from the Brick Kiln....

Now tell me that doesn't resemble Roscoe!

I've purchased a couple items from the Brick Kiln over the past year. The personalization is what does me in every time. I can't resist it.

The Brick Kiln store is closed temporarily but will open again in February so keep them in mind if you want some seriously sweet (and sentimental) gifts in the new year.

Only three things in life are certain: death, taxes...

I've been summoned for Jury Duty.

Virginia law states that breastfeeding mothers are exempt from their obligation to serve. Yippee! Add that to the list of benefits (if you live in Va or one of the 11 other states with a similar law).

I do have to make a written request within 5 days, but that's a small inconvenience compared to driving, parking, waiting, and possibly being picked as a juror. Not to mention pumping....

Check out the breastfeeding laws in your state here.

2 ounces of sanity

Last week I received the breastshields I ordered from Hawaii--they arrived 4 days early in a crumpled box tossed on the back stoop. A brief bolt of fear struck through me as I envisioned my shields cracked, or worse. To my relief, they were in perfect condition.

That night after nursing Roscoe to sleep, I hooked myself up to the pump and immediately realized the difference in having a breastsheild that fits: suction.

Just a few minutes into the expression phase and the milk was flowing. The first let-down! Unfortunately, it was the only let-down. My 20 minute pumping session produced one let-down and a little less than an ounce of milk. One single ounce.

I was panicked. How can I workout if I can't leave the baby? I re-channeled my anxiety and committed to pumping once every night with the hope that my body would begin to make more milk in order to cover the "feeding". I've pumped every night since, and slowly but surely, I've been able to produce more milk--last night, 2 ounces which = 1 feeding.

What's even better is that I've been to the gym 5 times since I joined, and on the night that Andy braved it alone, he fed Roscoe a bottle and lulled him back to sleep. I arrived home to a quiet house, a long hot shower, and another pumping session.

It's hard to describe how it feels when everything works. Roscoe seems to be mellowing out and I'm back at the gym. I think I'm getting the hang of being Roscoe's mom, and I'm finally starting to feel like myself again. My life: different but improved.

Here's another note of thanks--I'm grateful for technology that allows me to mother the old fashioned way, and still keep up with the modern day.

Roscoe is Six Months Old!

Just for fun: A Quiz

1. When did you find out you were pregnant?

September 18th, 2008

2. How did you find out you were pregnant?
We had been testing with dollar store tests all week, even though we knew it was really too early. I was getting discouraged, so we went to Wegman's to pick up a pack of EPTs. I tested in the bathroom while Andy checked out, but it was negative. I carried the stick out to the car and all the way home. When Andy stopped to get the mail the car light turned on and I thought I saw a very faint line. When we got home, we held it up to the light in the garage and it was definitely positive.

3. How old were you?
26

4. What was your reaction?
It was unbelievable because it had been only 2 weeks since we started trying and the line was SO faint! We were laughing and crying. It was surreal.

Can you see it?

5. Who did you tell first?
Within five minutes we were knocking on the door of our friends' house who live across from us. We both went in late to work the next morning so we could tell our parent's in person.

PS. They're pregnant now! Due in April :)

Before 6 in the morning :)

6. Did you want to find out the sex?
Yes! We found out at 17 weeks 2 days...BOY! We had our ultrasound in the morning, but didn't find out until our "Sex Reveal" party later that night. Here's where we opened the envelope!

I thought he was going to be a girl :)

Andy was excited!

7. Due date?
May 31, 2009.

8. Did you deliver early or late?
2 weeks early at 38 weeks 2 days. Roscoe was born on May 19th.

9. Did you have morning sickness?
Nothing that a lot of snacking didn't take care of. I felt nauseated every day for the first 11 or 12 weeks, but by 13 weeks my morning sickness had disappeared.

10. What did you crave?
I ate bagels with cream cheese and tomatoes every morning during the first trimester. But I had only one memorable craving: orange juice with extra pulp. It occurred late one night and required Andy to make a run to three different gas stations to find it.

Sans makeup, 11:30 at night...in bed!

11. What irritated you the most?
The uncertainty. I hated spotting in the 7th and 9th weeks. It put me on edge for the rest of the pregnancy. Oh and the lack of support we had for our home birth.

12. How did you pick the name?
We found it in a baby book and instantly liked it, but it just kept growing on us. Then, when I shared our list of possible names with a coworker, he told me that one of his favorite songs is Roscoe by Midlake. We listened to it on repeat for months, and it sealed the deal.

13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy?
Somewhere around 45 pounds.

14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy?
None other than spotting early in the first trimester.

15. Where did you give birth?
At home!

16. How many hours were you in labor?
5 1/2 hours. My water broke at 2:00 pm and contractions started 30 minutes later. Roscoe was born at 7:54 pm.

17. Who attended your labor?
Andy, my midwife, and doula. My sister and mom were downstairs cooking Roscoe's birthday dinner, and they joined us within a few minutes of his birth.

18 . Did you take medicine to ease the pain?
No.

19 . How much did your child weigh?
7lbs 2oz


20 . What did you name him/her?
Roscoe Ellis Hopper

We kept Roscoe's name a secret until he was born, but we had a newborn gown embroidered with his name. Here are a few photos from when my sister and mom found out what we named him:




21 . How old is your first born today?
6 months tomorrow!

22. Who does your child look like?
He has Andy's fair skin and red hair, but his features are a mix of both of us. He has Andy's brow, and feet, but my lips, dimples and eyes. We're not sure about his nose.

23. Did you get mad at your husband during labor? No.

24. What do you miss most about being pregnant? I loved carrying him with me everywhere I went, especially during my commutes slugging into the city and riding the metro. In the beginning in particular, he was like a little secret that I carried around with me.

25. What do you miss most about life before baby?
I miss the control I had over the simple stuff like sleeping, eating, working out, and leaving the house.

Recipe #9: Linguini with Peas and Butter

This recipe was so simple that if we hadn't made the pasta ourselves, I would feel a little silly writing a post about it. The three ingredients are peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and butter.

Mix them together in a warm bowl, and there you have it!

The simplicity of the dish was part of the reason I liked it so much. And we both thought it was surprisingly delicious, even though it did remind us of a meal you might make for a young child on a busy week night.

You really can't go wrong with noodles, cheese, and butter. The peas add great color and balance out the heavier dairy ingredients.

Oh! And these noodles, made from the same batch as our first pasta dish, tasted so much better, which gives me hope for future attempts.