Back to the coalface...

So I've decided to go back to work. *sad face* At this stage just two days a week (Tues & Thurs) but it will be very hard to leave Oliver. He is going into a childcare centre, so hopefully all goes well. They are happy to take cloth nappies, and seem to have a really good approach to kids and free play. Not sure how the food thing is going to go, I have a settling visit with Oliver tomorrow so hopefully we can discuss it then. They have an in house chef and you aren't allowed to bring any food in. I presume to avoid allergy/sharing issues. I don't think they are very knowledgable about baby led intro to solids, and the food they prepare probably isn't with baby led in mind. Apparently they puree the lunch for the smaller kids. I've had a few suggestions as to how to approach it. Let them puree feed him for two days a week, its only two meals (not keen on this one). No food at all, just milk,on childcare days (can't see this one working as he is starting to actually eat now!). Tell them to give him the same as an older kid (he'll be eight months) and don't worry if he doesn't eat anything. I know there is a bunch of baby led stalkers out there.. do you have any suggestions?

And now my time to blog has run out, I'm trying to limit my computer time in an effort to get the other million things I need to do done! Time for Ollie pics

Ollie really loves his daddy, and David gets lots of smiles at dinnertime

this picture really cracks me up. Ollie does this alot at the dinner table. And.. if you look REALLY closely you might be able to see our new bottom teeth! Woo!

lamb kofta ... YUM

my beautiful happy boy

Water Baby

Ollie went for his second swim today! We are thinking about enroling him in water baby swim classes... but it seems quite silly to take a seven month old baby to swimming lessons! Most of my ante-natal coffee group have gone and really enjoyed it (Ollie was too young to join in with their groups). Another friend said babies that do these classes end up like fish in the water. I was a great swimmer as a kid (we did have a swimming pool which definitely helped). Not such a great swimmer now, I tend to react to the chlorinated water in the public pools. I'd like to get back into it though... (got to fit into my togs first!) Perhaps I should sign up for some kind of aqua jogging... good weightloss apparently!

Anyway, on with the photos

Even a chance for a go on the swings at the end!

serious standy-uppy hair

 Once upon a time there was a little girl that had serious standy-uppy hair. Her mum tried everything to keep it down, to stop the people in the street staring. But the hair, it had a mind of its own. Eventually the little girl grew up and the hair grew so long it was too heavy to stand up. Then the girl had a baby (a boy!) and they all hoped that he wouldn't be afflicted with the same curse....

 Is this the start....?

 For reference.. here is the delightful photo from which my hair example is cropped. Once you've stopped admiring my funky outfit, make sure to check out the awesome 70s deck loungers!

Three weeks into blis...

Chickpea patties were on the menu this week. I was starting to think Ollie had an aversion to pattie shaped foods as he was just ignoring them (including chickpea patties last time we had them) but last night he really got into them! It would appear a fair bit was consumed!

We are now three weeks into our baby led introduction to solids journey! I've been amazed nearly every day about how far Ollie has come! He actually eats now! Chews and swallows! Though sometimes his nappies show that he could chew a little more....  but we are definitely seeing evidence of food consumption!

I do still need to occasionally remind myself that it is not about the volume of food consumed, but about the experience! I am so glad that we chose the babyled route (thanks darling cousin for encouraging us in the first place!) and it is most definitely the right way for us. We are opening Ollie up to a range of tastes and textures, and I try hard to avoid passing on my food aversions! (Liver pate. Looks/smells like catfood. Ew! Ollie LOVES it!)

Ollie is so excited to get into his highchair, and waits expectantly for food to appear on his tray! No turned face, or pursed lips when a spoon approaches, just fun every day!

I purchased the baby led weaning recipe book, and so glad I did. They have some great recipes, and a good summary of how to begin baby led weaning and what food is appropriate. It was pretty daunting when we first started, and I stuck to true "finger" foods (in finger shape!). Now, we are a bit more adventurous with steak, patties, and casseroles.

Even the rats are loving our babyled adventure - they get the leftovers! Even our lovely old flat-footed man rats come running to the cage door, when Ollie and I appear with "lunch".


The other upside is I'm definitely thinking more about what David and I eat, because if Ollie can't have it - we probably shouldn't either! Let's hope we become healthier family because of it! (especially after David's recent scare.. more on that later!) I am also loving the sitting down to eat dinner as a family. I'm sure it is good for David and I - I actually get a chance to ask "How was your day, dear?". Eating earlier is proving to be a bonus too.

I've definitely appreciated the resources and support from the university study, really good guidelines to get me going. For example, include an "easy" food, an iron-rich food, and an energy-rich food with every meal.

For those wanting to know more, I keep a record of each days food and a few comments (depending on how my day is going) at a separate blog - here.  I've had quite a few messages from people who are interested to find out more, and those hoping to do a babyled approach with their own kids.It isn't for everyone, but definitely worth a look!

Kimono Baby

 Doesn't Ollie make a cute kimono baby? He isn't very Japanese though - having David and I as parents! Ollie was given the kimono by a friend after she went to Japan last year.

a day in the life of ollie...

Morning nap....

 Wake up! 

Foodtime, yay!

Chilling in the shade while mum hangs out her fourth load of washing!

we have a meat-a-saurus in our midst

We're still moseying along with our baby led solids journey. It has been going fantastically. We are having a ball! Who said kids shouldn't play with their food?! We're learning about food and textures, and not worrying about swallowing. It is amazing how far he has come already! I gave him a banana a few days ago and he struggled to hold on to it, finding it too soft and slippery. Today I gave him a peeled banana half and he easily picked it up and put it in his mouth! He is learning how much pressure to apply to foods, and while he still loves to smoosh things, he is bringing everything to his mouth like a pro. Same applies to pear - too slippery a few days ago, straight into his mouth today.

I've been reading the original "Baby Led Weaning" book by Gill Rapley which the NZ study was founded on. Gill's approach is quite different, and focuses on including baby in all meals and let them choose what they want to eat, meaning all meals need to be baby friendly. So with that in mind, we've altered Ollie's bedtime routine (and our dinner time!) to include him.

Dinner last night was our usual staple of stir fry, it was Ollie's first go at meat (thin strips of beef). He absolutely loved it! It barely came out of his mouth - in fact it hung there while he picked up his veges! Our cheeky little boy is indeed a carnivore (at the least an omnivore).

I'm also trying to interact with him less while he eats, and let him at his food. This unfortunately means less photos. Tonight we had steak and steamed veges and I would have LOVED to get a video of Ollie attacking (!) his steak! He really got into it, chewing it and sucking all the juices out and even ripped it into two.

I have to think a bit harder about what I'm going to have for lunch in order to make it baby friendly, but that can only be a good thing - as it means we'll always be eating fresh healthy food. Hopefully that will help to kick start my (much needed) weight loss.