Baby Food

Slowly but surely, Brent and I are introducing “real food” to Lexi’s diet.  I think we’re both kind of terrified of the idea of choking, so much so that we would probably be comfortable feeding her purees until she starts kindergarten.  However Lexi’s desire to eat anything that mom and dad eat is making that option impossible.

Our meals don’t actually overlap all that often – a lot of times I will eat breakfast when she’s down for nap #1, and since the Bear is usually in bed by 6:30pm we wait till then to have dinner.  Lunch is a different story.  Sometimes I can distract Lexi with a snack while I inhale a turkey sandwich, and more often than not Brent and I will order a side of guac to feed her when we eat out on the weekends.  Can I also say I the amount of guacamole I’ve eaten in the last six months is probably more than I’ve eaten in the previous 29 years of my life combined?  Luckily, it’s delicious.  Anyway, on Friday I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich and would pull off quarter-sized bites to hand to Lexi, who basically inhaled them.  We will also sometimes grab an orange from the fruit tree in the backyard and peel, then eat it, and now Lexi thinks she can just pick one up and take a bite.

For breakfasts and snacks I’ve been cutting up banana for Lexi to eat, which she LOVES.  And it’s really true when people say that having a toddler is the ultimate diet – I never eat a full meal with Lexi because she always wants some, I don’t eat as much junk around her because it’s not something I want to feed her, and of course there is all the calorie burning toddler-chasing.

The big change is the transition from Puffs to Cheerios.  I was happy to make this move as Cheerios are WAY cheaper than Puffs, plus I already snack on Cheerios so now I can just pour a cup for each of us.  So simple!  I wish all of the food changes were as easy.  I read that kids Lexi’s age should be getting about 1000 calories a day, and while she can eat some “real” food, I can’t make her a sandwich just yet, so we’re kind of towing the line between pureed peas and whole brocolli.  I mean, she only has two teeth so far, so how much can she really chew?  Luckily we’ve got her 15-month appointment next week, so we’ll have the pediatrician weigh in.

Do you see the Cheerio?

So that’s how we do food with a 15-month-old in this house!  I’m sure some of her friends of the same age are already eating off the kid’s menu…just don’t tell Lexi, I don’t think she realizes how many teeth they all have