Sweet Potatoes & Peas

Monday Daddy and Baby were home playing while mommy was out running errands. Trace mashed up a banana for Anabelle and she ate some. Then later that evening we opened a "jar" (even though baby food doesn't come in jars anymore, they come in little plastic tubs) and she did so well with it. She actually leaned in and opened her mouth. We have been trying to introduce her to cereal and baby food since she was 4 months. I know most baby books say to start at 6 months but daddy was just too excited to wait. Well baby wasn't very excited about it at all. She hasn't wanted any of it until Monday. We have tried cereal, pears, peaches, and bananas all with no success. And then Monday something changed.



So each day this week I have given her a little cereal or more sweet potatoes to try to keep up on this new trick. I haven't had the raving success Daddy has had but she's been doing pretty well considering the last 6 weeks of uncooperation. So tonight, having surpassed the 3 day rule of only trying one new thing at a time, I thought we would try some peas. So Daddy got her in the high chair and he gave her a big bite and she opened wide like a good girl. Then she made a face and we laughed...then she gagged and we laughed some more... so she's not a fan of peas...

We decided not to push the peas and went back to sweet potatoes and she was a happy little girl eating for her Daddy. he has better luck than I do. Guess she sees me as a milk factory but I sat and watched and cheered as she ate and ate. So excited... Maybe we'll try carrots next...

Yum

I bought myself some fruit roll up things the other day. They are made by Cliff Bars and marketed as organic kids fruit things. I decided to let Anabelle give it a shot. She LOVED it!! It was so funny. Its formed like a twisted rope so it was easy for her to hold and easy for her to get in her mouth and not choke. It took her a minute to realize it was yummy then she had a ball.

She sat happily for a good 10-20 minutes sucking away. It was too thick for her to bite any off and Dad and I were right next to her smiling and watcing the whole time. Trace took it from her once to see what she would do and she instantly frowned and reached for it. She's never done that, especially not for food. We just cracked up. She made a mess and got mushy sticky stuff all over her face, hands, PJ's, me, the blanket, couch, etc. But it was so worth it.

After she was done eating/playing I thought OMG I hope there's nothing in there that she allergic too or isn't safe for babies. But I read the label and it was pretty much Apple puree so I felt ok and she had no negative affects. I haven't given her any more but I probably will. She has been less than interested in any food or anything other than breastfeeding so this was a great way for her to see food can be good.

I got a little video on my cell phone but it's pretty dark. I'll post it any way :)

She sits!!

Anabelle has started sitting and gets better every day. It's still pretty wobbly but we're getting there. It's so hard to say when she actually gets something becuase it's always a process and by the time she's mastered something I realize she's been working on it for a while. So I'm considering this sitting. I know she'll only get better at it as we move forward.

Merry Christmas

We made it through Anabelle's first Christmas! I'm going to miss this time of firsts. I read a line in a baby magazine that tells you what's going on with baby each month and it mentioned that she's almost half way through her first year...I teared up! I can't believe how fast the time is going and how big she is already. I remember when she was born counting out how old she would be at Christmas, 5 months seemed like an eternity away. I couldn't imagine her wearing anything bigger than newborn clothes and now she's starting to wear 6m.



We spent Christmas in Colorado this year at the Ranch. We left NM Wednesday afternoon and came home Sunday. It was rainy and gloomy for the first few days. This is the first year in a long time there wasn't a white Christmas at the Ranch. But the rain finally ceased and the sun came out for Christmas day. It was cold but beautiful.

Before dinner there was some cowboy work to be done so half the group headed out to unload a trailer of hay and seperate calves from the mamas to wean them. I wish I took some pictures but I'm finding its a lot harder to play photographer with a baby in my arms. Not to mention it was too cold to take Anabelle out so we watched from the window.

Truth be told, I'm having a hard time remembering to take any pictures of anything besides Anabelle. I took one token picture of the crowd but it was so blurry I had to delete it.

Trace's mom made a ham and turkey and I made my near famous bacon wrapped smokies (yum!) and we had 16 people for dinner. We had a great time. It was really fun to see everyone and Anabelle got to show off her party dress. Then when the crowds died down we still had 7 of us there for the night and we ended up playing a few rounds of Mexican Train dominoes. Anabelle napped through the 1st half and then decided to join the game. Trace won but we all had fun.

Sunday came and we had some bacon & eggs, cleaned up our party messes, and headed home to Gallup. There's nothing like your own bed. :)

A baby will get you everywhere!!

Just had a funny moment at the grocery store. Anabelle and I were there this morning getting some snacks for our trip to Colorado and some Southern Comfort to go with the eggnog for the non-nursing family members. When we got to the check out the cashier was super nice and talking to Anabelle and so on. When she got to the SoCo she said they don't sell alcohol until after 10:am (it was 9:40). I told her that was a bummer, I had just got done telling her how mornings are so much better for us to shop when it's quiet and Anabelle is awake but that she was ready for a nap, blah blah blah... So she said she would let us buy it this one time since my baby was soooo cute. Aw thanks!! Trace and Uncle Dave say thanks too.

As I was walking out I heard her talking to the next group in line. Two guys, mid-twenties, wanted to buy just a case of beer. Not gonna happen. She put it aside and told them they had to come back at 10.
But that lady just bought alcohol
Yeah but she had other groceries... (then I was too far away to hear them)
They walked by my as I was loading the car.
Sorry Guys, she wouldn't let you buy it, huh...
No, and I'm even active military....

Guess it pays to have a cute baby!!!

Stretch!

One of my favorite things is when Anabelle first wakes up from a nap and I unwrap her from her swaddle and she stretches. She arches her back, arms and feet go up, and she scrunches her nose. Cutest thing ever! I was trying to catch it on video but she was too distracted by my phone to finish her routine. But here she is at 4 1/2 months...

Baby Seat

Here is Anabelle at 3 1/2 months playing in her little chair.