Making your baby's food with the Beaba, Baby Cook

Sophia is 9 months this Saturday. Her appetite has expanded and Mommy is now ready to expand her menu for little Sophia. Lately she has been snacking on Ritz crackers and Cheerios, but her meals are still fruit and or vegetables mixed with cereal.
According to the cookbook that I bought at William Sonoma when I purchased the Beaba, Baby Cook, now would be a good time to add new textures like rice cakes, new fruits like grapes, dairy in the form of yogurt, and meat. At 8 months I started her on the Stony Field O'Soy yogurt. She loved it and there were no signs of allergies. I did cut back on it recently due to her first serious cold. Right now the book says it's OK to introduce beef, chicken, egg yolks, pork, veal.

Product Review: Amazing Animals™ Spinnin’ Around Musical Zoo

This toy was given to Sophia by Santa Clause for Christmas when she was 7 months old. The music is great and very clear. There are many different songs, and you can adjust the volume. There are two ways for your baby to activate the music. They can bang on the large red button or roll an animal down the ramp. If they don't want music, they can press on another large button to hear all the different sounds the animals make. Three of the animals are on wheels, so they can roll around the zoo and down the ramp easily. They also make great high chair toys. The penguin is not on wheels, Sophia does love watching him spin on the ice.
I would definitely recommend this toy for any baby from the ages of 6-18 months. Sophia loves to place them on the track, take them off and listen to the music. An older child would probably enjoy "playing zoo" with the animals while singing along with some of the songs. It is well built and durable. None of the toys pose a choking hazard, and the whole item is easily transportable. Thumbs up from this mom.

Fisher-Price Little Superstar: Sing-Along Stage: Product Review

Sophia's aunt bought the Fisher-Price Little Superstar: Sing-Along Stage for her for Christmas. She loves it. When I found out how expensive it was, I was surprised. $49! Besides the price, I would reccommend this toy for a child 6-12 months old. There are two settings. One setting plays fun and popular children's sing-along songs. The other setting has a nifty jazz setting. You can adjust the volume and it goes to "sleep" when it's not engaged. Sophia loves the music, the flashing lights and the buttons. She bangs away at it and loves to watch the little pictures pop up in front of the mirror. This product is a great bet for the special peanut in your life.

More ideas for homemade baby food

For a 6 -9 month old, making food becomes a little more exciting. Almost any fruit can be cooked with the Beaba, Baby Cook or the equipment of your choice. Some fruits that are extremely tasty and sweet and safe for baby are:
apricots
blueberries (strain these after pureeing)
mangoes
apples
pears
bananas
strawberries
guava
Vegetables aren't as sweet, so they may be a harder sell on their own, but they do mix very well with cereals. Squash, carrots and sweet potatoes are usually an all time favorite. Just remember to wash and rinse EVERYTHING. People think a quick rinse is OK if they are peeling the food. If pesticide is one the skin, it can then be spread to the food with you knife or peeler. Take extra precaution. And of course, if possible, use organic fruits and vegetables.

Lastly, don't be afraid to mix and match. Here are some good combos that even I like to taste. They are MUCH better than jarred fruit:
Any berry combo
Berries and bananas
Apricots, squash and cereal
Pears and apples (with or without cereal)
Strawberry and Apple

Be creative. Your child deserves the best and the tastiest!

Traveling with an Infant

If you plan on traveling with a 4-24 month old read on...

This past Thanksgiving my husband and I traveled to Puerto Rico with our 6 month old daughter. I planned and packed very carefully, and my preparation really helped the trip to run smoothly. Below is a list of steps and items that helped our first trip to go successfully.

One month before leaving:
1. I went shopping for all the essentials. Diapers, powder travel packets of formula, wipes, baby food, disposable bibs, sunscreen, Tylenol, bottle sponge.
2. I ordered "island" essentials such as a pool floatie, sun glasses, sun hat, bathing suits, umbrella stroller, high chair cover, and a pack n' play.
3. I found the ideal portable "bed" for her to sleep in while in the hotel crib. I didn't want her in that crib without protection. I am not found of hotel sheets as it is.

10 days before leaving:
1. I shipped the pack n' play to the hotel. I had the USPS charge me for return shipping and pre-print a return label.
2. I also packed the basics in 2 boxes and shipped those to the hotel also. It is important to call the hotel and prepare them for the boxes' arrivals, so they will sign and hold the items. In those boxes I included all the formula, wipes, diapers, bibs, high chair cover, floatie, sponge, Tylenol, and food.

The morning of:
I packed in my carry on: diapers, cloth bibs, bottle warmer, sleep positioner, all the bottles I needed, liquid formula for the car ride to the airport, the plane ride and taxi to hotel. It is OK to have liquid formula. I didn't use powder because it is to be mixed with bottled water and you can't get it through, so I would have trouble timing, buying and mixing the water to get through the checkpoint.

With all of this in place, I was able to make Sophia to feel "at home" on the island.

Let's Get Caught Up!

In the next few posts, we will be discussing how our first trip to Puerto Rico went, new foods on Sophia's menu, and our first Christmas. Following those posts, I will have very helpful and informative posts about products for 6-12 month old children. Lastly, I'll start discussing adoption abroad. Stay tuned and enjoy!

Thanksgiving in the Islands...
Let me tell you....my daughter is an angel. We went to the Ritz-Carlton for 5 nights and that is a long time for a 6 month old. Sophia acted as if she wasn't in a new and strange atmosphere. She slept perfectly, loved the music, pool, ocean, and fancy restaurants. But I must say, I worked hard before departure to be sure things could go smoothly. In the next post, I will list the items and plans that I used to get ready for a long trip with an infant. If you are traveling soon, the next post will be very helpful.

Product Review: Beaba, Baby Cook

Beaba, Baby Cook. This is how I make all of Sophia's food. I love it! First of all, I have peace of mind that it prepares properly because it was created for this one specific reason. Secondly, it is light and compact. I keep it in the box and pull it out once or twice a week. I make the food in bulk, so I don't need to use it every day. Also, it cooks, purees, defrosts and reheats. Most people recommend a food processor or the magic bullet, but those products only puree. Who has time for the extra steps. It is available at William-Sonoma with a beautiful cook book for $149. I highly recommend buying this product. The holidays are coming. You may want to purchase it for someone special who has a little angel of their own.