Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

For years we hemmed and hawed about having another baby.  We knew it would be lots of work.  We feared it might negatively impact the dynamics of our family.  We never dreamed it would wreak such havok on my body, but that's another story.  Finally, two Christmases ago, we decided, YES, let's have another baby... someone little and sweet who coos and giggles.  What we got, although wonderful, was not what we were expecting.  Lili is a baby who does not fancy being a baby.  She has something to prove.  She crawled at seven months, stood up a week later, and appears downright annoyed that we expect her to be a "baby" for an entire year.  See the above photo??  This is a rarity.  Unless she is starving and being offered something exceptionally delicious, Lili will NOT take food off of a spoon offered by someone else.  She has also given up her high chair.  After wrestling her into it several times and receiving her telepath...

Per your requests, here are a few tips on making your own baby food purees at home.  It goes without saying that you should consult your pediatrican with any questions about food allergies and such.  Mother's milk  or infant formula is all your baby needs for the first six months, but most doctors say it is fine to begin to introduce solids between four and six months.  Go at your baby's pace.  Some, like my Lili, are not thrilled with the idea of eating from a spoon at first, so take your time, and don't ever force it.  Baby rice is a nice bland place to start, but after a few days of that, you can introduce pureed fruit or vegetables.  I usually start with one of the sweeter root vegetables like carrots, squash or sweet potato.  Wash, peel and chop the veg, then boil or steam until soft.  Add a bit of breast milk or formula; then use a hand blender or food processor to whip up a nice smooth puree.  At first ba...