Thursday, April 28, 2016
feeding favorites
From the first days of breastfeeding to picky little preschoolers, the last four years have been a learning game when it comes to feeding essentials. Our two kids have picked up different eating habits throughout each stage and what worked for one didn't necessarily work for the other. We've gone through different types of utensils, snack cups and sippy cups. Some have lasted for years and others didn't last a week!
We're excited to meet the new babe and can't help but wonder if she'll be more like Kensi or Finn or maybe she'll be a total game changer and do things in an entirely different way. But before I share our favorite feeding essentials thus far lets chat about how different Kensi and Finn were from the beginning with just breastfeeding and transitioning into food.
|Kensington|
Had some difficulty latching on
Breastfed from the beginning
No cracking
Consistent eater
Allowed me to pump & build a milk supply
Happily took a bottle
Breastfed until 18 months
Hard to wean
Left me engorged & in pain
Started oatmeal at 4 months and baby food at 5 months
Began baby led eating at 6 months with sweet potato & avocado
Today Kensi is developing her taste buds and has become a little picky with certain foods like onions and mushrooms. If we have something more often she becomes burnt out and declares she no longer likes that particular food. She doesn't eat much, but will eat what she's given if it means she can have dessert.
|Finnley|
Latched on immediately and ate for 40 minutes
No cracking
Not a consistent eater
Hated the bottle
Didn't allow me to pump, not a good milk supply
Biter
Breastfed until 14 months
Weaned easily without pain or engorgment
Tried oatmeal at 5 months, skipped consistent baby food
Started baby led eating at 5 months with avocado, cauliflower & peaches
Finn hated bananas early on. He refused to eat anything mixed with bananas which is why baby food wasn't much of an option. After his first birthday he decided he likes bananas and will eat one every day. Finn will eat mostly anything we out in front of him, but can be a litter erie about chicken and carrots.
Sippy cups have always been an issue for us. Neither of the kids have done well with tipping a cup up. It took Kensi until she was over two years old and Finn has also struggled with it. We often go for cups with straws such as Camelbak. Our only downside we have is Finn bites the silicone mouth piece which can cause it to tear and allow drips, so keeping extra valve spouts on hand are helpful.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
five months
How Far Along: 5 months
Weight Gained: 8 lbs
Nausea: None
How Am I Feeling: I really don’t feel big or think I look as big as I do in this photo. My belly is stretched from Finn, but I’m carrying much more like I did with Kensi. Lots of heartburn and indigestion. I had to take an early glucose test since Finn was such a big baby. Good news is I don’t have GD, but I’m nearly anemic. My midwife has suggested I increase my intake of red meat & dairy.
Maternity Clothes: A mix of maternity and non-maternity pieces fill my wardrobe.
Sleep: Sleeping is good, but I’m feeling pinched nerves and back pains.
Cravings: Still craving a lot of fruits.
Food Aversions: Not many at this point. My meal plan is all over the place and being tired has really thrown a wrench into cooking at night.
Movement: Feeling lots of little kicks.
Belly Button In or Out: Out!
Gender: Kensi was begging us to find out about the baby and we thought it would be fun to experience both sides of the issue. We found out we’re having a GIRL!
Names: No boy names needed which is weird for us.
What I'm Looking Forward To: I'm excited to start shopping and planning for another girl.
What's Different With This Pregnancy: Not much difference from being pregnant with Kensi.
What I'm Missing: Cutting my coffee out gave me horrific headaches so I put my caffeinated coffee back into my diet. I have a small cup in the mornings. Everything is in moderation.
How Are We Preparing: We decided to give the baby her (so weird to say HER!) own room. We purchased a second crib and picked out a light pink paint for her walls with the help of Kensi. She’s over the moon excited for a sister!
Sunday, April 24, 2016
our crazy life lately
We've been busy trying to plan trips, keep up with our schedule and get projects done around the house. It's a never ending ride, let me tell ya.
While trying to refinish a desk and build an herb box our air compressor completely kapooped! I hate it when stuff like this happens because it delays projects I so badly want finished! It's just frustrating. So two of our projects are sitting and waiting *sigh*. Oh and did I mention our lawn mower isn't working for the second year in a row? Just add it to the pile.
Finn has been teething nonstop which has royally messed up his sleeping habits to the point where he successfully sleeps through the night for three days and we stupidly celebrate only to have it ripped from us with a night of him being up constantly. You would think we would know this is how it goes for sleep habits, or non-habits, but oddly when it’s the second kid you forget. Do you see all that drool pouring out of his mouth? Yeah, that’s been a permanent thing since he was seven months.
On a brighter note Kensi has asked for a wild animal themed birthday this year. I'm telling you, that girl is obsessed with mermaids and has taken every opportunity to do something mermaid related, so this animal thing is sort of throwing me for a loop, but it's going to be so much fun to plan with lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
peanut butter & jelly with a twist
Now that it's spring and we try to get outside as much as possible, we often pack our lunch and head to the backyard, the park or down to the beach to meet Mike. Since the kids love peanut butter as much as they do, it makes for an easy lunch to pack for our on the go trips. Just don't forget the wet wipes!
We've been inventing new ways to make our PB&J especially with fresh fruit. Swapping out the jelly for fresh sliced strawberries {or topping them like we did in the photo}, mashed up blueberries or sliced bananas are some of our favorites and it cuts back on the sugar. When we’re hanging out home we also like to make grilled peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches. It’s a fun treat the kids love.
Another favorite of Kensi and Finn's is peanut butter and jelly kabobs. This definitely makes it a little less messy and more fun. Cut a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into mini squares and spear them onto a short skewer. Stacking the mini sandwiches with fresh fruit and cheese cubes makes for an adorable lunch and irresistible to eat.
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