Oatmeal is a Finger Food

Sock Monkey loves oatmeal.  Oatmeal with cinnamon, and applesauce or blueberries, or strawberries, or blackberries.  We sneak in some ground flax seed and sometimes some coconut oil.  I love to watch her eat it.  We've given her a spoon since she started eating, so she can maneuver it.  Master it, she has not.  She just can't wait to get to those yummy surprises hiding in the depths of the gooey oats.

She is an excellent eater.  It seems like she never stops eating and most of it is pretty healthy.  I took a class to prepare myself for a task that I thought would take over my life, making our own baby food.  Fortunately, somewhere along the way, I discovered 'baby led weaning'.  What a lifesaver!  It made instinctual and logical sense, plus I wasn't going to have to spend endless hours steaming, pureeing and freezing 1,000 different types of vegetables.

I did learn something in that class that sticks with me though.  The lady recommended a book, I have no idea what the book is, but a quote from the book went something like this; "It is our job as parents to decide, buy and prepare the food for our children.  It is the child's job to decide how much of what they want to eat."  BINGO.  No food wars here.  Granted she is only 14 months old.  That is the philosophy I will stick with though.  And no, this doesn't mean she will get special cooked meals a la grilled cheese when everyone else is eating their grains and veggies.  Everyone gets what is cooked.

We just don't trust and respect children enough.  They know what their bodies need, when they're hungry and when they're not.  If you take the control out of 'finishing everything on your plate' then there won't be any control battles over them refusing to eat.  At least that's what I'm banking on.  I know it won't be all rainbows and butterflies at every meal time.  Hell, I'm usually offended every night when everyone isn't asking for thirds of what I cooked for dinner.  But at least I know I've done my job.

Besides, who wouldn't want a free oatmeal facial every morning?

Eating for 3

I started this blog as an online journal for my pregnancy with Sock Monkey.  My only post about my pregnancy was when I was about 22 weeks.  Ironically, that's where I'm at in pregnancy number three.  I've had it on my daily to-do list every day for the last 2 months to keep up with this blog.  Here is my first attempt. Hopefully the next post won't be at 22 weeks with number four (Lord help me!).


Although I'm showing, I still don't feel pregnant.  Besides the heart burn and constant peeing.  At my 1st midwife appointment, I gave them an estimate of my weight, what I've been hovering around for the last few years (it was the midwife's first day and my first time with a midwife - so neither of us knew that the scale was sitting in the bathroom waiting to let me know the magic number).  At my 2nd appointment, we were both a little more savvy, so I actually weighed myself.  I was shocked at the number.  I haven't seen it in years.  Plus, I was, what, 12 weeks pregnant.  It was a good number, by the way.  3rd appointment - same number as the last appointment.  What the hell.  I was secretly loving this no weight gain with a number I would be happy with any other time other then pregnancy.  I was also secretly scared.  Why am I not gaining weight?  Is that safe for the baby?  


I am still nursing Sock Monkey, so I think that's the biggest contributing factor.  It is definitely a calorie burner.  I've also decided to ditch my former lazy ways this year, so I basically don't stop moving from the time I get home until bed time- all while carrying around a 20lb toddler.  


However, I don't think I was eating enough.  Really, I'm eating for 3.  I certainly wasn't not eating.  That will never be an issue with me.  Never.  So I've upped my game.  Phew, if I thought my life revolved around food before.. you should see me now.  I eat around 6-7 times a day.  I do need to focus better on WHAT I'm eating.  I generally try to eat pretty healthy, but since I've given myself license to consume as many calories as possible, I'll admit it.. many sweet treats find their way to my mouth.  


Awesomely enough, my thighs still fit in my jeans.  I'd like to keep it that way throughout this pregnancy though.  Thankfully Sock Monkey shows no signs of being ready to wean, so I've got that calorie burner in my back pocket.  As I polish off a 2 inch thick piece of a cinnamon bread loaf and heartburn begins to jeopardize my comfort level, I have to remember that I'm growing a human here.  Only the best stuff needs to go in.     


Let's just say, I can't wait to get on the scale again at my next midwife's appointment.