Beans and Baby Food

So, I've been wanting to incorporate more beans into our diet since we have a ton stockpiled in our pantry. One issue is having to really plan ahead when using dry beans, no more last minute meals. Another problem is that once you eat them, they "stay" with you for hours or longer. You have to plan bean meals around whether you are going out with people the next day or not (or at least I do). So, I may have found a solution. On a new website I just found called momswhothink.com, this was posted:
"The most common complaint about beans is that they cause gas. Here’s how to contain that problem, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Before cooking, rinse the beans and remove foreign particles, put in a kettle and cover with boiling water, soak for four hours or longer, remove any beans that float to the top, then cook the beans in fresh water."
So, I'll let you know how that works out for me.

Also, I have a cookbook called "The Petit Appetit" by Lisa Barnes which has tons of recipes for homemade baby food. After spending way too much money on jarred baby food I decided to start making my own (we'll see how long this lasts). So, using directions from the book, I made sweet potatoes and then made broccoli with carrots (the carrots were from a baby food jar and were about to go bad since Jane decided that she no longer can eat them plain without gagging). I added the carrots to the broccoli because the broccoli was not blending smooth enough in my wussy teeny food processor. Both purées were a smashing success. I was surprised because I didn't think she'd like broccoli since it has such a strong flavor. I added to the broccoli and carrots some rice cereal and some jarred baby food chicken. She gobbled it all up and then I followed it up with the sweet potato mixed with rice cereal. She loved it! Jane probably thought the sweet potatoes were super sweet compared to her dinner.

So, what do you do with all that extra homemade baby food (since I used 2 large sweet potatoes for the recipe)? Freeze it in ice cube trays covered in foil and then, once solid, put into ziploc bags. That way I can thaw small baby sized portions whenever I need them! Unfortunately I cannot claim that ingenious idea, but I don't know where I saw it. Now, I'm not saying that pre-made baby food in jars is a bad thing. On the contrary, Jane ate many a meal from a jar and they were great. I will continue to use some jars for when we aren't at home. However, for eating at home, nothing can beat the price of homemade.

BABY X-ING

So, Jane starting crawling about a week ago. And not the wimpy kind of crawling, I mean more like hauling. I turn my head for one second and she's outta my sight. Today I even had to run around the house a couple of times calling her name trying to find her. She is so sneaky. The fun part of it is that she will follow me around some times, so I don't have to carry her every where I go.
Another thing she has learned is to whine when she doesn't like the situation, like when I close the bathroom door to keep her out of the toilet, etc. Some day she'll thank me. Especially if it prevents me from telling her friends about the "time she ate poop out of the toilet" like my mom gets to do. (Thank goodness I can't remember that moment in time.)
Jane also has a cold (which I prevented in myself thanks to Wal-mart's Zinc tablets) and I get to suction her nose all day long. We had some pretty productive suctions today which have taught her that it's not all bad and she'll now hold still for them.

Our 6-Month Old

Jane is getting so big! A couple of weeks ago we went to the local country store to see the baby ducks, chicks and even turkeys that were for sale. I thought she wouldn't care at all, but she was totally into it! I think, if she could have, she would have pulled an "Of Mice and Men" move and squished the life out of one.

There are also some fun shots of her just being cute. Enjoy.

Easter 2008 and Aunt Krisi and Uncle Eddy's wedding

Jane and I had a fun Easter up in Sandy with Scott's family while he partied with the boys down in Mesa. Then we all had fun at Aunt Krisi and Uncle Eddy's wedding the following weekend. Here are some fun shots from both occasions.

Crazy Janey

Here are some fun pictures of Jane's silliness. These were taken between February and mid-March. Hope you like them! She is so goofy!

Jane's January visit to Seattle

Here are some fun shots including her first plane ride and meeting family and friends (like mom's dog Big Red).

Aunt Sarah's visit to Cedar City

We had a lot of fun with my sister Sarah when she came to visit us all after her Christmas in Panama. We went to a cheezy New Year's Dance and Jane experienced her first formula bottle and loved it.

More December Shots

Here are some more cute pictures including when Jane first met Santa.