Baby Food Making Essentials.

1. Mumi & Bubi Trays: These trays are awesome. They were an investment, but the company compares the purchase of the trays to a week of purchasing store bought baby food. The main things I wanted when looking for trays to freeze our baby food was that they were BPA free, had lids, wouldn't take up A LOT of space, and each "cube" size was 1 oz... VIOLA, these are perfect. This kit comes with two trays and two lids. When stacked they are 3in tall. Each tray holds 21oz. of baby food {thats 42oz total}. I really like these. Now, ice cube trays are another option, but I decided against it for various reasons. Plus these have a 1 year warranty, always an added bonus.

2. Food Processor: We had this 4 cup food processor for 3.5 years now, and I've used it once! So I was super excited to bust this bad boy out. Now these are sold in ALL kinds of cute colors {I'm kind of bummed I missed that boat}. You could use ANY blender or food processor you already have. Personally, I am not into the "baby bullet" type stuff, I feel like it's just extra expenses and kind of gimmicky.

3. Boon Squirt Spoon: This isn't to help MAKE food, but just another fun AND helpful product to add to feeding time. You put the food in the squeeze handle, and then you do just that... squeeze. It dispenses {squirts} food into the spoon. It also comes with a cute little cover for the spoon. This will be great for on the go feeding because it eliminates the need for a bowl! And check out the cute colors.

4. mOmma Straw Cup: Another straw cup, and it's SUPER cute {always a motivator for me}. The Playtex training cups I bought are fine, but you have to suck really hard on the straw to get a drink {Sullivan still hasn't learned}. This cup is much easier to drink from. Plus it has the two handles so it's great for her to hold and control, and of course it's spill proof.

5. Organic Frozen/Fresh Produce: There are MANY reasons why I am choosing to only give Sullivan organic foods. I will mostly be using organic frozen veggies and fruit, because studies have shown frozen produce is equally as good as fresh produce {in some cases BETTER, whaaaat?} I have to sites listed below, and both have great information specifically about baby food. Both sites {and many more} 100% agree that organic is the BEST for babies. If "regular" produce is used it has chemicals and pesticides from the growing processes. Organic removes all that.


How I decided to make our baby food: 
Pros: 
1. The other day I went to the baby isle at the grocery, I looked at baby foods and read the ingredient list. It was WILD all the crap that was listed! I have bought some store bought baby foods and under ingredients all it should say {all I want it to say} is ORGANIC PEAS or ORGANIC WHATEVER. nothing else should be listed/is necessary. When you make your own baby food... you know EXACTLY what's in it.
3. Fresh {no idea how long store-bought baby food has been sitting on the shelves/manufacturers}
2. Money saver {one jar or pouch of organic baby food at my grocery is $1.39 for 3.5oz, I made 14oz for $2.89}
3. Better for the environment {no jars/pouches}
4. NO waste {when you open a jar/pouch of baby food, it has to be thrown out within 48 hours, with homemade you can prepare a little at a time}

Cons: 
1. Time {which really is minimal}
2. Learning/researching how to prepare {I get nervous I'm doing it wrong, causing added stress}
3. Less convenient than grabbing a jar {duh}

Making baby food really is THIS simple. It took me less than 20 minutes to make 42oz. of baby food and only $6 {for three different kinds- I will post specific pictures and "recipes" later}. 
To start I researched as much as I could about what foods to start with. An interesting mindset to have when starting solids is that our goal of giving foods/solids isn't to supplement or stop babies from nursing or taking formula, it's to introduce babies to AS MANY different foods as possible before their first birthday {check out this video, my pediatrician recommended this site, and it's all research based and a doctor's perspective}. I personally decided to start with veggies. Babies don't have preference at this point, every taste is a new experience, and they can't possibly know what they do and don't like BUT introducing fruits first {because of the natural sugars and sweetness} could make babies prefer fruits to veggies {just a thought}. I read On Becoming Baby Wise: Book II and did A LOT of research on Wholesome Baby Food and Dr. Greene.com.

If you have any questions, advice, or fun recipes please share!

Easter Preparations.

My newest craft and holiday garland for Easter! The glitter "Happy Easter" garland is from Pottery Barn Kids, found here. The patterned bunny garland is inspired from this, that is now sold out. When I saw it I REEEALLY wanted it, but I also could NOT spend $50 total on Easter garland. It looked simple enough, so I made it!

Supplies: cute spring paper, twine, cotton balls, needle, glue, and scissors.

The hardest part was making a stencil of the bunny. I traced them onto the paper and cut out. I used 10 bunnies (2 of each pattern). I measured the twine, and decided how spaced out the bunnies needed to be. I used the needle and went through the front of one ear, and up the back of the next, then add a knot to secure. At the end I took one cotton ball and pulled apart and fluffed up, to make the cute little cotton tail. A dot of hot glue for the tail and your done. And it literally cost less than $1, compared to the $26 price tag at PBK. And maybe 30 minutes of my life.

St. Patty's Day.

I used to care very much little about holidays, but I think that having Sullivan has made me want to celebrate EVERYTHING. I've recently been really excited about decorating for each upcoming holiday. I'm definitely thrifty and have to be selective with what I spend money on... so, when I see really cute decorative stuff, my first thought is always "how can I make or recreate this?" I don't like cliche and predictable decorations for holidays, but just simple, cute touches. I have especially been diggin' garland, it adds JUST enough festiveness to our home. I do wish we had a mantel to decorate and hang garland from, and as we are beginning to look at future homes... a fireplace/mantel is definitely on my {wish} list. 

Here's the DIY St. Patty's Day garland I currently have hanging from our kitchen pass-through window. These were super easy to make and I think it looks so fun! 

I actually got this quick "tassel" idea from the Factory J. Crew store. When they reset the floor for spring they had these cute, homemade tassels hanging above all the wardrobes. I loved it and made up my own process to recreate! I am also always on Etsy looking at all of the creative things people make. 

Quick directions for tassel garland: 1. measure twine and decide how many tassels you need 2. accordion fold cardstock {mine is standard sized paper, 8.5in by 11in cut in half horizontally} 3. staple the tops to keep secure and then fan out 4. take a thick sewing needle and twine and threaded through tassel {this can be difficult because of thickness} 5. put a not knot after each tassel to keep from sliding. 6. loop each end and tie and hang around clear thumb tacks 

Quick directions for gold glitter circle garland: 1. measure twine and decide how spaced you want the circles 2. punch out circles from the cardstock {I used this 2" circle craft punch} 3. using a large sewing needle thread twine through each circle 4. put knot to secure 5. repeat over and over 6. tie loops on both ends 7. hang around secured clear thumb tacks

I am no craft guru and I obviously didn't do a step by step pictures documenting the process. But please let me know if something is unclear or you have questions! 

You can see all my birthday cards displayed. When we move I want to come up with a cute way to display cards.

This weekend we are going to Hilton Head's St. Patty's Day parade, which will be a first for us! I'm so excited for Sullivan to have her first St. Patrick's Day celebration! Can't wait to share pictures.