food failure #1,021

I know several moms who make their own baby food. I hate them all (jk...really I'm just jealous at their successes in an area that I have so miserably failed in). I pretend like I don't care that I buy baby food and that I actually prefer Gerber to wholesome, home made food. This is not the truth though. That would be like saying that you preferred to use formula over breastmilk, or that you preferred to have a c-section (ok maybe some do...and that's alright). Sometimes preference isn't priority...and I'm guilty of 2 of these 3 things.

Sidenote: why are we constantly judged for "decisions" like these? You can't really help having a c-section. Sometimes nursing just doesn't work out. And some of us can barely prepare meals for ourselves, let alone for babies. I think people should just stick to judging their own self. Things like these do not determine if you are a good mom or not.

So one day I had a rare moment of motivation, and decided to make pureed carrots for Parker. He loved Gerber carrots (loved. He won't eat any type of vegetable anymore. You're judging me for indulging him in too many fruits. Stop it! We just talked about that.) so I figured he would love the real deal even more.

I was doomed from the start. All I had were baby cut carrots, so I boiled them whole (I probably should have cut them up). They were really soft when I took them out so they seemed to be done. I put them in a blender and pushed "puree." Even after adding some water I couldn't get the carrots anywhere near the consistency of Gerber. It was pureed enough not to be hazardous though, so I added some cinnamon and decided to try it out on Parker.

I was really excited when he woke up from his nap so I could feed him. He gagged on the carrots. I think it was just too much thicker than what he is used to. The only food he had a worse reaction to was smashed avocado...where he gagged and actually vomited it back up.

I think I'll stick with Gerber (fruits, of course).

Let's tally up my food failures:
1. Breastfed exclusively for 2 months and pumped until 5 months. Then went strictly to formula...6 months earlier than planned. I'm sorry for the IQ points I cheated Parker out of.
2. Introduced solids at 4 months. Parker was not even close to ready then.
3. When Parker was ready at 6 months, I was REALLY behind the game as far as a food schedule goes. See hunger games.
4. Managed to get Parker addicted to sweet foods. I am guilty of sprinkling sugar (not like a little bit...like a lot of sugar) on his rice cereal (God that feels good to get off my chest).