say cheese

After feeding Elijah Gerber foods, I decided it was time to make my own. Four dollars bought a TON of veggies at the local Farmer's Market. Armed with some boiling water and a newly purchased 14-cup Cuisinart food processor I set to work. First I made carrots, then butternut squash, then broccoli. But my enthusiasm was short lived. Elijah ate my carrots mixed with applesauce once, but that was it. He emphatically closes his mouth and will not open it (even in the face of suffocating - he has a stuffed nose) neither for carrots, nor squash, nor broccoli. I can understand broccoli - it's kind of bland and Gerber doesn't make it. But carrots and squash are familiar tastes, and I take it personally that he will eat Gerber's but will not eat mine! I may not be an accomplished chef, but I can mash carrots and mix them with water just fine! I am hoping that his lack of interest is at least partially explained by the fact that he is sick and hasn't been feeling particularly hungry lately. However, not all is lost! Elijah did eat my mashed potatoes and pears!

When he is not sick, meal times start with meat or veggies, since these are things he will eat when hungry, but may refuse once a little full. Then comes a little fruit. He only accepts pears. Applesauce, bananas and prunes are out of the question. Finally, when he can't eat any more pears, we bring out yogurt. He loves yogurt! One container of yogurt later, he is pretty much done. Unless... we bring out cheese. There's always space for cheese. And when he refuses cheese, we know he is really really really done. Medium cheddar is his favorite for now, but this is probably because it's also Daddy's favorite, and thus the one that is offered to Elijah most often.