Big Messes

Jenna (top) and Jillian (bottom) are transitioning to table food. Here we have scrambled eggs with cheese, which in latin means BIG MESSES.

Jenna practicing her coordination and balance

Jillian is being sneaky... or at least that is how her face makes her look.

My goodness. What a blessed but busy holiday! I feel like I might need a vacation or something. Between constant family gatherings from the 24th to the 27th, to working at home while the office was closed...I feel like I could be Rip Van Winkle and sleep 100 years. No...I couldn't sleep that long even if I wanted to, I have two beautiful girls who take turns putting their names down for the "Keeping Mommy Awake All Night" sign up sheet. ;)

So I haven't posted much over the holidays...I will try and catch you up on the many comings and goings of Jillian and Jenna. The girls are one, they are close to 17 1/2 pounds and roughly 28 inches long. They are taking two naps a day (morning and afternoon...except for today of course since I am trying to do something online) and eating three meals a day, three bottles a day, and protest much of it. :)  We've been doing some finger foods like Cheerios and the things Gerber makes (like the crunchies) but mostly it was baby food in the jars. They've been satisfied for the most part until about a week ago. Jillian has always spit her food, she thinks it is funny; but, lately Jenna has started to do it as well. Jenna's isn't so much of a spit as a push out of what just went in. They are very into foods they can feed themselves with so I am taking the spitting and head turning as a clear signal that they are finally tiring of jarred food and want the real thing. Which is good...the doctor wanted them on all table food by 15  months and once they are on more table food we can (carefully) stop with the formula. Jenna just recently got the OK to go off her Iron Supplement so we are going to have to watch her when we do away with formula and make sure she doesn't relapse back into the anemia she left the NICU with.

For some reason, table food and independent eating just seems like a seriously daunting task to me. I am not completely afraid they will choke but am more afraid of the outrageous messes babies make. I have seen the pictures of one kiddo enjoying spaghetti...I can't even fathom the horror of a mess two babies would make.

Also, for Jared and I, our eating habits and preferences have been put so far to the back burner that they are hanging off the stove.  Formula and baby food is expensive, especially with two, and the amount of baby food we were/are feeding them. Jared and I went from grilled chicken, fresh fish and veggies to hamburger helper and other highly processed meals with obscene amounts of sodium and trans fat. I don't want the girls to eat that.  I am not saying they never will....or we won't ever feed them that, but I feel very strongly that the food they eat while they are so young makes an impression on their future dietary choices. I want them to be exposed to healthful foods so that they will like it...unlike their mother... who could eat fast food every day (or several times a day) and be completely content.

So my task now is to find foods that we can all eat, that are healthful and not insanely expensive. I feel proud of myself now for the coupons I cut, planning my shopping around the coupons, finding extra sale items, etc. But the fact of the matter is healthful foods are just plain expensive.

The next item that scares me away from independent eating is just the "how to." Do I start slowly, switching out some formerly pureed food to soft chucks? Do I stop buying baby food and make the switch all at once?  What do older babies like to eat anyway? I doubt I could give them a sandwich and them know what to do with it. Are the Gerber Graduate meals a waste of money or are they are good transition between baby food jars and table food? Am I going to be eating spaghetti, chicken nuggets and macaroni for the next three years?  I am sure I am making things harder than it has to be but for some reason the big decisions moms have to make are the hardest for me, especially when it comes to transition and change. Maybe I just don't get to see other moms agonize over the same transitions and I am not alone...hey...that sounds good....I will go with that. Even if it isn't true.

 Moving on...

The girls are getting really good at being mobile. They are very fast crawlers and are starting to cruise the furniture. I am a little afraid that they won't walk...they have absolutely zero interest in walking behind something or me holding their hands and supporting them while they walk. They prefer crawling...everywhere. I hope they grow out of that eventually.

Oh...Jillian and Jenna wanted me to tell you that they LOVE to dance. Anytime they hear a funky beat, whether it is music from a toy or a CD or tv...they stop and "dance." It is the cutest thing ever.  I am glad about it, too. Their daddy isn't really into the fine arts so I love that right now they have an interest in music and dancing and patterns and colors. :) Hopefully it will stay that way. 

So one quick thing before I sign off. I 've been avoiding this post but it has to be done. The girls are getting bigger and more busy every day and I think you can tell by the time between posts that I have less and less time on my days off, meaning I don't post as often as I would want to. I have loved every minute of the blog, being able to share stories, updates and and picture for everyone is so neat and I know that a lot of you really enjoy it and appreciate it since you live so far away. However, once the girls start walking I will be signing off and taking down the blog.

I want to wait until the girls walk because this blog has been a really great way of chronicling Jilly and Jenna's  first year. There is a company who will take all of the posts and pictures and bind it in a book. Since I didn't have time to complete a traditional baby book, the blog book is going to be a gift to them. I want the announcement of their first steps included so that is why I chose to stop there...plus, once the girls are walking I will have less time than ever.

So...obviously the blog is still going to be updated for the next couple months. This isn't my last post by any means, but I figured the warning was due for those who have enjoyed as much as I have. One thing to note: I am on Facebook and somewhat active. I would imagine that once the blog has ended I will be more diligent to post "status updates" and pictures of my family. So, if you are on Facebook and we aren't "friends" search for me as Jessica Rehder Winter. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about...you have a couple months to google it, figure it out, get your profile up and friend me. It is a really good way to network and keep in touch with friends and loved ones (even if you live less than 20 minutes from me and come over during your lunch to play with the babies once a week). ;)

More to Come,
Jessie