Menu Planning for New Eaters: Babyfood101.com

At 6 months, the Raptor can easily be described as an enthusiastic eater. It's a joy and a relief after years of struggling with Ranger over food.

I recently stumbled onto babyfood101.com (I cannot figure out how I got there, so please let me know who I owe credit for this). This amazing site is great for the confounded parents of early eaters.

Babyfood101 offers a weekly email outlining two new foods for baby (see week 2). The email instructs on the selection and preparation of the foods, the appropriate age for introduction, homemade baby food recipes, storage, whether or not the food is sold in jars, if buying organic is worthwhile, and adult recipes for the same ingredient.

It's like Relish for babies!

The emails start with recommendations for the earliest eaters and progresses to more complex foods over time.

Babyfood101's web site is also searchable by food, recommends gear (starting hilariously with the finger), offers a grocery guide, discussing making baby food, foods to avoid, recommended books and web sites, and a first feedings question and answer section.

Bon appetit, mes petit amis!

Where There's a Will, There's a Way

Last year my oldest friend called me to say she had been bidding on the local public television auction. She won two items, a sightseeing flight over town and a will. I told her to schedule the flight in the tiny plane second. Then I felt immensely guilty for having a child and no will. Being me, I stuck my head in the sand for the next 11 months.

Then my friend and former college advisee, now a doting stay at home dad, posted to Facebook about creating his will. Jim and I congratulated him on being more adult than we were and my head went firmly back into the sand.

A week later the public television auction rolled around. I cannot resist watching and bidding. There was an estate package this year (2 wills, 2 powers of attorney, 2 living wills, and a family trust).

The package's retail value was intimidating, but we crossed our fingers for something in our budget. We locked horns with another serious bidder and they won the auction.

Another estate package came up a few nights later. We bid on it only to find the live bidding wouldn't start until we would be out of town. I was sure that we would lose the auction with our low bid, so I made a note to call my friend to watch and bid for us. I forgot to call her.

That Saturday night my cell phone rang. It was time for live bidding. I didn't realize they would call me. I waited on the line as no one called in to bid against me. The auctioneer closed the auction. We had won.

Tonight we had our first meeting with the lawyer. All day anxiety flooded over me. In retrospect, it was a waste of energy to be so concerned. The meeting went well. I learned a lot and feel pretty assured that our kids will be loved and cared for even if Jim and I meet an untimely end.

There's some life insurance shopping to be done now, but I know what kind/amount of coverage I should be carrying.

This part of adulthood kind of sucks, but our kids deserve such provisions.

Required Reading: A Visitor for Bear is Welcome Here

Most weekdays, shortly after two PM, I can be heard rumbling "It's impossible, insufferable, intolerable!" while my son laughs or joins in.

Ranger is a kid who loves repetition, so one book can dominate our naptime and bedtime selections for weeks on end. Bonny Becker's A Visitor for Bear contends to be our longest running favorite.

I am surprised not to be tired of this book after so many readings, but I actually look forward to reading it aloud.

The book concerns a bear who is repeatedly visited by a persistent mouse requesting tea. Bear, a grouchy loner, points to the prominent "No Visitors Allowed" sign on his cottage door and sends the mouse on his way. The little mouse, a spritely rodent Houdini, keeps appearing in the cupboards and cabinets as bear goes about "the business of making his breakfast." Bear progressively barricades his house only to find the chipper interloper in a new location.

Finally, the bear breaks down and agrees to serve the mouse "a spot of tea" before "a crackling fire" on the condition the fuzzy fellow will leave afterward.

SPOILER: In a twist ending, the bear ends up enjoying the mouse's company immensely and is disappointed at his departure. Bear pleads for the mouse to stay. The mouse reminds Bear of his sign. Bear tears down the sign saying, "That's for salesmen, not for friends!"

The mouse brightens, and the pair can be seen sharing more tea by the fire at the book's close.

A Visitor for Bear incorporates repetition without being obnoxious.

Kady MacDonald Denton's illustrations charm and entertain in harmony with the text. When I read the book I can imagine Bonny Becker's pleasure upon seeing these lovely, fitting representations.

This talent author-illustrator team is certainly one to watch. Their next Mouse and Bear book, A Birthday for Bear, is expected in September 2009. I'm going to pre-order it today.

Movie Slasher: Too Small Shirt As Room Decor

When I saw Wolverine looking up from the rummage sale table, I knew exactly who would appreciate him. The t-shirt being at least a size too small was no deterrent.

With some strategic cutting, a pillow insert, and a few supplies from my sewing cabinet, Wolverine became the newest accent pillow in the neighborhood. Tomorrow it will be delivered to its new owner.

Nothing like an erratic comic book hero with a wry sense of humor to spice up a room.