Using the tissue with style

Some days back, we had gone shopping in the mall and got a bit late. It was dinner time so we thought of eating at one of the restaurants in the food court. We ordered "unagi no kaba-yaki" (steaming rice with grilled eel+sweet sauce on top of it). Unagi(eel) is a delicacy eaten in Japan specially in summers to survive the hot and humid summers. It is said to be highly nutritious with vitamin A, B1, B2, D and E. Japanese people have special foods based for different seasons. Like Sanma fish (Pacific saury) represents autumn in Japanese cuisine. Sanma is most commonly served salted and grilled. Will give some more information about Japan in the next post.

Now our dear Richie eats Japanese food at the nursery everyday. He has started liking it, so we all enjoy eating out together whenever we can. When the food was brought, Richie was already sitting on his baby chair ready to eat. We started feeding him with the chopsticks. While eating, Richie realized his lips were feeling a bit sticky. What should he do.... He dexterously took the tissue from the table and put it to his lips and wiped in style and kept it back on the table without crumpling it. Hmmm.. Isn't that a bit too much for a 16 month year old?

Baby ate egg and flounder meal

Richie is close to completing 10 months. He started eating solid foods after completing 6.5 months. We tried leafy vegetables,carrots, corn, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, wheat etc. with a mix-and-match combination for the past 3-4 months. And also fruits like banana, apples, pears etc. I used to usually puree or mash the food before feeding him. He has kind of got used to the food now. He is ready for new tastes and textures. Pureed food doesn't suit him much. And he gives me the questioning look "Just vegetables and fruits everyday Mama?"

Keeping his new tastes in mind, we thought of trying new foods. We were not sure what new baby foods to give and what is the best way to prepare them. A friend of ours told that there are nice baby foods containing fish, chicken, egg etc. in the super store. She has tried for her 10 month old and he just loves them. Off I went and purchased a few for trial.

Richie had his first meal of egg and flounder today. He has this habit of feeling the taste of new foods for sometime before taking the next spoon. He was happy to have something new. But more than him, I was the happiest seeing my baby liking the new stuff.

Where can you get cerelac in Japan?

My baby became 6 months and his demand for food was increasing. Breast milk was just not enough and as a result he was biting me...thinking maybe that biting may get more milk out of me. ;)
It was time for new tastes and foods. In our home-town, we offer cerelac as baby first foods. I was wondering what to offer as in Japanese stores cerelac was not available. So I opted for rice meal called Okayu.

After some days, a friend of mine told me where we can get cerelac in Japan. Here is a link for people who want to buy it in Japan.
Cerelac in Japan

In other countries, you can also order on Amazon. Here is the link for you.

Sweet Potatoes as baby food

I introduced sweet potatoes to Richie after he completed 6.5 months. Sweet potatoes are nutritious and high in Vitamin A and beta carotene as well as potassium. They also contain a good amount of Vitamin E, calcium and folate. It is easy to prepare and he enjoys it as well.

Here is a simple recipe for you:
Sweet Potatoes Puree
1. Steam or bake sweet potatoes together until tender.
2. Puree as needed, adding water to thin if required.

Sweet Potatoes and Apple Mash
1. Steam or bake apples and sweet potatoes together until tender.
2. Mash/puree as needed, adding water to thin if required.

Boiling/Steaming Sweet Potatoes:
1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small chunks
2. Place chunks into a pan/pressure cooker with just enough water
3. Boil until tender.

Other foods which you can mix with sweet potatoes
Apples
Baby Cereal
Brown Rice
Carrots
Chicken
Green Beans
Lentils
Peaches
Peas
Pumpkin
Yogurt

Joy Of Motherhood

It is a such a wonderful feeling to be a mother. It is said "Motherhood means a rebirth to a women" . Yes, if we see the different phases which a women goes through in the nine months and then the ultimate moment when she has to give birth to her child. She may have to go through so much pain, but then the beautiful feeling of bringing a new life into this world, her own part, is just incomparable.........

Watch out for more....