Num-Nums

With a name like "The Baby Bullet," how can you NOT be on board? (But, seriously. I know the original machine was "The Magic Bullet," but WHO comes up with this stuff?!)

Well, I always thought that we could just use our regular blender when it came time to make the little man's baby food. After all, who has room for one more gadget? Apparently, WE DO!! Especially when it's lovingly passed back and forth between sisters (and was originally a gift from our parents).

So, I tried out the sucker last night. I cooked a couple of small sweet potatoes (buddy's favorite) until they were soft -- you can steam, too, but I didn't have much time. C'mon, we hadn't eaten dinner yet and Dr. Spaceman was making his *final* appearance on 30 Rock!! (My favorite line of the night: "That's a wrap on Leo Spaceman. Out." Or something to that effect. Genius! And who totally thinks Jim and Pam are going to separate at the end of "The Office"???)

After some initial issues (the durn thing wasn't turnin' off!!! The look on both my men's faces was priceless. My bad, had to tighten the blade), we got it whirring and, after adding some filtered water, actually came up with a product that I deemed both texturally equal and flavor-wise BETTER than the Earth's Best stuff we've been giving him. And, yes, I have tasted his. It's not bad, but it doesn't really seem to taste that much like the food it's supposed to be. This stuff actually tasted like a dang sweet potato. Imagine that.

Unfortunately, we didn't use organic sweet potatoes, so this is the first thing he's ever had that hasn't been organic, but they're on the clean list so I'm not losing sleep. Er, I am, but not because of this. #sleepdeprivedmama (First. Hashtag. Ever.)

We used the accompanying BPA-free containers to store the stuff; bottom silicone container in the freezer, plastic ones on top for fridge. You can even turn that little ring around to select the date you made the stuff. 'Cuz, y'know. My memory su-hucks. I appreciate that little reminder.

I fed the monkey (how many nicknames is that now?) some of the excess from the blender and he deemed it delicious. As much as an almost-6-month-old can. Heck, he might've hated it, but he didn't give me "squinty face", so I'm calling it a success.

I was going to do bananas (said in Elephant and Piggie voice "BA-NAH-NAAAAAAS" in our house) but they're neither on the clean list nor the dirty list, so I consider them still pretty dirty. Not XXX-tina dirrty but not baby-friendly. I can't believe I've been eating nanners in an ignorant, non-organic haze. Der. Lesson learned!

But, regardless, I'm looking forward to playing around and making more nummies, especially thanks to the cost difference. Considering that the blender was free (yay!) and his lil' Earth's Best containers (which hold less than these) cost around .75 each (depending on where we find them), and we bought a bag o' sweet taters for (I think!) around $3 (could've been less than that, with maybe 10 in the bag...could've been more, I don't recall) 8 servings cost us...get this...about $.04. No, not 40 cents -- FOUR CENTS. I suck at math, but even if it was 40 cents, I'd be stoked. Dude. This is crazy cheap.

It makes me feel okay about getting him only organic in the future, since SURE it'll be more expensive, but when it comes down to the math...wowsa.

Oh, and as far as the monkey's eating habits, he's currently doing -- "regular" feedings every 3+ hours (more time goes by when he has some extra food) with a jar of veggies in the morning with the sitter and some oatmeal mixed with a bit of applesauce for "dinner." Next week, we're going to have the sitter give some plain ol' oatmeal, maybe veggies for lunch and dinner will still be oatmeal 'n applesaaaaaauce. (Get it? Brady Bunch? No?) Yes, he eats a lot. Yes, if he eats more "real" food during the day he'll want to feed less. I'm kind of okay with that, mostly because I'm going to pump the same amount at school and am hoping to stock-pile some more in the freezer; I'm down to ONE pouch, which will be used tonight while I go to a family wake. That will not do.

So, that's the latest in our baby adventuring. A happy Friday to all, and to all some delicious num-nums.