{baby mush, i mean food}

Ella is 8 months old! Wow, time really does fly. We waited until she was 6 months old to introduce any solids, but as soon as we did it seemed like she changed overnight from a tiny infant into a big girl baby (whatever that means) :)

I make all of Ella's food myself. I'm a little strict in the "it must be organic and freshly prepared" attitude. I mean, i'm not that strict, she does eat Earth's Best Organic jarred food from time to time, and i'm sure in a few years you'll see her with a Happy Meal every now and then, but I really want to stress the importance of eating healthy to her as a child and exposing her to different foods. I didn't have that growing up, and I think that overall being able to choose healthy choices on my own as an adult suffered.

yep, that's pureed peas, tofu, and pears, yum! 

The pros (besides being insanely healthy and preservative free) are that it's CHEAP! Buying organic veggies and fruits at the store (we shop at Trader Joe's) and cooking, pureeing, and freezing yourself really saves us money. I can get a few months worth of food for her on the budget for a few weeks of buying jarred food. The downside I suppose is that it's a little time consuming. I usually plan a few nights every month or so to make a few batches. It's not so bad, I promise. And it's EASY!

If you're thinking about making your own baby food, I suggest picking up the book Super Baby Food. It's the handbook for making your own, and every other piece of information you'd need to know about feeding an infant through toddlerhood. I highly recommend it!