I spent the last few months scratching my head at what to feed Tyler. He's been eating pretty chunky foods for awhile now but it was the same old thing. Roasted chicken breast, sweet potatoes, peas, squash...pretty plain. I really wasn't sure what he could or should be eating at this point. My goal for Tyler and his eating is to enjoy different foods, not feel like he has to eat them because I say so. After doing some research, I invested in a few cookbooks specifically for babies. This recipe comes from Tyler Florence's cookbook, Start Fresh. So far I've made several dishes with great results. This one in particular was good being that I have several fillets of salmon in my freezer. Something almost every Alaskan has in their freezer along with their go to salmon recipe. I subbed risotto for long grain rice. Although I love risotto, I simply did not have time to keep an eye on it and constanly stir. The meal was quick to prepare and that was key. Tyler gets pretty impatient when he knows dinner time is rolling around. I wasn't sure how he would react to the taste of salmon. I was pretty excited to watch him take his first bite (oh, the things that excite you when you're a new mom). This kid could not get it in his mouth fast enough. He loved and devoured it. It made me so happy to be able to add something new to his dinner menu. I highly recommend this book for any new mom whose at a loss on what to feed their baby.

xot.

I should compare this image with the one I took a few years ago. Gone are the days of carrying my beloved Coach satchel. Now it's this SkipHop diaper bag I purchased from Target. I received a really pretty Putina Picklebottom bag for my shower but it's a little too big for everyday errands.

Looking at this, I wonder how many types of wipes I really need. I can probably get rid of the paci ones and the paci as he never really takes it. Wet ones and baby wipes are a must. I fell in love with the Johnson & Johnson facial wipes for their pretty sent and it's gentle on Tyler's skin unlike normal baby wipes that have made him break out. I like to use them to freshen him up before we visit friends or family. Everyone always comments on how good he smells. I've use the Mustela ones but I like the scent on these better. (and the price)

I've found that keeping a separate smaller pouch with a few diapers, cream and wipes comes in handy. I grab this when I need to do a quick diaper change at a friend's house or if I need to send Jeff off to give him a change.

I'm a huge fan of MumMums and the Happytots food bags and never leave the house without one or the other, especially when we go shopping/errand running. I love that the Happytots is all organic and little if no sodium. Because of Tyler's dilated kidney, we do keep a close eye on his sodium intake. Either way, I think it's a good idea to not feed him foods that have unnecessary sodium amounts. I've never paid so much attention to the food labels until now. I make the majority of his food but I do like to have some prepared foods on hand. I highly recommend the Sprout line of baby foods. Tyler can attest to that. He loves the beef lasagna and the ginger chicken.

I'd love to see what you all are carrying in your bags/purse right now! What do you find essential to carry with you on a daily basis?

xot.