Hungry Girl...Sometimes

Using the advice and recipes found in the trusted book 

Starting Solids by Annabel Karmel,

we've begun a new phase in little Willow's life.

Baby food!

We make our own, 

usually by cutting into chunks and steaming it

before pureeing in the blender 

with a bit of breast milk or formula.

With Mila we didn't have our powerful blender,

so I used a hand-held immersion blender after steaming. 

No need to buy a special baby food maker.

Bananas and avocados just need to be mashed with a fork,

Willow takes the avocado better when we mix 

it with bananas.

This was Willow after Mommy gave her a taste 

of her berry and spinach smoothie...

she LOVED it even though she could only have 

a little because of the seeds in it.

We've tried bananas, avocado, sweet potato,

butternut squash, pears, apples and baby yogurt. 

Yesterday Mila said she had a dream that Willow

would like carrots and Yukon potatoes mixed together...

we tried it and the combo was probably our

most successful to date!

It doesn't always go smoothly...

but everyday seems a little better.

Sometimes she gets so messy

we just throw her in the wash.

Just kidding!!!

Key Lime Cove With Cousins!

As part of our Christmas present from 

Grandpa Bill & Grandma Rita,

we all met up for a weekend of fun at Key Lime Cove, 

our favorite hotel and indoor water park.

 We've been to KLC before, 

but the rest of the extended family had not.

Mila kept saying she couldn't wait to show her cousins around.

Last year we welcomed two new babies-- 

Willow, and Joel's sister Rebecca's third boy, Gabriel--

totaling eight cousins in all.

Everyone gets along great, and there were a ton of laughs
around the pool, over dinners and especially
in the hotel room playing Catch Phrase at night.

The first evening we ate
at the 1950s style diner in the hotel.

The food was tasty and the atmosphere was perfect for our 

slightly rowdy group.

Willow got tons of attention from her Grandma and Aunts, 

but her oldest cousin, Abigail, really bonded with her.

Everyone mentioned what a happy baby Willow is,

she was a good little trooper the whole time.

We had hotel rooms right next to each other, 

and the kids were in and out of all four rooms 

the whole time.  

On Saturday we all drove to the nearby Jelly Belly factory 

for a tour and all the free samples you desire.

After filling up on jelly beans, 

we headed back to the hotel for more pool time,

followed by dinner at the Lazy Toucan.

The tropical theme was much appreciated 

since "Chiberia" has been in a deep freeze for weeks.

It can be pretty exhausting dealing with crying babies,

sugared-up toddlers, "big" kids with LOTS of questions,

and still trying to engage in a little adult conversation 

(and at the end of the day, some much needed adult beverages)...

...but it was a blast. 

So long Key Lime Cove, 

hope to see you again soon!