9 Month Update

Here we are again with another monthly update, we're actually nearing the end of the 9th month just now.

Where do I start with this month?  It has been truly wonderful with so many developments.  Sometimes I forget that before I know it he will be a walking talking child and then he does something that makes me realise those times will be with us before we know it.  For example, on Thursday 8th November he learnt to wave!

Nye is still loving his food.  He does sometimes decide that at this particular moment he isn't a fan of certain things but always eats at least 90% of what he is offered.  Back in the early days he would be fine if he missed a meal, (if I gave him an extra milk feed.)  Now he does seem to really need the extra nourishment and gets very grouchy if he is without his beloved food.  He currently has breakfast at around 8am, Lunch at 1.30 and Dinner at 5.30.  He has a varied diet, but it is easy to get stuck in a rut with certain things and that bores me to death and takes the fun out of it.  So I do try my best to create new things for him to try, this month he has had brussel sprouts for the first time which he loved and I made some sweet potato falafel which I posted the recipe for on here.

Breakfast - Porridge fingers with raspberry's and strawberry's.

Lunch - Cod with fresh tomato, cucumber, onion and peas.

Dinner - Egg parcel made with spinach, pepper and mushroom with chicken strips and orange loaf cake for desert.

 Nye's sleep has been pretty consistent this last month, apart from this evening (obviously!) when he woke up about an hour after we put him down.  (I gave him another feed and laid him down to sleep which worked a treat.)  He has slept from 7am-7pm without a sound pretty much every night.  Some nights he has actually slept longer as he has recently been a little unwell and had some tiring days.  I know his sleep has definitely improved as he even slept perfectly when we went to visit my parents over half term.  He also now greets us in the morning standing up against the bars in the cot as if he is a prisoner waiting to be set free.  I absolutley love that first moment of eye contact in the morning when I go to pick him up and he does a little excited squeal, massive grin and bounces up and down ready for me to pick him up

Nye just loves people, he enjoys making everybody smile and enjoys listening to conversations.  He has started getting annoyed if I come in to rooms and don't say hello to him but so far he hasn't had any stranger anxiety.  This month his speech has come on quite dramatically.  He now babbles constantly, and is clearly trying to communicate with us. The sounds are now less repetitive and much more varied.  When I have some food I am feeding him and he wan'ts more he consistently says 'ah bababa'.  So, even if not speaking actual words, he does at least have his own language.  The variation in sounds has increased. From Ba and Da to Ma, Di, Bo, Aa.  However, unfortunately he has also perfected a high pitch scream which he now does to get attention if he is bored.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, this week Nye learnt to wave!  He absolutely loves being waved at and waving back and it fills me with joy and amazement.  He now waves at the dog and inanimate objects (perhaps he's not quite got the hang of it just yet...) But oh is it gorgeously cute or what!

Nye can crawl but still hates being laid down on his front and because of his resistance he is not the quickest crawler on the block.  He is a little more tolerant now he has realised how to pull himself up off the floor so even if he's complaining to me he can pull himself onto his feet.  His dislike for being on his knees is balanced out by his love of walking.  He has been able to stand alone on his feet for months now but as every day goes by he gets speedier.  He loves to cruise around furniture and this month he has truly mastered crouching  and even ducking so he can get under the table.  If I leave him for a few minutes whilst I pop to the loo and I come back and he's the other side of the room and I can't help wonder how on earth he got there.  But, he always looks incredibly pleased with himself.

This month we bought Nye a really lovely play table which has two sides, one full of twirly, noisy gadgets and the other with a board for connecting blocks and storage underneath.  He absolutely loved playing with this when we bought it at my parents but since we have got home his favourite things to look for are the lid off my lip balm, pens and roller glue.  Even if you are certain there aren't any in his vicinity he will seek them out and find them while you are not looking.

Peekaboo is most certainly his favourite game, he loves looking for me when I hide behind things.  An instant hit that always makes him giggle the most amazing little laugh.  And I think it is safe to say that 'Wind the bobbin up' is his most favourite of all songs.  It can even make him hush when he gets out of the bath and has to be dressed (his least favourite of ALL activities).

He also loves books, he will listen to them for a few pages then he will take the book from you and amuse himself by turning the pages.  Nye has also been on his very first swing in the park whilst we met up with my old school friend Claire.  He has really started swinging his legs this month (especially when he sits in his high chair) so he loved doing this in the swing.

This Month Nye sprouted his very first teeth.  I remember the first one cut through on a Saturday, the day after I was complaining to a midwife that he still had none.  Then lo and behold a second cut through on the Sunday.  Since then they have been gradually pushing their way through and are now almost there.  With the sighting of the new teeth we went out and bought Nye his very first tooth brush which he loves to chew on.

Sweet Potato Falafel - Baby led weaning recipe

Photo taken from The Lean Green Bean, recipe my own (I forgot to take a pic.)

As I mentioned at the weekend, we were away for half term which meant that before we left we pretty much emptied the entire contents of Nye's draw in the freezer into a cool bag.  Neil wanted to make sure that Nye would have something to eat for the time we were there.  I insisted that my parents were not people who go without food, and that Norfolk does indeed have supermarkets.  However, there was no deterring him and out came the tupperware

So, since we got home I've been trying to fill the freezer back up by looking around at what we have lying around and how I can make it in to something nutritious and delicious for my baby boy.

My eyes caught sight of a loan sweet potato which Nye loves and it reminded me of some fantastically delicious sweet potato falafel we had at The Horniman Museum Cafe.  I love falafel and used to eat them constently when I was a vegetarian but I have never even tried making them before.  Turns out there is no reason not to try making them as they are wonderfully easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2 tsp ground corriander
• 1 handful of coriander leaves (chopped)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 100g plain flour (or gram flour if you have it)
• 1 well oiled baking sheet

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 200°C  /180°C fan.
2. Microwave the sweet potato whole for 8-10 minutes until tender.  
3. Whilst the sweet potato is cooking, combine the cumin, garlic, ground and fresh corriander, lemon juice and flour in a large bowl.
4. Leave the sweet potato to cool until you are able to peel, add to the bowl and mash it together until smooth.
5. Use a tabelspoon to shape the mixture into balls (I rolled in floured hands), place on an oiled baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 minutes until the bases start to brown, flip over and bake for a further 15 minutes.

I didn't season these as they were for Nye and served them in a toasted pitta bread with hummus and fresh red pepper strips.  Perfect for mum and baby and easy peasy to make.

Banana and Oat Teething Biscuits - Baby Led Weaning Recipe

I have had 2 rather over ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl for some time and yesterday seemed like the last day of their life span.  We are due a weekly shop and therefore have no eggs so I was on the hunt for something I could make for Nye using cupboard ingredients. Whilst googling I came across a recipe for some lovely teething biscuits which I have adapted.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
• 1/2 plain flour (I used spelt flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 small overripe bananas, mashed
• 3 tablespoons oil (I used rice bran)

Directions:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180°c 
2. Mix the 'dry ingredients' in a large bowl (oats, flour, cinnamon and baking powder)
3. Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl (bananas and oil)
4. Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients and stir until combined.
5. Once combined, take a teaspoon of mixture and roll into a long snake.
6. Place the 'snake' on the baking paper and squash down flat.
7. Bake in a pre heated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Cheesy Lentil and Pepper Quiche Recipe

I have almost used up my previously baked lunch items for Nye and I was recommended the Lentil Quiche Recipe from The Baby-led Weaning Cookbook by Gill Rapley & Tracey Murkett.


I've adapted the original recipe to what I had available in my fridge so here's my version.  I had enough left over pastry from the 9inch dish to make a mini quiche which I have photographed.


This recipe has no salt as it is for for Nye but you could use Salted Butter or add some to the mix to taste.

Cheesy Shortcrust Pastry:

• 200g (7oz) - Plain Flour]
• 100g (3 1/2oz) - Unsalted Butter
• 100g (3 1/2oz) - Grated Cheese
• 3 tbsp - Cold Water

- Lightly grease the baking tin (I used a 9inch sq tin so I can cut it easily into fingers)
- Rub the butter and flour together until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs then add the cheese and lightly mix.
- Slowly add the water and stir in with a knife until the mixture comes together.
- Knead the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it forms a stiff dough.
- Roll it out to fit your chosen baking tray
- Blind bake in oven  @ 190°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5) for 10-12 minutes




Lentil Quiche Filling:

• Unsalted Butter for frying
• 1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 175g (6oz) - Red lentils, rinsed in cold water and drained
• 600ml (1pint) - Milk
• 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 2 eggs
• 75g (2 1/2oz) - Cheese, grated
• 1 sweet red/orange/yellow pepper, sliced

- Heat the butter in a pan and fry the garlic and spring onions until soft.

- Add the lentils and stir.

- Add the milk and Thyme and bring to the boil.

- Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes (most of the liquid will be absorbed)

- Check and stir the mixture every 5 minutes.  It is done when the lentils are soft.  

- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5)

- In a bowl/jug beat the egg and stir in half the cheese.

- Fish out the Thyme Sprigs and add the egg mix to the lentils and stir until mixed (be careful the pan is not too hot or it will scramble!)

- Pour the mixture into the pre-cooked pastry case and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.