First solids + Giveaway!

Demitri is 6 months old today!
I can hardly believe that half a year has flown by since he was born. He has grown so much!
As of today he weights 15 lbs 3 oz and is 26 inches tall.

Since he turned 4 months old I've been asked when I was going to give him his first solids. I decided to wait till he was 6 months old. By 6 months the gut is closed and the risk for food alergies is greatly reduced. The AAP now also follows WHO guidelines and recommends only breastmilk for the first 6+ months. The AAP used to say between 4-6 months but with more research now say to wait till at least 6 months.

I did a lot of thinking and searching as to what Demitri's first solid food should be. We are not doing purees so I wanted something I could cut up small enough for him to eat, soft enough that he could just mash it with his tongue, and tasty...so what?

Avocado! It met all the requirements listed above, and we can get them super fresh out here in CA!

I contacted the Avocado Diva and told her about Demitri's up coming 1/2 year celebration and that he would be trying his first solid food and she sent me a special avocado for him. Here is the box I got in the mail. Just look at the size of that avocado! I've never seen one so big.

She sent it to me under ripe so by the time today rolled around it would be ready. I cut into it and it was perfect! The colors of the meat were beautiful, it was smooth and creamy, and had zero brown spots. 

Daddy gave it his approval. Since you know he HAD to make sure it was good enough for his little boy to eat.

So what is so special about this avocado you ask. You can read the whole story here, but here is a little background for those who do not have time to go read. 

"A very nice man emailed the Diva (after reading that story) to say his mom had a tree that was very old, produced some amazing avocados, and that soon the tree would probably have to be cut down. Sad! Avocado trees don't move well - it's not like you can dig it up (the root system would be several dozen feet wide, for one thing) - plus they just stop producing fruit after several decades. The great news is -- in February -- Brokaw Nursery called Mr. Davis and (yippee!!) the grafts worked well! They had several small trees growing - and Mr. Davis was SO kind - he gave the Diva one! Mr. Davis and his family will all attempt to grow them, as well as several other friends. So this tree will live on through the traditional process of cutting, grafting, and growing more "baby" trees - just like we've been doing in California since the Spanish landed near Dos Pueblos (above Santa Barbara) since the 1800's."

This avocado she sent us came from the tree that she was given, she even went and picked it herself! Talk about special.

So tonight I cut up the avocado and gave it to Demitri to try.

It was the first time he has tried anything other than mommy's milk (and I was nervous he would LOVE it and decide "to heck with nursing when I can have this!") he wasn't too sure about it at first. He liked the feeling of it squishing in his hands and sliding it around on his tray, but when I put a piece in his mouth (so he would get the idea it was ok to eat) he made the most funny (disgusted/shocked) face ever! 

After a few other times of putting some more tiny pieces in his mouth and making faces he seemed to start enjoying it. 

He tried picking up some of the avocado pieces himself and getting them into his mouth, but hand feeding it one of those "fine arts" he has yet to learn. He got it into his fist but then could not get it into his mouth. He still did such a good job!

Messy avocado face!

He got avocado everywhere. In his hair, his ears, his nose, up his arms, on his legs. A bath was a much needed thing tonight.

Thank you Avocado Diva for the yummy avocado!

Giveaway!

The Diva has a Baby's First Avocado kit it comes with 4 in season avocados, a special wooden spoon, and an avocado saver. One lucky reader will get this kit either to use for their own baby or to give to a friend as a special unique gift! More about The Diva: The Avocado Diva is ALL about getting the best, unique, avocados from small ranches and farms up and down the California coast... and then shipping then to your door!  (note she can ship them outside of CA) You can try 2 or 3 varieties of avocados for a taste test! Or sign up for our "avocado of the month" club and get the variety that is in season FIRST! ...In all cases, we work with the local ranchers and farmers to ensure you get fresh, just-picked fruit, at the top of their season. ...We research recipes and ingredients, tools, oils, spices and more - and bring them to you on our website. Here you'll find tools to slice and mash your avocados into delicious sauces and "mole-s". Storage solutions for this precious fruit. Salts and spices to sprinkle on your heritage avocado's golden-green flesh."

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