Om nom nom nom, CHICKEN!

Can you believe we're already nearing the end of October!? It seems every time I look up I have to change the page on our kitchen calendar! Tomorrow our little man is 7 months old - how time flies! He's mastered the art of sitting unsupported, making me one very happy and proud mommy!

Look at that handsome man!

Ricky's still experiencing severe separation anxiety - he is now permanently glued to my side throughout the day to assuage his fears. I don't mind in the least, I love spending time with my little man, but it does break my heart when he cries for me if I leave the room. Earlier today I took advantage of his cheerful mood and left him playing on his mat to grab a quick bite to eat. I couldn't have been in the kitchen for more than a minute when he started crying. That crying turned to wailing which turned to shrieking, all in a period of about 30 seconds, and I grabbed everything I needed to finish off in the lounge. That's when I realised that Ricky's cries sounded closer than the lounge. A LOT closer. I stuck my head out of the kitchen to see that he had leopard crawled his way out of the lounge and most of the way to the kitchen in search of me. My heart shattered. His face was streaked with tears and the look of utter despair I found there made me want to cry. I could do nothing but sweep him up in my arms and just hold him.

But when he's not crossing the Himalayas in search of spiritual fulfillment, my little bee is a happy, smiley man who just likes to have fun with his mommy. On Tuesday we played around with my cellphone camera for a little and had a bit of photo booth style fun. The result made me chuckle!

In other news, Ricky has officially been introduced to his new favourite vegetable - chicken! He's growing oh so big, oh so quickly, and I thought it was time he started getting his protein in bigger doses. It's also time he started learning to chew, since his second tooth made an appearance last week, so chunky is in! For those moms out there looking to start their little ones on meat, but not so sure how to go about it, here's my recipe for what Ricky currently enjoys every second night. I decided to stick with what he likes, so this is perfect for introducing the new flavours.

Hearty Chicken Mash

1 pack fresh filleted chicken breasts (about 450g)

2 medium sweet potatoes

5 - 6 large carrots

5 baby marrows

thyme

1. Cube the chicken quite finely, removing any excess sinew and fat. You just want the good stuff!
2. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and carrots, and cube the baby marrows, skin on.
3. Throw it all in a pot and add enough water to just cover the chicken and veggies.
4. Add the edge of a teaspoon of salt (veggies boiled without salt just taste ghastly!) and thyme to taste. I used about a teaspoon of dried thyme, and it worked out perfectly for the quantity.
5. Simmer uncovered on a medium heat until the veggies are soft, and mash with a potato masher - you want to keep some of the chunk.

This recipe makes enough for 15 meals for Ricky - so a month supply of dinners. If you're planning on freezing the meals (which I would recommend, since chicken doesn't keep well in the fridge for extended periods), make sure you use fresh chicken breasts that have not been previously frozen. Once food has been defrosted it is not recommended to refreeze it.

Ricky's a huge fan of his chicken mash, and wolfs it down with gusto! I hope it has the same reception in your home!

That's the face of a man enjoying his chicken!

Here's to fun family pics and nommy chicken dinners!

Smiles,
Mommy