All about Taya

Taya is taking a nap...why am I not taking a nap?!
I decided to give more of an update on Taya because I have been brief in my recent blogs and because I don't have any new pictures to post today. I love talking about my girl, so what a better venue than my blog??

Taya's new favorite food is YoBaby yogurt. She has been trying all sorts of new foods the past few weeks, including adult peas/carrots/apricots/peaches/cherries/pears; cinnamon bread; scrambled eggs; string cheese; and the yogurt. At first I got the variety pack with apple and mixed berry flavors. She didn't seem all that interested in those. Then I bought the pack with vanilla and banana and she eats a whole carton (4 oz) at a time. She has handled the milk proteins just fine, which leads up to our next new food:

Whole milk. Now this might be TMI for a few people, but I am not shy about talking about breastfeeding. I am very proud of breastfeeding my daughter and giving her the healthiest start I can. The past few weeks she has really been cutting down on nursing and she actually self-weaned on Tuesday of this week. She is not at all interested in nursing anymore. I have still been pumping twice a day just to make sure she gets the nutrients and antibodies from the breastmilk. I am not really interested in giving her formula just to turn around and start cow's milk in another 6 weeks, so I am slowly introducing the cow's milk now. Actually she had her first this morning; I am mixing 4 oz breastmilk + 1 oz whole milk and putting it in her sippy cup. I guess we're weaning from a bottle also! She drank it right down! I don't know how long I will pump, but we go to my mom's for the 4th of July, so I might be done then. I have quite the reserve of breastmilk in the freezer, so Taya should get breastmilk 'til her 1st birthday. We'll gradually up the whole milk ratio and will be to 100% whole milk in 6 weeks.

I think it's my nature as a dietitian to worry about what Taya eats and to make sure she's getting all of her nutrients. Cow's milk is lower in iron than breastmilk or formula, but she gets it from her meat and cereal so I am not too worried. She also needs about 1000 calories/day and I calculated what she usually eats and it's not quite enough. I might have to add another snack or more milk. She is really thinning out and looking more like a toddler; I swear she grew overnight on Thursday. My little baby is growing up.

Taya has been walking along the couch and walking behind her shopping cart. Once in a while she'll just let go and stand by herself. Last night she stood by herself for at least 20 seconds and gained her balance 4 times without falling over. It's so cute and we really praise her.

Taya is very social. The other day when Ethan picked her up from daycare, she was standing by an exersaucer that had a baby in it and she as talking to the baby. She also says hi to little kids she sees at the store. She likes to talk to herself in the mirror also. She will definitely need some siblings so she doesn't get bored with just Ethan and me!

We don't have a lot planned for Ethan for Father's Day, but he is going golfing this evening and we have some gifts for him to open tomorrow. We'll go to Mass and possibly out to eat breakfast. We hope all you fathers out there (probably not many reading this blog) have a very happy day.

Well, I think Taya is awake now. She is working very hard to grow in her other top front tooth. Hopefully we'll have pictures to post of it soon!