In excess

Back in day (you know, a few short months ago), I was intending to return to work while the little babe was a wee babe, merely 7-months old.  For those of you not in the trenches, this means that I was intending to return to work at a pivotal time in my babe's food-taste development.  And if there's one thing that I'm pretty durn stubborn about, it's what my kids eat and how they eat it.  I'm stubborn about other things as well in regards to my kids; I'm cool like that.  But food, now, that's particularly important to me.  I'm not about to have my messed up for life because I screwed up their formative eating habits when they were young and impressionable.  And, I'm not about to give in to the "chances are" gods and play fast & loose with whatever diet regimen a caretaker for my child would impose.  Again, I'm cool like that.

So, I did what anyone would undoubtedly do in my position.  Two things actually.  First, I pumped like the very dickens and truly stocked up.  The last time around, we had to start supplementing with formula right around 7 months for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that I didn't pump as much as I could have when the going was good.  Lesson learned.  Today, in my chest freezer, I have somewhere between 150-200 frozen bags of milk, all between 4-6 ounces give or take 1/2 an ounce.  My kid was still going to get her goods even if I was going back to work.  And I wasn't really planning on pumping religiously at work.  I know some women who have, and bless them tenfold.  They are the very foundation upon which society should be built.  Second, I stocked up on quality baby food having no idealistic imaginings that I would magically be able to not only come home from working all day, make supper, make delicious baby food, and take care of two children, often by myself as track season starts mid-February and continues until early June.  I don't mind making baby food when the circumstance calls for it, but seriously...wasn't going to happen much.  This time around, I was stocked upon the milk but lacking in baby food.  So I bought some.  A lot.  Cases.  (Those buy-one-get-one-free sales will get you me every time.)

I'm pretty sure that going into December, I had 12 (t-w-e-l-v-e) boxes, which hold 12 (t-w-e-l-v-e) pouches each of various mushed up foods.  That's 144.  Plus, I had an additional 10-15 containers (with 2 containers/pack).  That's another 20-30 servings.  Plus, I had an additional 10-15 jars.  That's another 10-15 servings.  Add it up.  144+30+15=189 or so.  I guess I was intending to feed triplets or else bring the snacks for an entire day care each day.

We've been working our way dilligently through this excess for about 4 months now.  Each time I get rid of a box out of my pantry is like a little hallelujah moment.  Thankfully, I have a kid who doesn't mind baby food.  She also gets quite a bit of "real" food cause that's the way we roll.  We did this with Abby as well and it worked okay.  Baby food = quick nutrition some meals.  Others, I have the time and attention to put her meal together differently.

In the meantime, I have scads of baby food that would be expiring and would be a monstrously huge waste of money if I let it happen.  So...brainstorming time.  I know that applesauce substitutes well for oil in baked goods, so it stands to reason in  my mind that pureed pears would as well, right?  Yes and no.  The consistency is off, but the flavor is legit.  We have thoroughly enjoyed

*carrot, mango, & apple muffins
*green bean & pea pancakes (kind of)
*blueberry & applesauce pancakes
*apricot & pear pancakes
*apricot & pear brownies
*butternut squash macaroni & cheese

Someday soon, I'm also going to make

*split pea soup with extra pea-ness
*roasted banana and brown rice banana bread
*something else? 

I haven't come up with other ideas.  Anyone have a good one to share?