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There aren’t many milestones that have made me weepy, but for some reason when Macks started solids I wanted to break down in tears. I’ve really enjoyed our breastfeeding journey together. Much more than I did with the girls. Perhaps it’s because it’s a time for just the two of us to sit in a quiet room and the focus is solely on the two of us. Starting solids wasn’t the end of that, but it was the end of me being the one provider of his nourishment.

When he turned six months I knew it was time for him to get a taste of solids. He was grabbing at my food, making a chewing face, and attempting to bring everything to his mouth.

I started making baby food for Avery and immediately found it very therapeutic. Every Saturday morning I’d run to our local fruit stand and buy fresh fruits and veggies to puree. For the next couple of hours I’d prepare all of those fruits and veggies in the kitchen for her to have delicious meals for the rest of the week. I loved coming up with different combinations of fruits and vegetables to see which ones she liked the best.

Although I was sad to see Macks start solids, I was excited to get back in the kitchen and making baby food. It’s incredibly easy and so much cheaper than buying jarred food. I used the Sage Spoonfuls system with Avery (and even after she was finished with pureed foods) and was excited to use it again with Macks. Sage Spoonfuls has come out with some new products since Avery started solids including their glass jars and bamboo spoons.

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I found this gorgeous collection of organics carrots at the grocery store and decided to give them a try for Macks first taste of the veggie.

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I steamed the carrots and then put them into the food processor. With two different speeds, you are able to get your food pureed in a matter of seconds. I even used this processor for my food when making meals. The immersion blender that also comes with the set is great for mashed potatoes and smoothies! This set isn’t just for baby food, it will last you well beyond the baby years and you will be surprised with how much you are using it in your kitchen well after they are finished with pureed foods.

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I love these new glass jars. They are the perfect size for one serving of baby food for Macks. We are trying to stay away from plastics in our house, so these are a great alternative. They are durable and can go in the freezer so that you can keep your pureed fruits and vegetables longer.

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These stickers are great to keep track of what you made and when you made it.

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Now for the taste test. It’s his very first time trying carrots. He didn’t know what to think at first, but after a while he started to like it more and more. Surprisingly, he finished the entire jar. This was a first since starting solids!

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His favorite thing is to play with the spoon once we are finished. He will play with it for the entire time while I wash the dishes. It’s a win/win for both of us!

Great news! Sage Spoonfuls was generous enough to give one lucky AMITC reader a chance to win a Sage Spoonfuls prize pack that includes the Glass Homemade Essentials Package,  Glass Snack Pack, On-The-Go Cooler with Freezer Pack, and the Bamboo Baby and Toffler Spoons.

Just fill out the form below to enter. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I did receive the product for review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.}

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I look at this photo and think, “gosh, we look like babies.” This was taken about a month before MacKay and I got engaged. I knew he was the man that I wanted to marry. We’ve learned a lot over these past seven years, probably much more than we ever imagined. This man has seen me at my worst and at my best and through it all he continues to be at my side.

Thank you, MacKay, for taking this crazy journey with me. We’ve got three beautiful children and a life that just continues to get better. You are my best friend and the love of my life. I love you so much. Happy Anniversary!

 

 

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Upon moving to the suburbs, I wasn’t sure how much I would use a stroller. In the city it was our main mode of transportation, but now that we had a car, I didn’t think that I would use one at any time, if at all.

Boy was I naive. While we don’t use it nearly as much as we did in the city, we do use it quite often. Harlan’s school is only about a 10 minute walk, so we’ve been taking advantage of this gorgeous weather and walking to school. Harlan and Avery love walking with me and Macks loves being able to sit up and see everything like a big boy.  Now that we have a garage and a ton of storage space in our house, it’s even more of an excuse for me to try out the latest and greatest in the stroller market.

I had the chance to check out the Britax Affinity last year when I attended the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas. Immediately, I knew this was something different from Britax. We’ve owned several strollers and car seats from Britax and we’ve loved them all, but this stroller adds a little bit of luxury to Britax’s line of strollers.

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The Britax Affinity is completely customizable. With three different color frames to choose from and six color packs to add, this is definitely a stroller that you can make to fit your style. The color packs are easy to install on the stroller and have clean lines that give it a sophisticated look. I really like that the stroller seat pad was nice and cushioned for Macks to sit on.

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The seat offers a a five point harness to keep baby safe while strolling along.

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The front tires have an adjustable suspension system and the back tires are air-filled (pneumatic) tires. I love the brake system that allows you to securely lock the tires with one simple step.

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The storage basket gives you plenty of room for both your stuff and baby’s stuff. I love the liner that comes with the color pack that is easily placed and snapped into the storage basket to give it just a little bit more of that customization!

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The adjustable foot rest is perfect because although Macks is still small, he’s still able to comfortably rest his legs.

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One of the sleekest things about the Affinity is the soft leather-like trim that is on the handle bar (that’s adjustable) and the bar that goes across the seat for the little one. It’s a great touch to the refined look of the stroller.

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The canopy has a viewing window to see your little one while strolling along. I love that it’s magnetic so that you don’t disturb baby if they are sleeping.

The Britax Affinity is compatible with both Britax infant seats as well as other major infant car seat brands. The seat can face both forward and rear with four different reclines. And the best part is that no extra adapter is required for using the infant seat on the stroller. This is a great feature that definitely comes in handy if you interchange the infant car seat and the seat on a regular basis.

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Macks is super happy because Britax was generous enough to give away a Britax Affinity to one AMITC reader!

If you’re thinking of purchasing the Britax Affinity, Britax will be having its biggest promotion of the year Sept. 20-28 with the Affinity Free Ride Event. For a limited time, receive a FREE Britax B-Safe infant car seat or Affinity Bassinet when you purchase the Affinity stroller (at participating U.S. retailers.) This is an AMAZING deal!

Enter the form below to enter the giveaway. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

{Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I did receive a stroller for review purposes. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.}