What are you feeding her?!?!?! March

I have decided to start a new series called "What are you feeding her?!?!?!" Almost every time we are out in public this conversation happens
Random McStranger, "Oh my goodness! How cute!"
Me, "Thank you"
RMS, "How old is she, he, she?"
Me, "She is 8 months"
RMS, "Oh my goodness, big girl! How much does she weigh?"
Me, "[Fake laugh] She weighs about 23 pounds now"
RMS, "What are you feeding her?!?!?!"

My usual response to this is to make a boob joke, but the truth is, these days Lily is eating a lot more than breastmilk.
An incident like the one described above took place on our last trip to the grocery store. The woman said her second is now 8 months, and she couldn't remember when she started "solids" with her first.
She said "Does she eat food?"
Me "...Yes." I didn't get what she was asking.
RMS "No, like I mean real food?"
I laughed [for real] "Yes, she only eats real food. Like bananas, apples, carrots."
I looked in her basket and tried to hid my reaction. The ENTIRE basket was filled with brightly colored plastic bags, bottles, and boxes of baby "food". There was formula, apple sauce with "granola bits", cartoon character shaped "cookies", juice boxes, and so, SO much more. She must have seen a glimpse of something on my face and started to explain she was getting ready to start her son on solids. She then did something no stranger should ever do to Eamon or me- she asked for my advice.
Its these types of things that make me think God hates me. He tests me so much.
Any way, I point at her basket and say
"Well, truthfully, she's never had anything like that. We just do a lot of fruit and veggies and 2 egg yolks every day."
She looked at me, started to smile, and then pushed her cart away...

*insert cricket chorus here*

Had I said something to offend her? Did she think I was pulling her leg? I thought I was really sweet! But whatever it was, it was unrepairable, as mysteriously as she had appeared, she was gone.
Later that night we went to the Brownings. I was looking around to give something to Lily and Katie suggested I give her some of this awesome new rice cereal that she just got. It's loaded with probiotics and it organic according to the package. I told her I would, but Lily had never had rice cereal and didn't know how she would do with it. Katie gave me the same "Really?!?" that I've received before.

Here is where I believe it is appropriate to start giving some answers :]
Parent after parent have tried scaring me into feeding Lily formula and rice cereal since day one. She was 7 11 when she was born [which isn't premie or anything?] and people kept suggesting that she wouldn't gain weight unless I formula fed. Then once she started to pack on the pounds, people said she was gaining too much weight and that my milk wasn't good. Once they saw that I didn't buy that, they started to say I had to start supplementing with rice cereal because there was no way my body would be able to keep up with her appitite. This one, admittedly, got to me.

At 4.5 months I started to let Lily try things. Apple slices, sweet potatoes, things like that. She showed some of the developemental signs of readiness, but not as much as I would have liked. But she was very interested in food, so we went for it. Next time, I think I'll wait a little longer for our kiddo to tell us, not the RMS's of the world. I started my period again at about 6 months, though it has been VERY inconsistant. But I know it's because she started nursing less then.

Now, however, I think we've got it figured out!
Lily is actually nursing more these days, and it's far more predictable. From 8 am to 7 pm she nurses about 5-6 times and 3 times after bedtime-once when Eamon and I go to bed, and two more in the middle of the night/ wee hours of the morning. I think this may have something to do with my whacky hormones, but I love it. I enjoy nursing Lily at this age for so many reasons, and I'm really glad I've stuck with it :]



So, What AM I feeding her these days?
Everything! Haha, ok, not everything, but so much fun stuff! This is what today's menu looks like for Lily:
Breakfst: One steamed egg yolk. She has this every morning when I eat my breakfast. She LOVES our farm fresh eggs and actually prefers them over anything else she eats.

Lunch: Today she begged to eat some of my curry. It was left overs from Kidney Bean and Cauliflower coconut curry we had a few nights ago. It was mostly broth, but she loved it! I took the skins off of the beans and she had a few of those, some potatoes, and whatever onion was in it. She couldn't get enough! I thought the spice would aggrivate her tummy, but so far so good! We also split the prettiest orange I've ever seen.I love when it's citrus season, it just makes the world better.

Dinner: Tonight will be the same as it always is; one steamed egg yolk, with steamed fruit or veggies. I make sure she eats til she tells me no more so that she's nice and full, then it's off to bathtime and a good tank up from mama. She sleeps so much better because of this.
We haven't added any wheat or dairy yet, though Nina Planck makes a very convincing argument on raw dairy in wee ones.

I'd love to hear your comments or questions! I think I'll do this once a month, so tell me whatchya think! :]