Just Peachy....

It had been a few days since little man had had anything to trial....well, unless you count the sheet rock or wood he keeps "sneaking".     Last week, I had picked up nectarine's at a local produce store.  I accidentally mixed a peach in with them.   Well, maybe it was Divine Intervention as the nectarine's were not very good once I peeled them and I ended up throwing them away -- the last thing I need is to give him spoiled fruit!  But the peach went into the fridge, maybe I'll eat it one day....

Well, the other night at dinner- he was "crying" for our food once again.  He has done this in stages for the past 8mo....when his gut is inflamed, he doesn't even ask for food.  When he is healing, he begs.   It is enough to break a mother's heart in a million pieces and some days so hard to not just give him SOMETHING!   I caved....I went to the fridge, where I knew the peach was - got a knife and sliced it up for him.  I put it in teeny-tiny pieces (the size of his millet puffs) and he picked it up (although slippery) and ate it!!  He picked up another piece and ate it!!  He tried to eat a bigger piece and gagged on it....but he recovered quickly and went for more.   He wanted to hold the peach, touch all aspects of it. He started to get frustrated that he couldn't pick up the pieces fast enough so I cut up a few more pieces and put it in his mesh feeder.  He is a little old for a mesh feeder and at first didn't know what to do with it but he got it!  He loves peaches!!

That was a big "no-no"- we trialed at night and we let him decide how much he wanted.   But I have been so frustrated with his oral aversions and not wanting to trial, and his most interested times to eat are at dinner -- with the family.  So, as I've done all along with this crazy illness -- I need to let him guide us a bit here.  I've been "throwing" (ok, not quite literally) food at him over the past week- see if I could find something he was interested in, taste and texture.  He tried persimmon, liked exploring this (freeze dried) but it came through whole in his diaper the next day and it is red- so that makes me too nervous right now.  It is in the date family, so it may be too high fructose load for him to tolerate in large enough quantity's for a true trial anyway.  He has tried buckwheat (good flavor if I do say so myself) but spit it out.  He tried spinach- gagged and spit it out.   Mango's, liked those the first day but won't let me come near him (they may have caused a big of a stomach discomfort as they are high in fructose, and his body has a hard time digesting high sugar load foods).  But we have to start somewhere....

So, we've moved on to peaches.  The next morning, I gave him what was left of the feeder (after putting it in the freezer all night)-he carried that around all morning and sucked it dry!  He was so happy with his new treat!!  

The rest of the peach (1/2 of it left), I cooked down and mashed.   Little Man's aunt gave me a great idea to try....put the puree in a piping tool (used for decorating) and pipe little dots out on some freezer paper and freeze his puree- so he could have a pureed finger foods.  So, that is what I did with the rest of the peach.   Last night, while making dinner- I sat him down and gave him his new treat.   He gobbled those up faster than I could finish making dinner!!  Thanks Aunty M!!!!! 

Now, I was out of prepared peaches, but I had just picked up a few dozen more at the store; so I got some and cut it up like the previous night.  He was more interested in the skin!!  He wanted to "chew" on the skin!  We let him explore it a bit, but I had to stop it soon....there is a spray put on most fresh fruits and veggies for preservation and this spray often contains corn byproducts!   So, even if washed- it would be a chance I'm not ready to take yet for him.  But it was really great to see him putting something with so much texture in his mouth.....

So far, so good with peaches....and we celebrate our little victories.   Could it be that we are FINALLY building little man a tiny menu??   Peaches are good source of vitamin A and C -- just what he needs!!  Also, they even have a bit of iron in them.  They would be a perfect addition to his diet.  Now if everything else in Little Man's complex care could be "just peachy", we could celebrate more.   But for now, I must go and prepare/puree/pipe/slice/freeze the rest of those peaches!!