What better way to declare your independence then by eating all by yourself?!

On Monday morning Mom was preparing breakfast for her five beautiful children and decided that their traditional oatmeal and yogurt needed a splash of color. While apples and bananas are favorites they weren’t bright enough, but berries certainly would do the trick! Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries turned the dreary oats into a bright purple surprise! Little did Mom know that today was the day that her children were going to exercise their right to feed themselves! Kali was the first to say, “No thanks, Mom, I got this.” Of course, she chose not to use her words, but rather to swat the spoon from Mama’s hand sending it flying onto Bella’s lap. She then proceeded to raspberry her raspberries all over the table and her brother, Theo, sitting 2 seats over. Theo thought this was hilarious and joined the raspberry spray fest. Of course once the spoon hit Bella, she, too, caught on, and soon Mom had a mutiny on her hands. While I would have appreciated a subtler request to learn how to feed themselves; the message was nevertheless received. I am eager to celebrate this milestone with my children. I won’t be packing away the Baby Bullet just yet, but now that four out of the five have at least 2 choppers we will be discovering the quints’ finger food faves! Their new meal plan that embraces their new found independence and celebrates their 11-month milestones is as follows: Breakfast:

• 5-6 ounces Milk (Breast Milk with Goats Milk)
• Banana OR Cooked Pears, Peaches, Fig, Plum or Apple
• Cheerios OR Oatmeal OR Oat-based Teething Biscuit

Lunch:

• 5-6 ounces Milk
• Cooked Carrots, Peas, Summer squash
• Ground Meat (Beef, Chicken, Turkey) OR Flaked Fish
• Cooked Potato OR Spiral Whole Grain Pasta

PM Snack:

• 5-6 ounces Milk OR Water (Will switch to water after 1 year)
• Avocado OR Chopped Hard Boiled Egg
• Cheerios OR Oat-based Teething Biscuit

Dinner:

• 5-6 ounces Milk
• Cooked Carrots, Peas, Summer squash
• Cooked Beans (Chick peas or Kidney beans) OR Soft Cubed Tofu

Evening Snack:

• 6-8 ounces Milk