Avocado take 2

After last night's failed attempt at feeding James due to my ignorance on how to prepare the food properly (though after the video stopped rolling I did water it down more after I mushed it through a fine mesh sieve and used my finger instead of the spoon while I held him in my arms and some did actually get consumed) I decided to make another go of it this morning.
Again I used the sieve to give a fine consistency to the avocado then added way more breastmilk to make it an actual liquid- unlike last night when you could have held the bowl upside down and wouldn't have come out- this was like heavy cream consistency. I also moved him from the Bumbo- in which he has the tendency to lean forward- to the bouncy seat where at least gravity would help him get the food off the spoon. I think the main problem last night was the texture and not the flavor since he ate the tablespoon I gave him this morning with smiles.

James & the chunky Avocado

This portion is quite long and really only doting grandmas and aunts will watch it entirely. However, it does show how happy and content James was prior to his first meal. It also shows how clueless I am at how thick first solids should be.


Still content, still too thick (again for aunties).


First bites...


Not the best experience.

James experienced his first Luau while in Hawaii.

I even had him dressed up as a typical tourist with mismatched plaid shirt and plaid shorts.

His favorite part seemed to be sampling the orchids. His Aunt Chelsea wasn't sure about letting him eat them but we decided since they are edible it shouldn't be a problem.

He also got his first Tahitian "tattoo" done with oil pencils.

A darling little sea turtle.

He also got his own shell leis.

And learned to Hula with his Aunt Chelsea.

My chunky bean

Time to scrub off all the sunscreen!

Fun with Grandsir

James' great-grandfather - Grandsir- will be 88 years old July 6th. He still walks a mile every day. He has a walker to help with his balance that has a seat he can use to take a break when he gets fatigued or when he just wants to stop and chat with the neighbors and other walkers & runners. Today my mom and James joined him on this morning tradition. (My mom actually was watching James for the morning&afternoon while my sister, Chelsea, my Aunt Betty and I went on a hike to the western most point of Oahu- more on that in another post.)

Fun with Nana

Today we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center to learn about 7 different islands.

We got through 5 of the 7 before we started to melt.

James fell asleep in one of the presentations.

Sweated profusely in my arms during his nap.

And woke up happy as a clam after 30 minutes.

Thoroughly enjoying the cooling Hawaiian breeze in his Nana's arms.

4 months and 15 days- he did it!

James decided last week that standing up was his newest and greatest thing- so all week he was practicing standing on laps and jumping in the johnny-jump-up. In the above picture I am just steadying him so he doesn't topple over but he's doing all the work for staying upright.

Today he used those strengthened muscles to turn over for the first time from his back to his tummy!
The first time he did I missed it. I was busy eating breakfast and James was on the floor playing on his back. Then my mom who was next to me in the kitchen said "Look!" and was pointing at James now playing on his tummy. A little while later after I had put him back on his back when he was tired of being on his tummy- he did it again and this time I saw the whole process. He definitely doesn't have it down to the point of being able to do it at will, but he did keep trying over and over and was eventually successful.
He is getting so big!