Makin' food.

So, Baby Guy has decided he's ready for big people food. It started with him staring at us while we ate, then his refusal to be anywhere BUT the table at meal times. Finally, he started grabbing spoons and forks as they made their way to others' mouths.

A boy after my own heart, that one is.

I started with the traditional, ceremonial rice cereal. You know, that ground up crap that smells awful and probably tastes that way, too? Why is that supposed to be every baby's first taste of big people food? It's a wonder they end up trying anything else after we jam that slop down their throats. And I don't know about you, but I always get kind of disgusted by it while spooning it into my baby's mouths. I'm forcing a smile while going, "Mmmmm!" but I'm sure I look crazy because I'm also trying not to gag.

Anyway, Smush must have refined taste buds or something because he rejected it. Flat-out. He'll take it if I mix a tiny smidge into some applesauce, but that's about it. He prefers oatmeal for sure.

After we established his grain of choice, I decided it was time to implement fruits and veggies, too. So as I was grocery shopping last week, I turned my cart down the baby food aisle. I looked at all the foods and thought, No. I'm not doing this again. My reasoning is simple. Do you know what babies eat? They eat the same things we do, just mushed up beyond recognition. And I refuse to pay half a dollar for a dollop of sweet potatoes that would probably cost me less than a cent to make at home.

I whipped my cart around and walked away from that baby food. (I might have diva-snapped at it too and said, "Oh no you DI' int." Use your imagination.)

When I got home, I kinda panicked. Um, I didn't buy any food for the kid who is stealing spoons en route to others' mouths.

Of course, I turned to Google. And this site is what I found -- Wholesome Baby Food! Recipes! Charts! Directions!

Oh, yeah. I can so do this, I thought.

The basic idea is, you purée the foods after properly preparing them (some require cooking), pour the purée into an ice cube tray, cover it in plastic wrap, freeze it, then pop the little cubes of food into freezer bags.

When the baby is ready to eat, you take one or two out, microwave it until it's mush again, and serve.

And it really is THAT easy.

All you need is a good blender. Even a decent one will suffice. You don't need one of those cool ones that grind up iPods. (But my mom has one, and it is pretty awesome.) A food processor will work, too.

I don't consider myself "crunchy," but I do like to save a buck here and there. And you certainly can this way. Plus, Smush seems to really enjoy it!

Are you sick of buying baby food? Visit that site (here it is again) and see for yourself how easy it is to make your own. Really -- it ain't no THANG.