All Hallows Eve
Halloween is not a big deal in the
UK.
Well, to be more precise, it fell into decline from its high point during the
superstition-riddled middle ages,
until the Halloween
horror movies in the 1980s carried trick-or-treat across
the pond. My friends and I delighted in the chance to get freebies from
our
neighbouring house owners.
Jasper is of course too little a man for all the excitement this year. He has a costume, though – a Tigger outfit that is so cute, it seems a shame to waste its powers. So Carolina and I may take Jasper around the houses anyway.
He’s bound to enjoy all the new sights and smells, and we will eat his candy for him. The offer from Hudson’s fire department of hot chocolate is extremely tempting, too.
This week, JD had his first passport photo taken at May’s Studio. It seems odd to have a passport for an infant, particularly when you consider how much he will change before it expires! Another money-spinning government idea, I fancy.
Our efforts to wean him onto solid food continue. It seems very little is unpalatable, the exception so far being peas – their skins don’t liquidise properly and he is not a big fan of textures. We invested in a hand blender, which will pay for itself a hundredfold in the long run. When you make your own baby food, it is immediately apparent how much better this is than relying on store-bought foods.
Applesauce is a prime example of why we should all take more care over what we feed our kids. It’s the easiest thing in the world to make: peel, slice and microwave for four minutes; it contains one ingredient, apples. A leading brand’s applesauce from the grocery store has six, including colours, glucose-fructose and flavouring.
Older kids could benefit from more watchfulness. Why in the world would people give Kraft Dinner to a child? Can it be so much harder to make a fresh cheddar sauce and boil some wholewheat pasta?
Our lives have become too easy, filled with time-saving gadgets and drive-through everything, instant entertainment 24/7 and food at the touch of a button. Perhaps it would be wise to work a little harder. We will reap what we sow in the long run. Sleep well.
