I'm baaaaack!

Miss me? My man and I got back today from a well-deserved respite in Lucea, Jamaica. (Sighhh...) Originally, the getaway was timed to celebrate my upcoming birthday, but we ended up NEEDING it. We're planning a move to another state, trying to sell our house in — shall we say — a not-so-good market and moving on to other jobs (I still have to find mine, gulp!). Plus we have a cruising, hungry, teething, adorable despot running our household.
It was my first time away from the baby for more than one night. I woke up the first morning feeling...uh, what's the word...rested? I hadn't said that in so long my lips almost forgot how to form the sounds.
My parents kept Josie for the five days we were abroad. They're still so in love with grandchild No.1 that they still think of babysitting as a pleasure and a privilege. Shhhhh...let us let them keep thinking that as long as possible.
And, yeah, I was nervous leaving my lamb for so long even though she was staying with the people who raised me (I mean, I turned out OK, right? RIGHT!?). And, yeah, everything went well. And, yeah, somethings they didn't do as well as Mommy and Daddy. But dang it if somethings they didn't do better  — namely getting Josie to eat more table food.
Whenever I spoke to my parents on the phone my questions always went in this order: How is she sleeping? What is she eating?
I let them feed Josie. I sent her with snacks and formula, but her main meals came from them. Looking back on it, I think that's the ultimate sign of trust.
Here's what I learned from my elders:
1. Parboil sweet potatoes in natural orange juice and mash. The OJ gives them a little sweetness but is way healthier than brown sugar or marshmallows, and it also adds vitamin C.
2. Make real oatmeal. At 11 months, Josie can handle the real stuff, which I imagine also tastes better than the pasty, high-polished baby oatmeal we've been giving her.
3. Fresh pineapple cores (you know the fibrous, hard, throw-away centers of the fresh-cut pineapple in the produce section) make excellent teethers. Baby can scrape some off just a little of the sweet, tart fleshy fruit but can't bite chunks big enough to choke on.
4.  Puree cooked vegetables and hide them in meatloaf and meatballs, a strategy also known as the sneak. My dad made Josie a turkey loaf and she LOVED it.
5. All babies love mashed potatoes. 'Nuf said.
And, as a side note, here's what I learned in Jamaica:
1. You can eat callaloo for breakfast. And it's gooooood.
2. Never go against Canadians (in drinking games) when integrity is on the line.
3. Food really does taste better when your toes are buried in sand.
4. Chicken patties! Chicken patties! Chicken patties!
5. Feral cats love jerk chicken.