Do you remember the first time you saw a fish? Not filleted and cooked on a plate or those little golden crackers, I mean alive and swimming in the water.

I haven’t a clue about my fishy first, but I had the joy of showing Avery fish for the first time the day when I had to go to the doctor. Yeah, I had to go in for blood work as part of my unsolved issues I mentioned in this post.

So it was the most ideal way to show Avery fish for the first time, but the aquarium in the doctor’s office held several brightly colored species that she took interest in immediately. While waiting, I held her up close to the glass and her eyes would hone in on one, it would wisp away behind corral, and she’d lock onto another gilled guppy nearby.

The entire time we were waiting, Avery couldn’t take her eyes off of the lively underwater melting pot of fish, and I loved being able to experience her seeing something totally new for the first time. This excites me for everything new Going Mom and I expose her to, and going to the zoo will be splendid for sure!

I remember our first attempts at baby-led weaning with carrots and broccoli being the first foods. She had no clue what to do with those veggies at first, but it was a pleasure watching as she finally figured out they were edible eats.

We’re still feeding  her the same veggies plus a couple new ones, and she’s still crapping them out confirming they don’t all end up on the floor! Also, as confirmed from her poop, carrots remain as her favorite food. After mommy’s breast milk, obviously.

Which leads me to today’s Friday Foodie Fun Facts. No, not breast milk, although that might be interesting, today I have carrot facts! I’ve changed several staple foods in my diet over the years, but carrots have always been present and welcome.

For those who crave a satisfying crunch without reaching for a bag of chips, carrots are a perfectly healthy option. Dip them in natural peanut or almond butter and I’m good to go! Another favorite of mine, is to dice them up and eat them with milk or yogurt like cereal. Much better than boxed, processed and sugary grain, and you still have a great crunch that never gets soggy!

• Carrots have been cultivated for at least 5,000 years and are thought to have originated in Afghanistan. Originally, carrots were white, purple, red or yellow, but not orange.
• In the 16th century, the orange carrot was developed in the Netherlands (Yellow carrots were cross-bred with red carrots) in honor of the House of Orange, the Dutch Royal Family. 
• Most veggies are best eaten raw, but carrots are more nutritious when cooked first. Carrots have tough cellular walls that make much of their nutrients locked up and indigestible. Cooking, however, partially dissolves cellulose-thickened cell walls, freeing up nutrients by breaking down the cell membranes.
• Carrots contain more sugar than any other vegetable, except for beets.
• The longest carrot ever recorded was 19 feet 1.960 inches.
• The heaviest carrot ever recorded weighed 18.985 pounds.
• Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was reported to not like carrots.

Are you a fan of carrots?

Ever seen or eaten one a different color than orange? I had the opportunity to buy two large purple carrots a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed them raw as well as roasted. Look at those massive things! Bugs Bunny would be envious…….his voice? Not so much.