Searching for our tree of life

The new word that would describe Jakob would have to be "independent." I noticed that lately he's been a little fussy and wanting to nurse 10 times a day, so I decided that we would try giving him "real food" and see if he stays full longer. Friday he had a dinner of green beans (whole), cut up ham and cheese and dried cranberries. I just put the food on his little tray and let him go at it. He loved the food and seemed to really liked the fact that he could choose which food he wanted to eat. He ate a lot that night. The next morning I woke up and was kind of uncomfortable and realized that I forgot to even nurse him on Friday night! I've been wanting to start weaning Jakey once he turns a year, and put him on whole milk. It is kinda sad to lose that closeness with breast feeding, but he is a big boy now and I think we're both ready. I am very thankful that I was able to breast feed him and that we never really had any major problems with it. I have 2 friends at church who really wanted to nurse with their first babies, but could not produce enough milk even with pumping and/or using herbs (you never think about people having those kind of problems when you don't have them). Saturday I fed Jakob baby food at lunch time (I need to finish up what I've got left) along with a whole banana. That boy LOVES!!!! banana's! When I show him the banana and say "want some nana?" he says "nana." (totally off the subject, but he also says "all done" when he quits eating I say "ok, are we all done" and it sounds very close to all done, and he does it every time, so I know he's attempting to say it) We skipped the nursing on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night he ate green beans, corn and cheese and more banana. I nursed him Saturday night and that was that. I also bought him some little berry juice boxes and he drinks a juice box with dinner. I have been trying to make sure he's drinking some water and juice during the day so he doesn't get dehydrated since he's not nursing as much now. He does not like me to hold the juice box. I let him hold the juice box and I make sure the straw is pointed forward and he drinks it on his own. He is definitely becoming more independent very quickly. I am going to have to change my grocery shopping as it relates to Jakob. Baby food is easier to buy and to serve, but I actually think fresh produce will end up being cheaper (we spend about $30 on baby food for two weeks). I want to make sure and give him a variety of foods, because he's not picky right now and I don't want him to become that way. I know next grocery trip I want to get some sweet potatoes and carrots to steam. If anybody has any ideas for fresh foods I can cook up and he can eat with his fingers, please let me know :)