Doing Grown Folks Stuff.

So, even though my baby is only seven months old, I have quickly learned that things go differently than I think they're going to go on this parenting journey. Today at knitting Ellie was snuggled up with her Tia Tillie, and suddenly, her Go-Go Gadget hands shot out, grabbed Tillie's chocolate chip cookie, and shoved it in her piehole, where she began chomping. We replaced the cookie with a cracker-type deal (because sugar is not great for babies, and they recommend no dairy until after a year) and Ellie continue to just chow down on it.

It got me thinking - there is a school of thought about baby feeding called Baby Led Weaning. Rather than the parent spooning puree into a baby's mouth for them to swallow, Baby Led Weaning advises giving the baby table food in safe sized pieces and letting the baby feed themselves, so that they learn how to chew their food instead of just swallowing it, and so they have control over their own eating. Ellie's enthusiasm for chomping on the cookies got me thinking. First off, I bought her some teether cookies for her to work her little tooth on (getting bigger, and poking through more of her gum every day.) And then tonight, when we had asparagus and chicken for dinner, I just gave her some on her tray. The asparagus I just gave her as a straight spear (cooked) and the chicken I tore into small pieces for her. She wasn't interested in the chicken but she did chomp through the asparagus. And then, lo and behold, when I busted out the pureed carrots, she DUG IN. Most nights, it's a struggle to get the first bite of food into her mouth and then sometimes she'll realize she likes what I'm serving and start eating, and sometimes, I just end up with food all over her face and none in her belly and I give up, because I have bigger battles to fight. This was the most amiable and food focused I've seen her... EVER. Makes sense that my willful daughter would eat better after she spent some time being allowed to feed herself. So, we'll see how it goes. If I make something for dinner that's safe for her to eat, I want her to try it. Until she's a year, nursing will still be how she gets 90% of her calories, so as long as she's nursing well, she's welcome to try any solids that strike her fancy. Unless it's my food, of course. Then back off, baby!

Here she is with her asparagus. She ate through the spear, and then was basically done with it. But she tried it! And seemed to like it!

Today at knitting she also sat in a chair of her own for the very first time. She is turning into quite the regular little lady.


I love her more every day. She is just so fun. She's starting leaning in to give me sweet little baby kisses (open mouthed and drooly) and she's closer to crawling every day. Tonight while Tim was grilling, we brought her out and sat her on the lawn, where she played with her rattle and squealed and was just absolutely darling in the last of the evening sunshine. I feel so amazingly grateful that she's my little baby face, and that I have such a wonderful family.

My sweetie peatie. Please notice the spoon in the lower left corner - she loves nothing more than to drag that over her gums lately.