It's time for food

I was dreading solid food.  Dreading it so bad.

I had pronounced that I was going to wait a really long time.  Possibly forever.  I wasn't going to let anyone pressure me otherwise.

I had considered foregoing cereal and purees in favor of BLW.  I'd start with spaghetti.  And a fork.  Some time around 3 years of age.

I had perhaps become a little irrational.

But around 5 months?  My baby seemed hungry.  She wanted to nurse all the time, and she was waking up more at night.  She tried to steal my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Guys?  I'm not great at signs,. but I'm pretty sure she was trying to tell me something.  So, without anyone suggesting it or  pressuring me or in any way influencing my decision, I went out and bought a box of rice cereal.

I still wasn't convinced that this was a good idea, but I figured I'd give it a try.  I gave myself escape clauses. If she didn't like it (which I was sure she wouldn't), I'd just put it away and not think about it again.

But then a funny thing happened.  She liked it.  She leaned into the food.  Tried to take the spoon from me and get it into her mouth.  Swallowed every bite.

Huh.

So, for the past month, I've been spooning cereal into my smiling baby's mouth once a day.  About a week ago, I thought to myself "Oh, maybe we should have something else."  So I made some pureed squash and pureed sweet potatoes.  Now once a day I spoon pureed vegetables into my smiling baby's mouth.

WHAT IS HAPPENING??!

At BG's mommy and me class on Tuesday, I mentioned to a few moms that we'd started solids.  They asked how it was going and I said "So well!  I'm so surprised!  She likes food!  She wants it in her mouth."

And then I realized they were all giving me the "you're special" look.  "Uh huh.  Well, how was she?" (indicating my older daughter)

"Oh.  Awful.  She used to spit it out.  Knock the spoon out of my hand.  Hit me."

"Oh.  Huh."

WHAT?? I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT ALL BABIES DID.

Ahem.

But anyway.  Food is going well this time.  Who knew?  I'm still not sure how much to give her or when or in what combinations.  But as long as she keeps smiling, I'm just going to keep spooning food into her mouth.

I like food too, sweet girl.  I really do.