Baby Led Weaning

Mmmmmmm food! Banana, Avocado, Rice Rusk, Asparagus, red potato and Snow Pea. Someone (Me) didn't think to apply the bib until it was far too late.


Hanging out on the drop cloth (towel) all covered in food.


Yes, I am laying on the kitchen table while Mom prepares the bath.


Daddy washing the food off.


A well fed little Monster!


T loves feeding himself and especially likes rice rusks and banana. He seems to like avocado too when he can hold on to it long enough to get it into his mouth. Apple, sweet potato, and bread are also popular. He still has difficulty picking most of the food up because it's slippery or doesn't stick up very far off the tray but he's getting better. We still offer food from our hands when he gets frustrated.

Last night he entertained himself with his food (and a little help from us) for the whole meal! The first few times we offered solid food he enjoyed it immensely and then melted down with alarming speed when he dropped whatever he'd been enjoying. Hopefully we're past that.

We're using the method introduced in Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods - and Helping Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater by Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett. I especially love not spoon feeding. It's much nicer to sit down and enjoy a meal all together.

Da dada DA DA

Da dada DA DA
Da dada DA DA
Da dada DA DA DAAAAAAAH!

The car radio is tuned to All Classical FM and Babycakes and I pulled out of the garage this morning to the sound of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries." It felt like a ridiculously dramatic way to start the day and I had to laugh. The timing was perfect.

Luckily T didn't feel the need to live up to our "soundtrack" on the way to day care. He was calm, quiet, and sleepy, so I fed him, snuggled him, and put him down for a nap when we got there at 8:30. He really does take naps that early sometimes - especially when he wakes up at 6:30. He went to bed at 7pm last night and slept for 6 hours, then 3.5, then 2. Absolutely amazing! I'm not holding my breath that he'll do it again, but it's nice to know he can. Now if I could just put myself to bed earlier maybe I'd get a nice long stretch of sleep. Then again, 3.5 hours in one stretch is an absolute luxury that I've only been privileged to enjoy once or twice in the last 5 months.

Do It Myself!

Swimming

Today was T's first swimming lesson. He seemed a little uncertain about what to think, but he tolerated it well and may have even enjoyed it. He sure is cute in his tiny swim diaper. Next week he gets to learn to put his head under the water.

Bright Horizons and Solids

Picking T up at daycare. He was too busy watching the other children on the playground to look at the camera.


Today was T's first day at Bright Horizons day care. I was so worried he would feel abandoned, but he seemed really happy when The Scoot and I visited at lunch so I could nurse him and when we picked him up at the end of the day. The teachers said he was great.

When we dropped by at lunch he gave us a big smile and was super chatty and playful. He seemed to like his teachers (Tiffany and Becky), all the exciting new toys, and the other little people in his group. It was such a relief to get through the day successfully.

We've just started letting T experiment with solids - not every day, but when we can. Last weekend I piled some big apple wedges and soda bread on my plate with my sandwich while I held Torin to see if he would take some. He grabbed an apple wedge and munched on it for quite a while before dropping it. He tried to pick up another one, but they were sliding on the plate and he had an instantaneous melt down, so I held one so he could take it from my hand. A couple of nights ago he had steamed broccoli (I found tiny bits in his diaper the next day), roasted potato, and some chicken. So far he's "chewed" on everything he's been offered for quite a while. He doesn't have any teeth yet, but he doesn't seem to notice.

T has also been reaching for my water glass, so I've offered him a little. Today he held the cup while I helped him take a few sips. He definitely wants to do what the big people are doing.

Reversible Shrug with Dorset Button

Last Saturday I took a class at The Knitting Bee and learned to make Dorset buttons. This reversible shrug pattern only took me a couple of evenings (after baby unit went to bed) to make. The matching Dorset button was a perfect addition.

Attack!!!