Yum Yum

Brees Elizabeth turned 6 months old this month, beginning a whole new phase in her
eating habits.  Until now, she has been exclusively breast fed and I must say that I
had a moment of not wanting that to end.  Introducing her to solid foods opened up a
whole new world and part of me wanted to keep her all to myself!  But, alas, it was time
to begin feeding the little lamb new tastes and textures, allowing her to expand her
palette and  fill her belly up with new flavors and organic baby food goodness.

On the morning of her six month birthday, after I nursed her and we all cuddled for a
while in the big bed, we set Brees up in her new high chair.  We are using the Fisher
Price Space Saver high chair and really like it so far.  I love the fact that she is at the
table with us, part of the dinner crowd instead of off to the side.  We got the video
camera ready and all crowded around to watch our little girl take her first bites of
solid food.

Her first meal consisted of iron fortified organic rice cereal mixed with breast milk.
We clicked a hundred photos as I fed her one small bite after the other, giggling
hysterically as she literally gagged and spit out 95% of the cereal.  She was NOT
buying it, making the funniest faces and eventually crying and reaching for me to pick
her up and rescue her from this torture!

For the next week, we tried repeatedly to feed her cereal several times a day, only to be
met with cries and whining and more cereal on the floor and walls than anywhere else.
Our pediatrician suggested we scrap the cereal and try oatmeal instead, reassuring us
that she would eventually get the hang of eating solids.  Still no luck.  The oatmeal found
a home on the floor right next to the dejected cereal.  During the second week, we
introduced veggies, starting with green beans.  Again, she spit everything out, crying
and reaching for me and spreading more food in her hair and ears than in her tummy.
After a few days of this and a wonderful conversation with my lactation consultant,
we decided to take a week off from feeding.  She just obviously wasn't quite ready and I
hated seeing her so upset.  We went back to exclusive breast feeding and relaxed, we
would pick up solids again in a week or so, there was no need to stress.

And so a week later we tried again, this time with peas.  She opened her mouth for a
bite, swished it around in her mouth, and them opened wide again.  She got through half
the bowel with a smile on her little face, taking in one bite after another!  It was so
wonderful to see her enjoying herself, not having to force her to eat something she
wasn't ready to!

And so we have slowly progressed, trying new and different flavors each week, taking
our cues from our sweet baby girl.  This has been such a different experience from our
first baby.  Isabelle ate everything like it was her last meal, eagerly reaching for the
spoon and happily putting everything in her mouth.  But, just like with every other stage
of development and personality, Brees is her own person and has her own way of
doing things.  And we have had to adjust our parenting skills accordingly.  I find myself
so much more relaxed this second time around, having more patience and listening more
to my baby than my parenting books.  Brees is enjoying her meal times more and more
each week, now eagerly munching on various fruits and veggies including carrots,
sweet potatoes, squash, apples, and pears. 

And so through another phase we now journey, watching this little girl grow more and
more each day.  It still amazes me that just a few short months ago she was a sleepy
little infant, resting quietly on my chest, innocently gazing around the room.  And now she
is a scooting, rolling, eating, babbling babe.  How quickly the time really does pass!
Off to the next adventure we go!!