The first bite.

     Feeding a child for the first time seems a lot more appealing before you do it than several months after. The exciting anticipation of introducing your baby to new things, for me, is unparalleled. Maybe because Tobias is my first and everything new is like the Christmas present stashed in your mothers closet that continually taunts you, just sitting there waiting to be opened! I started with rice cereal two weeks before his 6 month check-up. We were in a particularly rough sleeping patch and I thought that maybe he was needing a little extra sustenance. Who knows what he needed, the sleeping problems eventually ironed themselves out, but here we were eating solids. I'd started a train that will never stop. It might sound odd, but in hindsight, I struggled with the fact that he would never exclusively breastfeed again. :( It's silly things like that that catch you at the worst times and bring out the sentimental mush in you. I have found that every new step and every move towards bigger things leaves something behind. Realizing that I will never have another first child makes every new milestone extremely bittersweet. I wonder if anyone else relates ... oh and just being honest, feeding a baby is messy and gets tiring real quick, ha.
     After cereal we went to avocado, which he didn't like at first but now loves, sweet potato, peas, green beans, squash, apples, and bananas. A couple weeks after that I introduced some meats. And now, we eat all kinds of things, like cottage cheese and blueberries, cantaloupe, beets, mango, pears, pasta, and all kinds of combinations. Introducing new foods never gets old. I love his reactions. Sometimes its a loud "mmmm" and he gobbles it down, other times his whole face screws up and he gags, but even though his initial reaction might indicate otherwise, there isn't a food yet that he doesn't like. I'm counting my blessings and hoping it continues! I don't know if I could handle a picky eater, I applaud those who can!
     It's crazy how eating is such a journey! One that really gives me mixed feelings if you can't tell. These photos were right before his first bite. I wanted to be the one to feed him so we didn't get the first bit in pictures, but I think Gray might have gotten it on video, I'll have to ask! He's so cute sitting in his bumbo chewing on his paci!

March 2015