spoon fed

so after much debate, research, advice, and paying attention to maddie, we decided to go ahead and see if she was interested in "solid" food yet. i mean, she had almost all of the signs for food readiness out of a 15 or 20 point list, so i figured it was at least worth a try. we had already started to put her in her highchair while matt and i ate dinner after the bumbo recall (we had just been putting her in the bumbo on top of the table) so that she could see us while we ate and we could sit at the table as a family.

friday i went spoon shopping and since i had done so much research on the subject it was very difficult to decide which spoon was best, but after about 15 or 20 minutes i finally had my selections. (the picture to the right is maddie after our exhausting selection process - which, yes, did include me asking her for her opinion on more than one occasion - yes, out loud.) and don't even get me started on selecting a cup...

so after her mid-day meal today, we mixed up a little rice cereal (which we had no idea just dissolves in the milk and is nothing even remotely resembling a solid) and dipped her spoon in. she wasn't too sure about the taste, but after a few "spoonfuls" she jumped on board and even grabbed the spoon handle and helped me get it to her mouth! after "eating" she breastfed again and then took a three hour nap! (i know that the little bit of cereal had nothing to do with it, but it was still really nice.)

i am planning to do "super baby foods" with her, so i spent her nap time reading up on how to give her healthy food and a healthy relationship with food. really, i am not "crazy, obsessive mommy", i just like to make informed decisions on how to do something based on the research available. and i totally accept that no one and nothing is perfect! really!

i also have a couple of videos for you all tonight. they are mainly for the grandparents and that is why there are so many, so don't feel like you have to watch them all (or any of them). i keep forgetting that the camera orientation matters for the video! but the one in the swing is mainly for the audio of maddie happily swinging, so maybe just close your eyes so that you don't get motion sick.

in the first couple of seconds of this video she smiles when she hears the camera turn on now and this day she laughed each time i tried to film her or take her picture. if you keep watching, you can see her attention to the toy and frustration when i interrupt her...

now here is a third take of her playing on friday - my voice over is a little repetitive...

i also got the proofs from jcp on friday, and here are my two favorites.let's see, what else... oh she can sit up by herself for a few seconds now (5-10 or so)! here are a few pictures of her supported by her bobpy so that i could use the camera. she was having too much fun and that is why she threw her feet up in the air - she isn't falling - i just thought it was cute (and, yes, her feet really are that big.)
and i think that is enough madelyn for you all today! love.