The Bug vs. The Avocado

The baby has taken incredibly well to eating. . . In fact he gets all squirmy and happy and kicky while waiting for his next bite.  We are -- per doctor's orders -- waiting about three days between introducing each new food to make sure he's not allergic to it.  He now eats rice, oatmeal, mangos, apples, butternut squash, sweet potato, and -- to my utter horror -- bananas.  I really don't even like to be near bananas, but Steve loves them, and apparently it's sort of a de rigeuer baby food, so we diligently mashed them up and, of course, he adores them.  

On the other hand, I couldn't wait to give him avocado.  Now THERE is a food that's fantastic.  And it's mushy and yummy and looks like the perfect baby food as well.  Avocados were going to be the new banana, baby.  

The Bug had other ideas. 

Today's Conversations with the Bug

"If you lick my eye glasses, I can't see."

"Let me take your socks off if you are going to suck on your toes."

"Give me back the spoon, honey, and I'll feed you some more."

"Yum! Does your thumb taste good?"

"You probably shouldn't bite the cat's tail."


Question: When does this whole oral fixation thing end??

Eating!

Today the Bug tried solids for the very first time (not counting the various tickets, immigration documents, and napkins he gnawed on while on the plane). We mixed rice cereal with some milk, put it into a Petit Prince bowl, and served it up with bright red, baby-sized spoons.

He got the idea that there was food on the spoon pretty quickly; he was not as quick to catch on that -- unlike a bottle -- it wouldn't keep providing him with nourishment no matter how ferociously he slurped at it.

The only way to work it was to use two spoons. He'd grab at one, stick it in his mouth and suck away. But he wouldn't let it go -- and he's surprisingly strong. So I'd scoop up another bite with the other spoon, and like a dog with a bone who sees another bone, he'd throw his spoon to the floor and grab for the new one. We did this over and over and over . . . until he'd eaten like two whole teaspoons.

This is clearly going to be a slow process. . .



(Photo: Note sushi bib. Also -- this is the first pic I've seen where I have to admit I can't blame those people who think he's a girl.)

Grandparents Update

We had Ben's six-month check up today. He weighs 15 pounds 11 ounces, is 27 inches long, and has a 42.5 cm head. (Why height is in inches and head circumference is in centimeters I can't possibly explain. . . )

The Bug Hits the Slopes

We just got back from a week in France. . . so there are many, many firsts to record.

1) He flew on a really long flight (Ok, so he's been on a plane before, but an hour and a half compared to 8 hours is nothing.)

2) It was his first time in Europe. (Which, as Dad pointed out, is interesting in a generational trends sort of way. My grandfather went to Europe for the first time when he was 42. My dad was 14. I was 2. The Bug was six months.)

3) It was his first time in snow. Frankly, he didn't really seem to notice it much. Even when we did things like sit him down in it and try to make him slide down the hill. He was, apparently, too busy thinking about how good he looked in his new snow suits.

4)This isn't really a "first" but he has started to associate all long, skinny containers with bottles -- thus he did a lot of grabbing for champagne flutes while there.

5) He turned six months old!