Contemplations on Kids and Food

Miriam has started the slow drift into solid food. At our house it is really a drift. We were a little more structured with Zachary, but seeing as we're a pretty low food allergy household we're kind of bumbling along with whatever we're eating. That, combined with the fact that last time all three of us determined that rice cereal was really pretty gross, and overall seemed like rather a waste of the breastmilk we made it with more than anything else.

We let Miriam have a go with cream of wheat (hot breakfast cereal) yesterday, and the results were entertaining and messy (as these things ought to be.) It definitely got in her hair. She grabbed at the spoon with serious gusto which convinced us that this whole "food" thing was well worth pursuing.

 Of course food right now for her is more an adventure than a meal, although I think we're all hoping it settles down the epic "Poltergeist" style spitting up (probably including her). She seems generally more interested than we remember Zachary being - which could be some combination of her already wanting to copy ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Zachary does, along with her being able to *see* the food... but who really knows. I mean, we can time travel in the blog but even then we are such poor scientific reporters on these things. Anyway, she has doubled her committment to nursing which is also sweet and funny. Partially I think because with Zachary home for the summer they are all tromping around constantly and by the time I get home she's like "OH THANK GOD MOM I'M GOING TO NEED A RECHARGE."

Nursing this time is different, the second time around. She seems less relaxed by it, and I suspect some of that is tied to the spitting up. She doesn't struggle at it, she just has other paths to sleep and calm (which truly is fantastic.) But usually in the evening she settles down for a long, calming nurse. And if I can relax out of my day and into home it is a wonderful moment for us to catch up. She gets to check in, and work out her wiggles, and after she's given me all her updates (a baby chattering while nursing has to be one of the silliest/funniest things ever) she eventually starts to relax one bit at a time. She doesn't want to let go, and if I wriggle or shift she uses all available limbs to remind me that she is HAPPY RIGHT WHERE SHE IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH. But we can just be in the moment and snuggle and appreciate something that in the scheme of things is wildly temporary.

(In other news, Zachary is trying new fruits and vegetables to earn a chef's hat at HEB. This is hysterical because simultaneously he will still only eat like 5 dinners. *facepalm* I have to believe that one day he will expand beyond and eat food that has colors in it. Maybe. I hope.)