Yesterday was Hayden's first taste of rice cereal - her very first venture into the wide world of food beyond breastmilk.
It was a bittersweet moment for me, another baby step for her into independence and loosening of her ties to me. Due to her reflux issues, Dr. V recommended we begin thickening her bottles with cereal to help keep the milk down at night, and protect her throat from the aggravating acid that has recently been keeping us all up at night.
It was a bittersweet moment for me, another baby step for her into independence and loosening of her ties to me. Due to her reflux issues, Dr. V recommended we begin thickening her bottles with cereal to help keep the milk down at night, and protect her throat from the aggravating acid that has recently been keeping us all up at night.I wanted to be there for her first taste of a new food, and since she doesn't take bottles from me, we mixed some milk with the cereal in a bowl and let her try it out with a spoon. Unfortunately, the one or two baby spoons we do have for her had not yet been unearthed following our move, so her first taste of 'big kid' food was with a 'BIG kid' spoon! 
As you can see, she did pretty well with it, and loved every bite. I just sat on the floor feeding her and laughing. Watching her experience her first taste of food was almost as much fun as watching her nurse for the first time. Seeing the sensations come over her and watching her expressions change with the realization that, "Yum! This is good stuff!" was priceless.
As you can see, she did pretty well with it, and loved every bite. I just sat on the floor feeding her and laughing. Watching her experience her first taste of food was almost as much fun as watching her nurse for the first time. Seeing the sensations come over her and watching her expressions change with the realization that, "Yum! This is good stuff!" was priceless. 
Chris played photographer, and while he was, I'm sure, equally impressed with her interest and reception, he was not so much with her technique. He just kept shaking his head, saying "I'm not ready for this... I just don't think I'm ready for this." Somehow, I have the feeling that will be his mantra from now on, and probably mine too... Not ready for the first day of school, the first bike ride, the first sleepover, the first date, the first kiss... any of it. Just as she's shown us that she's ready to roll over, to sit up, and now to take her first bites, I have a feeling Hayden will be leading the way for us for some time. At the same time my heart breaks a little watching her become more independent, less in need of me, it makes me so very proud, so very excited to watch her confidently moving forward, growing into her own unique little person, that I can't help but be happy with each new milestone she reaches.
By the evening, eating cereal with a spoon had become old hat for our little prodigy. I'd finally found one of her spoons, and she'd figured out exactly what was going on with that thing. When I would start to bring the spoon to her lips, she would reach out and grab it and help me guide it into her mouth, where she would slurp and gobble it up right away. 
When I would take it away to get another spoonful of cereal, her little legs would go into overtime and she would leeeeaaan and reach from her Bumbo chair to try to get that spoon back as fast as possible. She was not used to waiting between bites! All in all, I would have to say our first feeding experience was a rousing success, and I can say with a fair degree of confidence that Hayden is eagerly anticipating the next time!
When I would take it away to get another spoonful of cereal, her little legs would go into overtime and she would leeeeaaan and reach from her Bumbo chair to try to get that spoon back as fast as possible. She was not used to waiting between bites! All in all, I would have to say our first feeding experience was a rousing success, and I can say with a fair degree of confidence that Hayden is eagerly anticipating the next time!
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