Real Food

So guess who is a big girl now and eats real food?  My baby girl is growing up all together too quickly.  When James was a baby, I couldn't wait for him to reach the next milestone, and couldn't help being a tad bit concerned when other baby friends got there before him.  (Also I am slightly competitive, I admit it)  By # 3, not only am I much more relaxed about the whole milestone thing, I find myself trying to slow them down.  Her baby days are disappearing before my very eyes.  The next thing I know we'll be sampling wedding cakes.  (If I'm invited to come along.  I wouldn't want to be presumptuous) However, I don't think she'll enjoy that wedding cake nearly as much as this mushed up banana and breast milk.  (Sorry, Ben and Brian, that you had to read the word breast in this post.  Especially in relation to me) 

I have never had one of those babies that didn't show interest in their food right away.  There has never been any of that spitting out, or crying, or lips sealed shut kind of reaction to food. Like her brothers, Lilly knew just what to do.  We kept thinking she must surely be done, but she just looked at us, waiting for another bite.  In fact, the only one who was upset by the whole thing was James.  When Aaron got ready to offer Lilly her first bite, we heard a small wail from the couch where James lay recovering from the flu.  When we asked him what was wrong, he tearfully explained that Lilly couldn't eat real food yet.  He only wanted her to drink milk.  "I just want her to be a baby," he said.  

Wow.  That is one sentimental 4 year old. 

While we assured him that Lilly would still drink milk, and still be a baby for a while, I couldn't help sympathizing with him.  I just want her to be a baby too.

The books say start with a teaspoon of food.  Ha!  Lilly polished off a big bowl, and was pretty angry that we wouldn't give her more.  It is one of the few things I have seen her even get angry about.  

A few hours after eating and falling contentedly to sleep, I checked on my big girl.  Her jammies, sheet and even her hair were completely soaked.  There were banana chunks in her hair.  Great.  The first time she gets to eat is the same night she comes down with the stomach flu.  I felt so bad.  But, true to form, it didn't seem to bother her one bit.  She slept through the whole thing.  A few days later she was back to watching every bite we took and ready to try out some more big girl food.