1 Mother 2 Another

Cora’s now five and a half months,
and I think she’s pretty primed for solid foods.


She’s been eyeing family dinners for some time now, and is
moving from the silent observation to the begging stage. She
usually starts the meal out in her bouncy seat, where she keeps up
a persistent, nagging dialog until someone puts her on a lap. As
the meal goes on, her complaints become louder and more whiney
until she’s out-and-out stridently and piercingly saying,
“Feed me!” Ad that to the lunging towards the fork she
does every time it heads for my mouth, and I don’t need a
brick wall to fall on my head to figure out what’s going
on.

Maddie thinks it’s hilarious, of
course. Every time Cora leans towards Maddie’s tray, blindly
grabbing for anything she can get her hands on, Maddie cackles,
“No, Cora, you can’t have my peaches! Silly Cora, you
can’t have my spaghetti! You have to get bigger!” Cora,
of course, ignores her, only drawing back when forced to and
leaving a trail of drool slime in her wake.


Most doctors agree now that it’s best to wait until six
months to start solid foods, so I’ve been waiting for the big
sign – a marked increase in nursings. So far, she
hasn’t really added in many feedings, but I see a new
desperation to her feedings in the evening – she’s
practically pulling my shirt apart as I sit down.


So we’ll be starting Cora on cereal pretty soon. Maddie was a
take-it-or-leave-it kind of girl in the early days of solid foods,
but I’m guessing Cora will lick the bowl and ask for seconds.
I confess I’m going to have to go back and re-read all my
advice blogs on how to start solid foods, as I’ve completely
forgotten everything. Guess I’m in for some late-night
reading! I’ll let you know how it goes.


Of course, there is one aspect of her hunger that I’m going
to miss: the way she nibbles so cutely on herself. Any time her
feet are freed from her sleepers on the changing table, they are
immediately up in her fact, toes stuffed in the mouth. I love
watching my little dumpling rolling around on the table, bare
bottom to the ceiling as she chews up and down her heels making
yummy noises.


Hmmm – sounds like I need to get the video camera out before
introducing the cereal.