Growing Up!

Guy's never been big on putting things in his mouth. This was great when we went to the beach and didn't have to worry about him sampling the sand. He was probably a bit older than most babies when he started eating foods that weren't pureed. Our doctor told us that some babies are particularly texture-sensitive and just don't like the feel of chunks of food (or toys) in their mouths.

So, months ago, when we started leaving pieces of food on Guy's tray, hoping he would grab them and put them in his own mouth, we weren't too surprised that he was perfectly content being spoon-fed by his parents. Even when we were in El Paso I would hold out a Cheerio next to his hand and he would bend his whole body forward, mouth open to get it from my fingers.

Well, something clicked this week and Guy has started feeding himself like a big boy. Mealtime is definitely messier than it used to be and not all the food makes it into his mouth, but I'm glad to see him making the effort. The hazards of this milestone are pretty obvious. Now we have to watch like hawks to make sure we don't leave things on the floor. I've already had to dig out tissues and puzzle pieces from his little mouth.