Growing Up

Ok, I don't think you understand how big of a deal this is for me That's right, me.  Not Ri.

If you know me at all, you know I'm horrible with change.  My mom is horrible with change. My grandmother is horrible with change.  I guess you could say it runs in the family.  Or maybe it's just a girl thing.  Regardless, I am.

I blogged a while ago about how I hadn't given Ri any solids yet when she was 7 months old. Then when she turned 8 months, I thought, "Shoot, this is going so well let's go for 9 months!"

Then the other day, I was eating a fresh cucumber from our garden in front of Ri.  She reached out for it.  So I let her suck on it a lil bit.  She made a funny face and that was the end.

A few days later, I let her taste the cucumber again.  She never swallowed or chewed any of it, just tasted.

Then today, my mom and I were out to lunch and we had a salad with fruit in it and some bread.  I like her taste the bread like I did the cucumber.  Then my mom suggested I let her try a piece of a strawberry.

Instead of just letting her taste it once and taking it away, I actually held it there and let her explore it - both with her mouth and with her hands.  And then, she actually swallowed a small piece.  I'll be honest, all my mind could think was, "There goes her baby-ness - quick, get it outta her mouth before she grows up right before your eyes!" But she loved it!  Every time tried to take it away, she'd grab my hand again.

Yes, she's growing up.  She's getting bigger.  And no, I can't "keep her stupid" (as my dad likes to say) forever.  Oh how my heart wishes I could!  Feeding times have become our time - just us. And as much as we struggled in the beginning, it's SO simple now.  Honestly, I don't even really mind that she won't take a bottle (yes I've tried it in a sippy cup and she doesn't care for that either). I know that limits me as far as where I can go and for how long. But in the long run, it's such a small part of her life that she'll need me like she does now;  and I guess that's part of the reason why I'm having a hard time making the transition.

This is just the beginning of the end.  But I think I'm starting to be ok with that. Although I'm still not going to make solids a huge priority.  After all, her main source of nutrients should be coming from me until she's at least a year old anyway.  But perhaps now, every once and a while, I'll let her explore the fascinating world of solids...slowly, oh ever so gradually, but surely. She's growin up, and so is Mommy.