Rachel Henderson Photography Blog [Archived]

It's time

March 13, 2011   |   by Rachel

It seems like it's time.  I'm not a big fan of the goopy pureed baby food stage.  It's a lot of work and mess.  So we usually wait as long as we can before starting food and then teach finger food as quickly as safely possible.  But it seemed like time.  Dale's a bit small , okay 10th percentile.  But so far she'd been happy, and energetic and both Win and Harriet dropped into the 10th percentile when they were nursing too.  But the past week or so she's been a little fussy and...ahem...waking up at night again.  So yeah.  She doesn't have much cushion so we thought that it was time to start teaching her about the wonders of pureed dining.  Jared gave her her first sips of food.  She seems to like.  But classic baby style she smushed most of it back out of her mouth and smiled frequently sending pureed spoodge down her chin.  With a quick swipe of a spoon across her bottom lip Jared had another recycled bite ready for her pursed lips.  Success! Starting the kids on baby food is always a hard for me.  I get a bit emotional.  It's the first time that my baby isn't totally dependent on me.  I know, cut the cord, apron strings, etc...  But I figure at 5 months old I have the right to cry about my little baby growing up.  It just goes so fast.  I still feel like I have a brand new little one.  Sometime I see newborns in the store and think, "Oh, I have a newborn too!  oops. Dale's an infant."  I feel like she should be 3 weeks old.  But alas my little baby is growing up and eating food.  And internet world, this isn't tongue in cheek.  I'm really this pathetic.  I love every stage.  I hate to see each one pass by, like a really great parade that is going way too fast.  I want it all.  I want 6-month-old Dale and 6-day-old Dale all at once.  It's a good problem to have.

Posted in: dale

4 Comments

Erin2011-03-15

How about Jamesie is 11 mo old and I STILL think of him as a newborn-ish baby! I definitely know the feeling in the store or in church when you see a newborn and think you have one too. then you look at your "newborn" and realize he's huge. Food stages are hard for me too-- I always take more time at bedtimes, etc at those transitions, just to remind myself and the baby that he still needs me.

Grandma Jan2011-03-14

Totally get that!

Lisa Koedyker2011-03-14

Rachel...I think I understand what you are saying now! Since Ory is our first little one, I really want him to hit all these milestones so I know he is growing and developing as he should be. But, every time he does something new, I am realizing that my little baby is growing up. 8 months old tomorrow...seriously, where did the time go? Ory has looked older though, and has been in the 75% percentile since he was born. I think people expect him to be able to do more than he can, based solely on his size. Maybe our next will be a little peanut like Dale?!?! She is so darling!

Bonnie2011-03-16

Love that your sharing your thoughts! and the sweet little blur of Hattie watching in the background. Dale is so cute enjoying her first food!