Last night we gave M. her first meal that was in a non-liquid form. A week shy of her four month birthday, she got a bowl of rice cereal! We knew it was about time to increase her nutritional intake, and after she woke every three hours Sunday night despite getting no nap in the evening and a huge bottle before bed, we bought a box of rice cereal, some baby spoons, and matching bowls. The directions for mixing up the cereal come with special “Baby’s First Feeding” instructions that are a much smaller portion than normal. I guess the kids don’t know what to do the first time they encounter a spoon and something thicker than formula and have trouble getting the cereal down. Not our kid! She didn’t fight the spoon at all. After about the third mouthful, cereal started flowing down her chin, but we spooned it right back in and she kept mashing it up and swallowing it down.
It was a double new experience as she was sitting in her high chair for the first time too. She leaned to the side, chomped on the oatmeal-like food and looked around to see what was going on. She ended up with it all over her face and bib, but she did manage to get about 2/3 of the bowl into her belly. We followed the cereal up with a full bottle, and for the next two-plus hours, she sat around like an adult after a Thanksgiving overindulgence. She had a dazed look on her face as if she had no idea what had happened. She didn’t smile, laugh, or interact much, just stared and blinked slowly. If she could talk, I think she would have said, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!”
Despite our best efforts, she still only went about four hours into the night before waking and needing another bottle. After that, though, she did make it through to morning, and we in fact woke her up this morning when it was time to go to Grammy’s for the day. I think she’s ready for mashed potatoes next Thursday, but S. insists that I not even think of such things. As if she knows what M. wants!