Thursday, June 2, 2011

He's getting SO BIG!

Elliot has officially entered "that stage." You know, the one where he's starting to seem a whole lot less like a little baby and more like an independent little boy. He no longer likes to be cradled in my arms, which has made getting him to sleep lately quite challenging, since I used to rock him to sleep. He sits up in his walker now instead of using the back rest, and he can also sit up unassisted in my lap for a few minutes at a time. And... here's the biggest news... he's now eating rice cereal!!
It was a tough decision to make, because I really wanted to wait until he was 6 months to start solids, and that's only a short two weeks away {the blink of an eye in parenting speak}. HOWEVER, he has been eating an incredible amount lately- much more than "average" for babies his age. He is still eating every two hours... sometimes we can stretch it out to three, but not very often. And he eats 5-6 ounces at every single feeding now! That's 50-70 ounces a day! HOLY MOLY! His doctor told us we should think about starting him on cereal {but nothing else} just a couple weeks early.
At first, I was adamantly against it, but... the more I read about baby led weaning and starting solids when your baby is ready, not when "they say" your baby is ready... the more I began to waver on my stance. And you have to watch this kid like a hawk lately at mealtimes because he will steal food off your plate {or, if you're not careful, the spoon or fork OR the whole plate!!} and put it right into his mouth. He also follows the spoon to and from my mouth and chews whenever I'm chewing, even though nothing is in his mouth. He's more than a little interested in food and is literally been chomping at the bit!
So, yesterday, I thought, why not? After all, we're already breaking all kinds of rules around here anyways. {Elliot sleeps with a pillow and a blanket. This is a bad habit that started in the NICU and I haven't been able to break it.} Guess what?! HE LOVED IT! He would get all excited and reach out for the spoon in between bites, and if I couldn't get it into his mouth soon enough, he started shaking his mouth around {the way he still roots for his bottle}. He ate the whole bowl and wanted more. In fact, he was pretty mad when I said "all done" and took him out of his bouncy seat. Of course, I didn't want to push my luck so he had to wait until later that evening to get another bowl. He had another bowl this morning and he managed to snatch the spoon away from me. I held the bowl of cereal in front of him and he proceded to wave the spoon around in the cereal and then put the spoon right into his mouth. Of course, more ended up all over his face then in his mouth, but it was pretty cute!
So yes, my son is now eating organic brown rice cereal two times a day, and he's five and a half months old. It may be a couple weeks early, but I think he'll survive. I can't wait to start making him baby food! He is going to try bananas on his six month birthday. :)

I can do it myself, mom!
Manning the spoon all by himself.

Such a big boy.
So big!!

Oh hi!
OH HAI, MOM! {doesn't it look like he's waving?}

What a ham!
Sitting up in his walker... and being a ham. :)

16 comments:

  1. OMG Jess!! you are killing me slowly again with this precious baby of yours!! ELLIOT YOU ARE TOO SUPER CUTE!! I can stare at his adorable face all day! THE LAST 2 PICS ARE AMAZINGLY CUTE!!!! The little wave to mommy and then that tiny little smirk. He is going to shred girls hearts when he grows up!! He got mine already!! I hope you dont mind me saying this...but I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! and I never even met him..I think I am just as excited as you Jess to have daddy see him again...how proud he will be to see his little man growing up so big and strong and handsome of course! I can not wait for those pics!! and YAY FOR ELLIOT EATING SOLIDS!! oh boy will he lovvee bananas or nana's as my little guy calls them....much love to you and your sweet family!!! :O)

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  2. AH! Jess, I can't get over how BIG he's gotten and how much he looks like you. He's freakin' adorable. And it definitely looks like he is waving..what an amazing picture! So glad he loved the rice cereal. Isn't feeding a baby fun? I absolutely love it!

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  3. I agree, he is just so adorable! I love his facial expressions, and those ears!

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  4. Omg I can't believe he is going to be 6 months! Then again I can't believe Alyson will be 9 months in a few days either! Yeah I really wanted to wait till 6 months as well to start solids but things change and I feel its right when she is giving me the signs for anything we try. They always say such and such is good for a baby but know one knows your baby better than you and I guess you just have to kind of go along with your motherly instincts! He is such a cutie though!! lol I love that picture where it looks like he is waving!

    Oh Jazmyn

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  5. He is totally waving!
    Such a big boy wanting to feed himself :) Love it!

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  6. He's just tooooo presh. Seriously.

    I started Hux on cereal AND stage 1 type foods early... & he's digging it.

    I was totally in the 6 month camp too, but this kids growing so fast, and I have supply issues as it is so being able to give him a nanner or some avocado has reallllly helped take the pressure off and Huxley is doing juuuust fine :)

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  7. Just found your blog and had a wee read through. Elliot is soooo gorgeous. Also, I can't believe how awesome you are doing everything with your husband away... I'm sure I'd be a mess!

    Very lovely :)
    xx

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  8. oh my gosh. he is just so cute i can hardly stand it!!

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  9. Our doctor said it was ok for us to start our son on rice cereal at 4 months. He was nursing constantly and spit up a lot. It helped so much. I think every baby is different and you just have to go with the flow.

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  10. He looks so grown up!! Yay for making your own baby food, we did too. Let me know if you need any advice!

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  11. I feel like you just peeked into my life with the first part of this post! My son is also 5 1/2months, born dec 17! HE IS DOING THE SAME THING! He seriously has his mouth open for the half of the day pretending to eat! He watched a friend of ours eat rice cereal and since then he mimics eating! He has also been nursing like every 2 hours , he was up to 3! His sleep schedule is just a muck due to teething and I feel like we are starting from scratch again! I haven't started the rice cereal yet but am close.. I was thinking of just going straight to solids..I found your blog the other day and am enjoying reading your story and seeing someone the same age as my son! Thanks for sharing!
    Ps. Love the teething necklace..keep meaning to get one!

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  12. What different face expressions he has such a adorable child!

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  13. Oh my goodness!! Those last 2 pics are absolutely adorable!!!!! He's a cutie!!

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  14. I remember when Julianna was about the same age and I was thinking how sad it was I couldn't cuddle with her anymore like I could when she was a little baby. Well she is a year now and she wants nothing to do with us. Cuddling is out the window. SHe wants to be down on the floor all the time. I feel like i lost my little baby. Good uck with the solids - and yes you just have to do it when he is ready ... we tried the firs time and jules hated it... so we watied for another month until she was ready at 6 months... and she would watch the food on our plate too LOL - that is funny!

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  15. You have such an adorable little man!!! Such a cutie! hehe.

    I LOVE that froggy...bouncer is it?
    Love reading your updates, and seeing your pictures.

    (I have been reading and following along with your blog for a bit now, just thought I'd comment)

    :)

    Good luck with solids! They are a blast trying new things. lol.

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