Eat, eat!

I finally get it.

Truly, there are few things in this world that can warm a parent's heart like seeing their child eat a wholesome, healthy meal. I walk away from the table feeling like I've won the lottery, had a massage, and single-handedly discovered a cure for cancer.

(Side note to our own mothers - We've eaten very well today!)

So, knock on wood, I am pleased to report that Charlie has been a willing, adventurous and capable eater as of late.

We had a rough start. I had been completely unprepared for the dramatic faces, the spitting, rejection, and occasional allergic reactions. (It appears that he is quite intolerant of eggs.) We even took a break from solid foods for a while, but now we're back in the saddle - older and wiser. With my new found maturity I now clean up all the (expensive, organic, painstakingly prepared ) food on the floor and give thanks that it was tasted and some tiny bits actually swallowed.

Yeah, right!

We're getting there though. Everyday brings a new discovery...after rejecting bananas for several months he suddenly decided they were yummy. He can pick up and self-feed soft table foods like cheese, carrots, broccoli, peas, green beans, etc. He adores blueberries, and even pomegranate seeds. He's not a fan of mushrooms, feta cheese or sauerkraut but I'll cut him a little slack.

Charlie still get the majority of his food via mashed up, soupy concoctions. Jim likes to call them "buffet dinner". One typical standby is a cube or two (I freeze all his food in ice cube trays) of pureed beef stew, a cube of acorn squash or sweet potato, a cube of homemade chicken stock, and a pat of butter. Sometimes I add chunks of wild salmon or frozen salmon roe and it becomes surf and turf...although Jim is not a fan because the aroma brings back bad memories of tuna casserole. Thankfully Charlie doesn't agree, so far!

Too all this he gets some finger foods to play with and a little cup of cod liver oil. (Which he actually likes...his palette perplexes me.) I'm just thankful he's been willing to try new foods and that we're slowly figuring out what works. What an adventure...

Bon appetit!