What a Glorious Feeling
My little beauty is lunging for the food on our plates, putting crusty bread in her mouth, holding her own cup, acting hungry after breastmilk feedings, and in general displaying an unquestionable desire for solid food. Today I read that a baby is ready when she opens her mouth for a spoon, and extremely ready when she closes her mouth around the spoon. Curious, I handed Peony a spoon. She took it in her hand, brought it to her own mouth, and closed her lips around it. OK, OK, she's ready. I get it. But the research seems pretty consistent about waiting until she's six months old; starting earlier gives her a higher risk of diabetes, obesity, allergic reactions, and so on. And the American Association of Pediatricians recommends 100% breastmilk until age six months, so that's what we've been doing.
On her half-birthday, June 22nd, small sweetie will get the rice cereal for which she's been waiting so passionately. And maybe some bananas. It doesn't seem right that her first food be so bland. I might add a little cinnamon. And maybe some kosher salt. And can it be brown rice cereal?
We're finding the right highchair, bowl, and spoon in anticipation of this new chapter in our lives. Highchairs, there are many, and she road-tested the Svan pretty well...but BPA-free bowls seem to be hard to find and then, when found, lacking a little in reasonable functionality. No one needs overkill. I could maybe go for the ThinkBaby set but she doesn't need a bento box, you know?
In the meantime, she's been growing in leaps and bounds, and it's just beautiful to see. She's started sitting up by herself in the last week---amazing! The soles of both feet together in a perfect little yoga pose, and her arms up for a lovely balance. AND she sleeps through the night! Well, she did once, when I mumbled through my sleep to Blue that we should "give it a couple minutes" at midnight, and she cried herself back to sleep. Poor baby, but she did sleep until 5, so she probably wasn't that hungry. We bought Ferber's "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problem" five days ago and it has changed our lives. I think we're about a month and half late on this boat, but at least we're on it.
She also continues her interest in dancing by tearing herself away from nursing to watch George Sampson do his amazing Singin' in the Rain dance on Oprah. Since then we're been watching his dance, which won the final prize on Britain's Got Talent '08, every day on YouTube. You just can't discount those street dancers. He is awesome. I loved his dance so much that I bought the Gene Kelly remix by Mint Royale, and it's great, but listening to it, I realized that the energy in his dance doesn't come from the music...it comes from him. At almost 33 now, I am fascinated by watching certain magnetic personalities sparkle briefly and then age...it really happens, doesn't it? Those closest to you glow and beam and get more beautiful with time as they blossom and crackle with fire and energy and the nature of your intimate connection, but when someone is more at a distance from you, and you can see them shine, then age, then change, it's a stunning thing. That must have happened to me, too. I think I knew it when I was fourteen; I was at a special point that I will never return to again. Mortality: not for the faint of heart! Living long enough to truly grasp aging means an enhanced ability to recognize the power of the youthful peak. I think that's why his music is a perfect foil; there's something bittersweet about how young, strong and vital he is, because it doesn't last---but dance is a fantastic way to express that reality.
Anyway, I'm sure that's what Peony was thinking when she first started watching George. Either that or she just likes the Gene Kelly remix.
