Progress

Edie's bedtime routine involves a bit of naked time in her nursery (which also involves me chasing her with a towel to catch her nude pees - boy does that girl like to pee in the nude). Tonight Jeff was with us during naked time, sitting in the rocking chair while I sat on the floor with Edie (towel at the ready). When Edie pulled up using my knee and let go to stand by herself we didn't think much of it. It's exciting, but she's been doing that for a while. She'll be supporting herself on the couch or bookshelf, but then get distracted by something exciting and let go and stand solo for long stretches before crouching back down into a crawl pose. But this time she actually took a step to reach Jeff's knees WITHOUT EITHER OF US HOLDING HER HANDS. It was literally just one step, but it was still very exciting. And terrifying. She repeated the process a few minutes later by going from holding onto the dresser to trying to step over to me without support - with slightly less success (knees buckled) - but it would appear Edie is gaining confidence in the walking department. I do have a small fear that she's going to walk sideways for a while, side stepping to the right the whole way - you saw the video we took on the ferry. That girl has a dominate right leg like nobodies business.

In other news under the label of Progress, Edie has started to take a very small interest in food this week. I had been avoiding buying cereal puffs because I couldn't find any natural versions but caved this week when our next door pediatrician suggested them as an eating aid. He said some babies hate being fed and refuse to eat until they can feed themselves and that puffs are less slippery than chopped vegetables or fruits (which makes them easier for self-feeding). They also dissolve in your mouth so aren't hard to swallow. I bought some sweet potato flavored ones as well as apple strawberry and they do seem to be helping. She is very intent on perfecting her pincer grasp and tries to pick up each puff and put it in her mouth. Many end up on the floor after either being let go before her mouth has closed over them or being spit out, but some are definitely being consumed.

I've also had some minimal success with chopped avocado, TJ's turkey meatballs, and tiny cooked noodles filled with hummus (these were HILARIOUS as she would put one in her mouth and then shudder and made bug eyed faces while eating and swallowing them, but then pick up the next one and cram it in). The peas were inserted and then regurgitated with a face that said, "Seriously, what WAS that?" but she ate a few chopped pieces of cherries after lunch and one or two bites of scrambled egg yolk at dinner. Mind you not all of these items were fed at one meal! These were offered over the course of 2 meals per day in the last 5 days. All of this is peanuts compared to other babies this age, but MAJOR progress for Edie. Perhaps the key has resided all along in self-feeding. I gave up long ago trying to get a spoon anywhere near that kid's mouth unless clothed in a full-body-sneeze-guard-like-device, but couldn't figure out how to let her feed herself purees. Maybe we're just going to skip purees?

The last bit of news I have for you is that Jeff and I are going to spend our first Edie-free night tomorrow. We are taking my parents up on a gift given to us ages ago at my baby shower. We will head to Bellingham tomorrow for a free wine tasting, tapas dinner out and hotel stay while Edie sleeps at my parents' house. Jeff's primary request for Father's Day was to sleep in so this will definitely be granted. On Sunday we'll meet up with everyone for lunch and a visit to the Culver side of the fam. We are so looking forward to this. We've been lucky enough to have quite a few date nights with friends and family watching Edie either before or after she goes to bed, but this will be the first time someone else does the entire bedtime routine without us. Wish my parents luck!