Feeding Herself at 23 months

Babies grow so fast! Emma is 23 months. Almost two years old!

It's like only yesterday we brought her home from the hospital.

She is a BLW baby. She started eating solids only at 6 months old. Never cereals or porridge in those early days. But big chunky finger shaped steamed vegetables or fruits. She can suck all the goodness out of fresh fruits and veggies, mushrooms, even steak cut into strips! She had been loving life because of it. I never had to force her to eat her meals!

At one year old, she started to grab the spoon and feed herself, copying us. Then she also tried her hand at chopsticks. She never poke her face with it. She can gauge the distance from the spoon/chopstick to her face. Because she is used to feeding herself.

It was so delightful to see her eat by herself everyday three times a day, seven days a week! Sitting with the whole family, having a peaceful meal together.

Whether it's at home our or outside, she sits by herself and eat by herself without too much interference from us. She even joins the conversations with us.

I wish every baby could have such a wonderful weaning experience! Instead of force feeding with a spoon and swallowing mashed food.

If you are looking for the best way to wean your baby, read the latest book on Baby Led Weaning. I hear the new edition is even better because it comes with recipes! I might buy another one myself.

Just want to praise the Lord for my baby.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

 ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
 ² Worship the LORD with gladness;
   come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the LORD is God.
   It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
   we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

 ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
   and his courts with praise;
   give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
   his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Footnotes: a Psalm 100:3 Or and not we ourselves

Emma loves Ramen

Who says a baby cannot eat ramen noodles? A BLW baby can!
Here Emma was 8 months old and she loves noodles! What fun shapes noodles are. And delicious. Our family loves to eat japanese food. So naturally Emma loves it, too.

It doesn't matter how much she actually eats. Because her main food until 1 year old was still milk. But I notice at that time more and more were actually going in.

Mealtimes were playtimes for her. It's OK to play with food. That's the only way she learns to handle food, and later on to handle table manners. At one year old, just about 4 months later, she could hold a spoon and even chopsticks already. Now, at 23 months, Emma still loves ramen noodles and could finish half a bowl by herself. I went hungry the last time I shared my ramen with her.

Everybody including the waiters loved to watch her eat. They didn't mind very much that she left some mess on the floor. I usually would pick up the larger mess so it's not too glaring. It's okay for them and it's okay for me. Most definitely it's okay for Emma!

One more thing, after she was about 18 months, she eats quite neatly if she wants to. Very little went to the floor. It's usually at the end when she is already bored that some food actually falls down. So she really eats her food. Truly thank God for BLW.