Experiencing Solids!

So we have been experimenting with solids again over the past week!  We started with some bananas and he actually seemed to enjoy them.  It's amazing with your first child because not only is it a learning experience for Chris but it is for me as well.  When I tried to feed him the peaches a few weeks back and he didn't seem to like them, I was sure it was because they tasted bad.  I mean, what baby food could really taste that good?  After only a spoonful or two, I just quit because I didn't want to force it on him.  As we tried again with the bananas, he sort of had the same reaction at first.  He spit them right back out.  But this time, I kept trying and I discovered that he didn't not like them, he just didn't know how to eat off of a spoon.  I'm sure you are thinking "that should be pretty obvious Rachel" but it really wasn't to me.  I was so focused on them tasting bad to him.  To ensure that he would like the taste of them, I dipped his paci in the food and gave it to him that way at first (see picture below, lol!)  He really liked it and that is when I said to myself, let me keep trying with this spoon.  SO after several spoonfuls and half the container on his bib and mouth, he actually started to open his mouth when he saw me put bananas on the spoon.  He was learning how to swallow off of the spoon and I was learning how to put the spoon in his mouth so he couldn't spit the food out right away.  He has now enjoyed both bananas and sweet potatoes.  We will be experimenting with other new foods in the next few weeks (pears, apples, carrots, green beans and more peaches!)  I have a video of him eating bananas for the first time I will add later.

We also gave him rice cereal for the first time yesterday. Dr. Davis told us to not try the cereal at bed time the first time, just in case he didn't like it or had a bad reaction to it.  That way we wouldn't be up all night.  So I pumped a bottle around lunch time yesterday and added 2 tablespoons of rice cereal.  He ate like a champ and then proceeded to take a 3 hour nap!!!  This from the baby that doesn't nap for more than 15 minutes at a time.  So tonight I pumped his last bottle and again, added the cereal to it so we will see how he does sleeping!