So, in all things crazy and beautiful, our little Harr Bear reached the 8 month mark last weekend and yet, on many days, it feels like we just brought him home from the hospital. I guess it doesn’t really seem like we just did that… There has been a whole lot of living, learning, loving, and sometimes, coping, going on during the 8 months of his existence in the outside world. But as I try to remember the spot where it went from way harder to a lot easier, I can’t pinpoint that.
There were a couple of reasons we delayed starting solids until 8 months. First, as you know, Harrison is 8 months out of the womb but he is developmentally 8 weeks behind, so every step we take with him, we try to make sure that we follow his due date, rather than his birth date. This goes for sleep, eating/nursing, and all milestones. So we waited until he was 8 months actual, six months adjusted, to begin solids and sleep-training. Also, because of Harrison’s Milk/Soy protein intolerance, we’re slow-going with his belly. Each food that we introduce, even as third-time parents, we will do twice a day for about 5 days before introducing the next. I would guess that as I reintroduce soy and then dairy back into my diet, we will feel more comfortable speeding up the process a bit. And the last reason we delayed a bit, well, life is busy. I know… terrible reason to not feed my kiddo but he’s got the boobs, which would provide ample nutrition for a bit longer. And seriously, solids just add in another to-do. Life is easier when I just have to haul around my hooters for baby food.
But we did it! We’ve left the land of sweet smelling, buttered-popcorn, breastmilk poo. And entered the food phase. We started with carrots and so far, so good. Having waited, we’re not dealing with any tongue thrusting and so the feeding is pretty quick and not very dirty. And he’s pretty amped up about it. Just seeing the spoon gets him more excited than a 17 year old boy at The Golden Corral. Next up, the exciting world of sweet potatoes. Then, green beans, in an attempt to counteract all the orange and help ensure we don’t turn this one into an oompa loompa due to carotene overload {because we’ve been there, done that}. And then we’ll see from there. Honestly, I think that if Harrison had his druthers, I would plop a cheeseburger and a milkshake in front of him and he could go to town.
Other 8 month happenings for H dogg include a fair amount of orange spit-up, rolling everywhere, less disdain with being on his tum tum, sleeping without a swaddle, and laughing/smiling/cheesing it up when his reflux isn’t too bothersome, and a continued obsession with the fact that his feet are attached to his body.
The first year is never easy {imo} but H is doing us a solid and making it easier than we’ve had it in the past, and for that, I am so very grateful.
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