Well, its hard to say.. but bababoo has been less than interested in my culinary creations as of late. Ouch! After yet another refused lunch, I consulted my friend Google with the following, “Why won’t my eight month old eat?”.

The prompt response was somewhat of a revelation and a catalyst for this specific baby experiment. It said, “Somewhere between 8 – 10 months, your baby may begin to assert their independence and they will refuse to be spoon fed.” Independence? My angel?! Well, I figured it couldn’t hurt (that much) to give it a shot. So here we go on baby led weaning…ta da!!!

After stripping her down to a diaper, moving the highchair away from the carpet and laying a towel as a drape cloth, all of my motherly cleaning instincts were swiftly put to the test. I started with filling the spoon. Filled with dread, I handed it to her… A moment of introspection and a searching look back at me. Really? You want me to have this?! A practice drum roll sent the Vegetable Melage flying. Ouch! I resisted the urge to clean it, this was about to get worse.

Bababoo proceeded to shake, rattle and roll through most of what I had given her. In the end a triumphant self feeder emerged, a independancized mother cleaned up and all was well again in the Bear & Dragon household. Smoosh!