I started out feeding a 6 month old teeny infant and am now feeding an 8 month old boss baby. Although I'm not any different physically (unlike my little chunk tornado), this short time has brought a lot of changes for me too. For example, BLW at 6 months: perched on the edge of my seat ready to enter full on panic mode from a slight gag. Me at 8 months: giving babe a slim jim and a Pepsi. #jaykay

But for real, progression happens so quickly with babies, it's pretty incredible. Bobby was just learning to sit up on his own and suddenly he's standing at the coffee table and clapping his fat little hands ❤. Babies also impress me with how easily they can adjust to eating solids. Bobby has almost reached the 9 month mark and can palm a sweet potato fry and jam it into his sweet face like nobody's business.

Here you'll find our progress and favorite foods from 6 to 8 months, and also a hopefully entertaining visual of the decrease in my feeding anxiety over the months.

6 Months!

Babe (Bobby): New to food, becoming super interested in eating. Getting used to high chair. Spending about 5 minutes kicking feet and squealing in happiness with new perspective on the kitchen. Not great at picking things up. Mealtimes take a while and get messy. Smashes food in fists and sucks it through fingers.

Mom (me): Excited for babe, worried if he is eating enough, and VERY nervous about providing food he can handle. Sitting super close to babe, appearing SUPER casual. On the inside doing alllll the second guessing. Sometimes waiting a day or so in between offering new foods but most of the time introducing several new foods a day. Offering equivalent of a few tablespoons of food a few times throughout the day, sometimes skipping solids for a day (aka sometimes completely forgetting). Worrying not enough is actually being consumed vs rubbed into eyebrows and reminding myself breast milk is still main source of nutrients.

6 month faves:
- super soft steamed green beans, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes
- oatmeal cooked with peanut butter
- soft pancakes made with baby oats
- scrambled eggs
- soft cooked lentils
- slow cooker apple carrot sauce
- pumpkin puree
- fresh fruit, just sliced and served watermelon, honeydew, banana, cantaloupe, avocado, strawberries

Apple, Pear, Carrot Sauce in the making.

7 months!

Babe: Picking up different shapes (hunks of oatmeal, slivers of veggies, small chunks of food like cheerios and avocado pieces). The shudder/shiver/EXTREME facial reactions to new foods seem to be toning down. Eating more regularly based on when others in the house are eating. Learning to crawl, eating a lot of floor food while mom isn't looking. Developing an intense pooping face.

Mom: Learning to let gagging go. Still nursing about every 3 hours or so (sometimes way more) during the day (AND overnight! Anyone else have babes that wanna nurse round the clock?). Combining foods frequently, getting into a pattern of knowing what foods to offer from the rest of the family meals but also running into some mealtimes thinking "what should I give Bobby?".

7 month faves:
- roasted root vegetables with olive oil
- sticky rice with shredded chicken
- oatmeal cooked with diced raisins or prunes and coconut milk

-slow cooker chicken legs
- salmon and sardines
- cold orange slices for teething
- toast spread with hummus or avocado

8 months!

Babe: Old pro eating many of the same foods as the rest of the fam. Trying out spoon skills, getting yogurt all over the damn place. Eating larger volume of food at each sitting (getting less in eyebrows, yay!). Drinking smoothies and some water out of an open cup. Not quite rockin' that pincer grasp yet but doing well palming even small bits of food.

Mom: is way chill, starting to realize that feeding babe food isn't all that scary. Sitting down and eating with babe. Seasoning foods frequently (lots of fresh basil, thyme, rosemary from the garden - also abusing pumpkin spice seasoning as of late). Bringing Bobby to restaurants every once in a while, impressing the public with his ability to put away a meal.

8 month faves:
- smoothies from a cup (with help)
- plain yogurt mixed with pumpkin and cinnamon (holding the spoon mybabyself 💁🏼)
- chicken legs or thighs in the slow cooker
- banana nice cream
- oatmeal + egg + prune pancakes