Dining with Jillian

Jillian is learning the fine art of dining, since she is now a big girl who eats rice cereal like a champ (still working on the sweet potatoes in case you were wondering). She likes to be in the thick of it at all mealtimes. This means she is not willing to play in her exersaucer, or roll around on a blanket, or what have you. She wants to be in your arms, at the table, with her hand in your food. She is fast, I tell you. Last week we were at a play date over lunch and she stuck her hand in my bowl of chicken mole and rice, and she knocked Matt's water bottle off the table trying to get it. Tonight we decided to go out for sushi, and Jillian desperately wanted Matt's chopsticks. She settled for the paper chopstick wrapper. We have also started introducing a sippy cup (sans valve) with a bit of water, to begin getting her used to the idea that there are other sources for liquid other than the breast or a bottle. She thinks she is hot stuff and absolutely loves to bring it to her mouth, though of course hasn't quite figured out how it works. I help her get small amounts into her mouth and then she usually makes a funny face and spits it out at me--it's a pretty fun game! Banging the cup and throwing it on the floor repeatedly are new fun pastimes as well, along with "feeding herself" while playing with the spoon. She can already multitask well, as seen in this photo during dinner last night.

Note to self for weekend: Must get this child a high chair!