Boost

Last week, Willow and I went out to Babies 'R Us and picked out a booster seat.  She'd been struggling against being put in her high chair, so we figured hey, how nice it would be to be able to sit and talk with her right there at the table with us.

And she loved it too--mealtimes have always kind of been the time when we didn't really pay attention to her, as the high chair was of necessity kind of off to the side, and while I think
a certain amount of self-sufficiency is a good thing, it's been wonderful to have her be part of the conversation, even if her contributions tend to be "byeeee!" and "bahbahbahbah" and "mmm mmm!"

And there has been an added, uh....well, I'm not sure "benefit" is the right word, but it'll do.  Willow has decided that since she's sitting her Big Girl Booster and is at the table with us and everything, then she should feed herself like big girls do, to boot.

I haven't exactly resisted having Willow feed herself up to now, but I haven't been overwhelmingly encouraging either.  I know it's the next obvious step, but...it's just so messy.  And until the advent of the booster seat, Willow hadn't exactly been clamoring either.  I would place a bowl of applesauce in front of her at snacktime, and she would take a few halfhearted spoonfuls--and then lose interest and demand some crackers, please.

No longer.   Willow is self-feeding, thank you, and I don't have photos of the spoon on the way to the mouth because I'm too busy holding the bowl in place/applauding/insisting that she use the spoon.  But you can see the effects (really, it's not as bad as it looks.  She does get most of her food in her mouth).

She's getting bathed a little more often than before, much to her chagrin. 

Watermelon, anyone?