Over it.

So... Lily started solid foods a couple of weeks ago. Thus far she's had steel cut oats, apple slices in a Sassy food bag thing, rice rusks, and avocado. She REALLY wants to feed herself and wants nothing to do with a spoon. She loves to gnaw on the rucks and apple slices because she can hold onto them herself. The oatmeal and avocado have been more challenging. 


I know she's still very new to this whole food thing, but we were having zero success even though she was clearly ready. We've tried a few different spoons to see if it was a texture thing. We've each tried holding the spoon. We've tried airplane and other distractions. We even tried letting her hold the spoon. Nothing. Then I tried using my finger. That worked marginally better.


A few days ago I was eating carrots and Lily kept trying to grab it out of my hand. And then genius struck: I should use the carrot as a make-shift spoon. Worked like a charm. Now she gobbles up avocado like nobody's business. Don't get me wrong, she still gets it EVERYWHERE, but a good portion of it gets eaten.


That last part is the source of my current frustration. I'm super excited that Lily is eating solids and I'm looking forward to making all kinds of delicious fruits and veggies for her. I enjoy watching the hilarious faces she makes and I'm proud that she can hang onto a rice rusk for more than a minute before flinging it to the ground in excitement. But I hate the mess. I'm still not completely comfortable with the new, albeit low, level of chaos in our home. And now that chaos is covered with a thin layer of slime. 


I keep trying to clean up after she eats, but I inevitably miss some. Then that one little piece gets smeared around all over again. It's not a problem to get her clean, more so me, the high chair, table, and floor. It's physically impossible to sweep with one hand, trust me I keep trying. The high chair has so many little nooks and crannies that it is a crumb and glob magnet. And I don't know how she does it, but sometimes I end up with more slime on me than anywhere else. 


I know this is a silly thing to complain about. I just needed to vent. Lily eating is great, but as far as the mess it creates, I'm over it. 


**Update**
Today Lily had sweet potato for the first time. She LOVED it. She gave me a huge grin after each bite and kept lunging forward for more. She even tolerated the spoon.