Give Peas a Chance.

I know, I know, the title is as cheesy as you can get. I can't help it.

We started Ellie on occasional rice cereal and purees once a day about two weeks before surgery.  She was showing all the signs of "readiness" and I had a deep (and possibly crazy) fear that if she didn't get a little food, she'd have sensory and texture issues. 

She didn't get any "big kid" food during her surgery and hospital stay, but over the past few days, we've picked back up with Ellie's favorite food ever.  Cold, flavorless, mushed peas.

Not sweet potatoes. (Sweet potatoes are a distant second for favorite.)  Not bananas.  (They're okay, but Ellie seemed indifferent.) Definitely not applesauce. (I ended up wearing her applesauce.)  

The ingredients on the peas are: Organic peas.  Water.

(Mommy, let me show you how I can help feed myself peas.  I like to feed the peas to my mouth... and chin... and neck.)

Don't get me wrong, I like peas, but personally, enjoy a bit more flavor in there.  But I'm happy that Ellie likes her veggies!

I heard that to help kids with Down syndrome learn to eat, you should present the spoon sideways.  I am lazy about that, because Ellie has no problem getting her food into her belly.

(After I eat my peas, I like to get them all over my toys while Mom takes pictures.)

This is the same baby who was born with duodenal atresia or a "double bubble," and who couldn't eat via mouth or even feeding tube for the first week or so of her life.  Ellie is making up for lost time.