Intro to Solid Food - 5 1/2 Months

I really wanted to wait until K was 6 months to introduce her to solid foods. I read that it's the best time to do so since all the enzymes in the baby's stomach are then well developed. However, when looking at "signs" of when the baby is ready for solids, K passed all of them way before she was 5 months. Here are the signs:
1. She weighs at least 13-15 lbs (I can't remember when she weighed 13 lbs)
2. She weighs twice as much as her birth weight (No problem with that)
3. She can sit with support (Yes!)
4. She has control over her head and neck muscles (Finally!)
5. She can bring an object in her hand directly to her mouth (Yes! And, if it's an empty bottle she will put the 'drinking' end to her mouth, like if she knew exactly how to do it)
6. She shows interest in others eating around her (That's becoming a problem. She doesn't show just interest; it's more like hunger, jealousy, aggression)
7. She becomes fussy in the middle of the night, whereas before she slept through with no problem (That's a great description of what's exactly happening at night)

Right when K was 5.5 months, we decided it was time to do solids. I figured if she were born on her due date, she would be 6 months by now.

We started with avocados. I mashed them and combined with breast milk. Klaudia LOVED it. Then we switched to bananas. She liked those, too, although she wasn't as crazy about them as she was with the avocados.

Everything seemed to be going fine until we realized that all that food was going in, but nothing was coming out. Today is 7 days since K last ... pooped. I heard that it does happen at the beginning but decided to call the doc just to check. I was asked to bring her in right away. I told the nurse, K seems to be doing just fine and I'm the one bothered by her lack of bowel movement, but I was asked to come anyway.

K was checked and told to be fine. I got some ideas from the doc on how to improve K's digestion, but didn't have much time to think about the options because K decided to shower us with a surprise and tonight produced what we've all been waiting for. Man, did that thing stink!?!

Here is my dad teasing K with a piece of apple.

















Here she is tasting avocado for the very first time in her life. We were a bit unprepared - no high chair, no plastic spoon or bib. We survived.
K swallowed her food as if she had done it before. I'm sure she had dreamed about this day forever.