VW, I honestly think firebombing the insurance company would be a lot better strategic move....

Cass, insent

And now I'm a worried mom because Owen is obviously way ahead of Annabel in what solids you're giving him, and I'm afraid I'm being too cautious! Our pediatrician recommends waiting on finger foods until 8 months, so she's only been eating them for a few weeks. So far I've stuck to strictly baby foods like the Gerber fruit puffs, biter biscuits, and zwieback toasts. And Cheerios.

Speaking of which, the girl is due for a feeding....

biter biscuits, and zwieback toasts

So. Damn. Messy.

Try frozen waffles. Whole wheat, if they have them. Cut them up and there you go.

That's wonderful about Owen, Cashmere. Sara was all about the sweet potatoes and green beans, et al, when it was baby food, but cooked pieces, not so much, sadly. She does love apples, bananas, and grapes, though.

t watches Emeline finish up her steak and potatoes

How well I remember the days of cutting grapes into quarters...

And now I'm a worried mom because Owen is obviously way ahead of Annabel in what solids you're giving him, and I'm afraid I'm being too cautious! Our pediatrician recommends waiting on finger foods until 8 months,

He's not that far ahead. He's only been eating Cheerios for maybe a month or two (I'm not sure). He's been eating biter biscuits and Zwieback for a little less time. I first gave him fresh, ripe fruit in teeny pieces two or three weeks ago and today was the first time I'd tried cooked, cubed veggies.

I tried to take it slower, but he kept taking the spoons out of my hands when I was trying to feed him. I went through 8 spoons in one feeding and heard that that was an indication that he wanted to feed himself. The combination of finger food and me shoveling in pureed baby food seems to work.

You're not overly cautious--you and Annabel are your best guides.

I am a little paranoid, but a close family friend lost his son who choked to death four years ago and that left a mark.

I'm telling ya, it's an okay subject to be paranoid about. Like I said, three times we had Emmett turning purple in the face: Piece of bread, piece of apple, piece of pear. It's scary as fuck.

I read that hot dogs are the worse offenders. Apparently they're perfectly sized to stick in a small esophagus. Of course, I came pretty close to being killed by a bay leaf when I was in my 30s.

Fun, irrelevant health information from Connie. Whee!

Remember my ill-starred attempt to kick caffeine? Or at least cut way back? Remember the damned blood pressure pills that knock me flat when I take them?

Guess what counteracts them? See, I was trying to replace the high-test diet Coke at lunch with caffeine-free. I'd been wondering why the morning pill doesn't knock me down, and a light went on.

So I'm not going off the caffeine. The blood-pressure-raising thing counteracts the side effects of lowering the blood pressure. This makes sense in some dimension, I'm sure.

VW, I honestly think firebombing the insurance company would be a lot better strategic move....

t thinks

They really should actually...

Thanks Susan.