Last Friday, on a whim, I set down the bowl and spoon of yogurt in front of Mia at lunchtime. I'm not sure what compelled me given that we've enjoyed only three weeks now of consecutive nights in which she has not thrown her dinner plate to the floor at some point in the evening. I suppose the reality of her impending 18-month milestone was on my mind, and guilt over the fact that she's still drinking from bottles.
I haven't yet figured out how to get her drinking cold milk with meals from a cup, but letting her get messy feeding herself was kind of a no-brainer, and with Tom home for the day I was in a more intrepid mood. So I let go, for about the millionth time (which thankfully has gotten easier and easier to do with each consecutive child) and I sat back and watched.
She did spectacularly.
She was managing to keep herself neater than even her older brother does
on some days. And though she did get distracted at times (I mean, woah,
there were a bowl and spoon right there. In front of her!)...
She persisted on, without frustration or fuss.
At some point it occurred to me that, given the new circumstances, until she was ready for me to clean the last bits out of the bowl for her there wasn't much left for me to do...
Except take pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. And so I did.
