Spoons

We are employing the so-called "baby-led weaning" method. 

In short, you give your baby any food they want, be it what you happen to be eating or what they manage to grab, within reason of course. 

For example,

 Madeleine enjoys chewing on pizza crust, pepperoncini peppers, 

chipotle humus, basil, and ice-cream (although it always surprises her how cold it is.) 

Supposedly, it helps prevent baby from over- or under-eating, 

and it makes meals more of a family event.

It is also supposed to help her learn how to chew first, 

and then later figure out swallowing.

(Which at first meant a lot of gagging)

It's a European thing.

For this method, you don't usually give baby purees, 

unless they spoon it to themselves.

So we've been teaching Madeleine how to use a spoon.

It's surprisingly a lot less messy when she feeds herself than when I feed her.

It may require a lot of positive reinforcement,

but we're making progress!