Well, I'm sort of embarrassed to admit it, but today was the first time in several months that we have given Franklin and Carlton (now 18 months old) a chance to feed themselves using a Baby Dipper bowl. The delay was mostly due to our crazy busy schedules and wanting to have two adults here so we could take photos, film it, and help the boys out as needed. Honestly, I also didn't really relish the thought of having to deal with the guaranteed mess created by two toddlers feeding themselves at once. Remember, I've been there, done that with Greta and Cora. They actually got to use prototype Baby Dipper bowls to feed themselves, but it is still a "growing pain" of sorts even with a bowl that actually helps the child feed him- or herself.
So, this evening after taking the edge off their appetites with a few nibbles of snacks, I suggested to Hans that tonight might be THE night. He agreed, so we gave Carlton and Franklin Baby Dipper bowls filled with chocolate pudding and handed each a Baby Dipper spoon. As with the last time we'd given them a bowl full of food, they just looked at us, expecting us to spoon the food for them. We decided to do the first bite for them so they would know what the brown stuff in the bowls was. They were happy with that first taste, so it didn't take much encouragement after that for them to try to get more into their mouths.
We were able to witness here in our very own home two different eating styles for first-time self-feeders. Franklin immediately grabbed the spoon with his fist and proceeded to dip it into the pudding and then put it in his mouth right side up. By the end of his first meal self-feeding, he was sort of even scooping the pudding rather than just dipping. He pretty much got it this first time out. Carlton, on the other hand, was simply enjoying holding just the very tip of the spoon handle and tapping the spoon in the bowl. He would occasionally try to get a bite into his mouth, but the spoon always ended up upside down, often assisted by his other hand. You can see in the photos the two different early feeder styles. I know that we have a long road ahead of us, but I also know that it would be much longer without the use of Baby Dipper bowls. I sure am glad that somebody invented it! ;-)
