Feeding Frenzy

I think I'm losing the solid food battle.  This is how it went today...

For her late afternoon feeding, I decided to feed her sort of propped up in her Boppy.  This is because (a) Gary has not yet put the high chair together, (b) feeding her in the Bumbo no longer works well because she tries to twist all the way around and sometimes almost lurches out of it and (c) if you try to feed her in the exersaucer, she gets food all over the top of the seat, which is a pain to get off and wash.

On her first bite, she does her typical spitting maneuver but since she's kind of in a laying position, it goes up and gets on her forehead, in her eyelashes and up her nose.  It is also on the front of her shirt, the arm of her shirt and her pant leg...I have no idea how it simultaneously got on her forehead and leg?  Doesn't seem to bother her so we continue. 

She then decides the bowl of squash and the spoon look like they'd be fun to play with so as I'm trying to avoid her octopus arms, she knocks the spoon out of my hand (which is full of food), it lands on the carpet and gets squash e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e., including on both her and my pant legs (again).  Rylee [unsuccessfully] attempts to lick the squash out of the carpet and off Ella's pant leg. 

I then try to get all the cat and dog fur off the back of the spoon, and Rylee, who has now gotten all she can out of the carpet, starts licking the spoon IN MY HAND (you can tell she's quite fearful of me).

We finally get re-situated and get a few more bites in, but Ella leaves most of the food in her mouth so that when she puts both hands in her mouth, she can be sure to get them covered in squash.  I set the bowl of squash next to me so I can try to clean off her hands on her bib, and Rylee starts licking the squash out of the bowl. 

I finally give up, and decide that at this point, I might as well use Rylee's tongue as a wipe, and I let her lick Ella's entire face clean.  

I swear, if it's true that kids who grow up with dogs are healthier, I am going to have the healthiest kid in the entire world.

On a positive note, E is becoming a solid food pro and really getting good at taking the spoon and swallowing her food instead of pushing it out with her tongue!