Our boy loves to eat. These pictures are from different meals, several days apart. Since we began feeding him solids, each meal has been very similar. Occasionally, he is not hungry and has little interest in eating, but for the vast majority of meals he eats as fast as he can and as much as he can -- he will even start yowling a bit if you do not feed him fast enough -- until he is done, at which point he shuts his mouth like a vice and makes frustrated noises until you clean him up and lift him out of the chair.

Yesterday, that all changed. I fed Charlie three spoonfuls of sweet potatoes, which he gobbled up, but then he did not want anymore. I was sure he was not full yet. I tried to get him to take more, but he would not do it. In a last ditch effort to get more food in him, I switched to prunes (another favorite). He saw the prunes, smiled and attacked four spoonfuls. But then, he clenched his lips shut again. So, I switched to sweet potatoes and he ravenously ate three or four spoonfuls.

For the first time, Charlie is developing opinions beyond safety/survival instincts. Apparently, he prefers to sample a little from each of his mealtime food options, instead of finishing the main course and then eating the side dishes one at a time (the way his dad and his namesake* Great Grandpa Mathews used to eat). It is such a small thing, but I have been marveling over it for the better part of two days, so I thought I would share.

* "Namesake," for those whom I am sure will question this usage, is correctly used to refer to both the person named after another and to the person for whom another is named. Seems like we could use another word for clarity, but for now it is what we have got.