• I eat better and fix healthier meals. Since Henry eats what we eat, and I want him to eat lots of veggies and fruits and good meats, then that's what I fix. No more "I'm too tired to fix anything good so we'll just eat a frozen pizza." I'm enjoying planning meals again. And I'm finding I actually like vegetables!
• Henry doesn't have to be spoon fed while I'm trying to eat. It's so neat to watch him figure out the right amount of pressure to use to pick up a banana or how to put an apple in his mouth and use his one little tooth to get some of the flesh off the apple.
• Henry is exposed to lots of different textures and tastes right away. He hasn't turned down trying anything yet, which is great!

CONS

• It's VERY messy. Did I mention how messy it is? Henry is covered in food. We go through at least one bib (sometimes more) and two washcloths a day cleaning him up after each meal. The table wears a lot of the food, too, and if I let him eat while sitting in my lap, I'm covered in food, too!
• Most people think you're nuts for doing food this way...pediatrician included. It's just so different from doing jarred baby food and cereal.

Overall, I'm glad we're doing baby led weaning. It's been an exciting time watching Henry sample so many different foods. He seems to really love apples so far. I love how being parents isn't a one size fits all endeavour and how we can all try different things. After all, how a child learns to eat isn't nearly as important as the kind of person that child grows up to be!