that was a lovely newsy post, jelr. I always love your posts, even the ones responding to others.
so pleased you have had a lovely Christmas and Natasha enjoyed it all and is doing well! I got a book on baby and toddler foods for Christmas, haven't looked at it yet as it seems to be focusing in the beginning on purees and I would like to try BLW (have not read the book on that either, think I should!). but on the nutrition aspects and foods for later on it'll be useful. book was a gift from C's mother.
actually, I happened to see a situation over Christmas that I wasn't sure how I'd handle if it was me, given I don't like to appear rude and am afraid that being assertive can come across as rude... we were at C's mum's and she had some family members over as well, and she cooked... C's little nephew is 9 months old and obviously eating some solids now. well, C's mum wanted to let the baby have a taste of a dessert, can't remember what it was, there were a few, might have been a chocolate pear thing or a banoffee pie, and C's sis (baby's mum) said ABSOLUTELY NOT. C's mum pushed it, and the way she was speaking it was as though they were depriving the baby of something by not having a taste of dessert. C's sis repeated, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
now I agreed with her, but that wasn't my issue, it was C's mum pushing her after she'd said no and trying a sort of emotional blackmail on her. it's the mum's decision, end. of. and it made me think, eeeek, if she tried to push me after I'd said no, I don't think I'd be able to say what C's sis did and get away with it (it was to her own mother, she could be as forceful as she liked). I'd be really, really angry if someone gave my child something I said he couldn't have, or tried to make me feel bad for the choices I make.
there again I don't want AE to have the sort of food issues I had through childhood, so I won't be banning anything once he is old enough to ask for it. but till he is I see no point in encouraging him to want chocolate and sweets and stuff. fruit is different, of course.