Dan's aunt Elizabeth visited this week (YAY!!!) and I told her about our family rule: "You always need to try one bite, but you don't have to eat more than that." Elizabeth wondered whether it was unkind to enforce such a rule at 12.5 months of age, but the conversation changed and we didn't discuss it anymore.

Later, I made some deviled eggs. I put some on my finger for John but had to hold down his arms and head (with Dan's help) and pry open his mouth to enforce the rule. I felt cruel, but in a few seconds, John began licking his lips. I offered another bite. His face lit up and he loved it. He didn't wait for the next bite, instead diving forward and biting off part of an egg. He ate the equivalent of two eggs without the eggwhite. I think it is his favorite food.

I stand by my rule.

Aunt Elizabeth is Dan's father's sister and there is family resemblance in how they interact with babies. Some things my FIL did while he was here: turn lights on and off while saying "On, Off" and open and shut his hand while saying "Open, shut". One things Aunt Elizabeth did was stand up and down while saying "Stand, sit". She was also careful to narrate her actions for John.