I remember when Little One started eating solid food. I waited months to start her on solids. I didn't want to start her too early. She was a preemie, and I wasn't sure how developed her digestive system was and just didn't want to rush her. I also think that secretly, if she started on solids that would confirm that she was no longer dependent on me for nourishment. I know. Stupid.

There was no stopping our little preemie though. She wanted to eat! She did the whole baby cereal thing. We did the rice, oats, barley cereals and then she graduated to fruits and veggies. She loved everything. She loved her meat purees too!

On a trip to visit family in Montreal, a friend of mine gave Little One a few Cheerios. My friend has a daughter Little One's age and she was already eating finger foods. I didn't know how Little One would fare, as she had never been introduced to finger food.

Also, because she was a preemie, I was always told that preemies have a tendency to be delayed developmentally. I was told that Little One's fine and gross motor skills would not be the same as that of other babies her age.

"She's going to choke! She's got no teeth!!!", I exclaimed.

"Chris, don't worry! The Cheerios will dissolve in her mouth. They'll get soft when she puts them in her mouth. She won't choke", my friend assured me.

I winced and hesitated. "Oh, I guess you're right".

To my surprise, Little One was able to pick up those tiny Cheerios and put them in her mouth! It was that moment that I just knew our little preemie was fine and not behind developmentally. Thanks to Cheerios! Cheerios were Little One's very first finger foods.


The good people at Cheerios have come up with yet another fabulous opportunity for parents and kids. They are offering parents a chance to win some pretty nifty prizes. Enter the Cheerios Milestones contest and you can WIN $10,000 towards an RESP from TD Canada Trust! Not only that, but your child can also be featured on a special edition Cheerios Box! Visit the Cheerios website and see how easy it is to enter!
Twenty finalists will be chosen to be on a special edition Cheerios Box and win Cheerios for a year! All you have to do is upload a photo of your favourite moment. Contest closes on December 15, 2010.

Think that's great? Well, MomCentral Canada and Cheerios have yet another cool contest for you! They have given me the chance to offer a wonderful giveaway to my readers. One of you will win a Cheerios play book! The Cheerios play book is perfect for learning and for fun! I know, since Little One was given a Cheerios play book from my friend last Christmas! She LOVES it!

To enter, leave a comment sharing a story about one of your child’s milestones.

The Cheerios play book contest is open from October 5th to the 29th.

Disclosure - I am participating in the Cheerios Milestones program by Mom Central on behalf of General Mills. I received a gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.