"rice cream"

When we went to Ellie's four-month appointment, about three weeks ago now, the doctor said that she was looking completely normal.  She was meeting all of her milestones, she seemed strong enough, and she was tall enough.

There was just one problem.

She didn't weigh enough.

Twenty-three inches long.  Ten pounds, three ounces.

She hadn't even gained a pound in two months!

Our doctor recommended starting her on rice cereal, and no other solid foods, for at least a month.  I think we went to the store that night and got everything we needed.  The very first time she tried it, she, um...didn't love it.  She ate it.  But she didn't love it.  See for yourself:

I am probably unduly obsessed with these pictures.  Even when she's upset, she's the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Anyway.

We spoon-fed her the first few times, but she wasn't actually swallowing much of it.  I know it takes them a little while to get used to being fed like that, but we were just concerned about getting some extra weight on her.  Tim's mom mentioned that one of his sisters, Brigette, put the rice cereal in a bottle for one of her sons.  We decided it was worth a try.  We made it runny enough and gave it to her in a bottle and it was love at first sip.  Now it's been almost a month, and she drinks a few ounces a couple of times a day like that.

I bought a digital scale last night just so I could try to gauge whether or not she's gaining enough weight.  I stand on it by myself and then stand on it with her in my arms and subtract the difference.  If the scale is correct, she's gained about a pound-and-a-half in three weeks!

We are getting so excited to try some new solid foods next week - and to actually use a spoon now that we're not so paranoid about her gaining enough weight.

Any suggestions for what to try next?

p.s. Have you seen this video?  Because we still quote it all the time, Tim always calls her rice cereal "rice cream," in a pretty spot-on Herman Cain impersonation.  Maybe you have to be there, but we laugh every time.