I think, besides learning to smile, that teaching Beck about food and eating (and eventually cooking) is my favorite part of babylife so far. Of course, it's great because I love food so much, but making things for my daughter, having her enjoy them, and gain weight because of them? Quite satisfying, and entertaining to watch if you follow me on Instagram.
Per our ped's recommendation, we didn't start any real food until 6 months old. There is some new research that suggests that straight milk (breast or formula) is healthier for babies for the first 6 months and can lead to lower instances of obesity and diabetes later in life. Sold. So we did that, and then added vegan foods at 6 months, little bits of dairy at 7 months, and will start yogurt and little bits of meat (maybe a little ground chicken mixed into veggies, etc) around 9 months. Honey and milk will be the last foods introduced at 12 months, and then Beck will start cooking for herself because I've had enough. Those recommendations for when to start new things are fluid, of course, but are in line with most reading I've done and what our doctor said, so that's why we've chosen those milestones....