That expression about being raised by wolves has been running through my head lately. We've been ramping up Keira's solids, and she's fallen madly in love with finger foods. She's particularly a carb fiend. I swear, even when her little tummy is huge and round, she still finds a way to gobble up bread, pasta, bagels, and rice.

The problem with these culinary adventures, however, is that Keira is no longer willing to sit quietly, opening her mouth for spoonfuls of pureed mush. No! She wants to be involved, run her own show, and be an independent eater! Our last few meals included wild wrestling matches: Keira struggled to grab the spoon out of my grasp, while I tried to keep her from smearing carrot mash in her hair. Mouth clamped shut and eyes glaring, my sweet pea flatly refused to let me feed her.

Of course, I was not about to let myself be conquered. Armed with expert books and website resources, I decided that our battles were simply a sign that Keira was ready to self-feed. Proper training and patience would help her through the crucial developmental process that would take her from learning how to use a spoon to adopting actual table manners.

Ready to begin anew, I prepared a small bowl of finger foods and cereal mush. I put Keira in her high chair, fastened on a bib, and smiled while I handed her a spoon and put the bowl on her tray. Instant disaster! Keira grabbed the bowl and started to flip it over. I leapt to the rescue just in time and then tried to hold her hand with the spoon to show her how it should be used. Breaking into a howl of protest, Keira yanked her hand away and, while I was horrified and distracted, snatched a fistful of sticky mush instead. Mess, mess, MESS! While Keira stared curiously at her hand and flexed her fingers open and closed over the squishy food, I sat back and resigned myself to letting my daughter have her way.

Since that turning point moment, things seem to have gotten a lot better. Keira is once again well-behaved during meals and enjoys almost everything I put in front of her. There's just one catch - no utensils allowed. If I even try to bring a spoon onto the scene, chaos descends in a flash. Fingers only! Self finger-feeding that she does on her own and other yummy offers from my fingertips are the only ways she'll eat now.

And as I watched her have breakfast this morning, devouring mango, tofu, and cereal off my sticky, messy fingers, I couldn't help but wonder what dangerous road we're heading down. Images of a wild toddler grabbing food with her hands and cramming meals in her mouth danced through my mind. Raised by wolves, I tell you...raised by wolves.