purees to finger foods: by jean

miles has been eating solids for about 2 months now.  he's been eating really well; however, i've noticed that he is willing to open his mouth more when I'm giving him something from my fingers rather than from a spoon.  

does he think i'm giving him a puff and so he almost always opens his mouth?  sometimes i use the puffs to get him to open his mouth and then stuff his mouth with a spoonful of veggies.  he does get annoyed with me at times, but i always give him a puff after he takes a bite!

i usually give him a mix of puree fruits and veggies and now little pieces of chicken and pasta.  speaking of pasta, i found this great mini pasta at the supermarket!  rienzi's conchigliette. it's small enough for miles to be able to eat it whole (although i'm still a little nervous so I cut it in half).  he loves to practice picking it up and putting it in his mouth.  so does that mean he's ready to move on from purees?   he currently has two bottom teeth and his top teeth are about to come out.

at daycare, they say he eats really well with the spoon.  i don't give them any fingers foods yet for miles-- just yogurt, puree fruits and veggies, and rice cereal.  but at home, i guess because i give him a mix of finger foods and purees, he prefers finger foods.  he will almost ALWAYS open his mouth when i give him something from my fingers as oppose to a spoon.  

do i have to start letting him get messy and give him little chunks of food for him to feed himself?  i'm sort of already dreading all the clean up i will have to do afterwards!