17.5 lbs isn't a bad weight for your baby.
I would say that as long as he is happy
and sleeping well, just let him be. I
know you are sick of the baby jars, but if
that's what he wants, let him have it. If
he likes milk, let him drink it, because
at least something is going in his tummy.
I have had this problem with my son and to
tell you the truth, we were still giving
him second food jars even when he was over
18 months old and I HATED it. Not only
that, I had to buy out all the surrounding
stores because he would only eat ONE kind!
We would try giving him both regular food
and jars at every meal. Eventually he
would eat the regular food. For a while
he was better at walking around and eating
than he was sitting down. Sitting down
was just too boring.
Thankfully he is off having jars all the
time and hasn't had one in a long time.
He just turned 2 and he eats just like
everyone else. Some kids are just more
picky than others and some just don't want
to make that transition.
I don't think you have a "failure to
thrive" child. All because he isn't a
really heavy baby doesn't mean that that
isn't the right weight for him either. I
will tell you too that all my kids...all 6
of them...never reached 20 lbs until after
they were a year old. So don't worry too
much. The point is that he is a healthy
and happy little boy.
Also if you chart out what he eats and
what he doesn't, you may see a pattern.
Sometimes kids and babies cluster
feed...they will eat a lot and then a
little and then nothing and then make up
for not eating that much again later. It
might take a month of charting to see
exactly where his pattern is, but he is
probably getting just what he needs
