Fussing and Fighting table foods... normal?

CariVin

Hi there,

 

I'm just starting to introduce real table foods to my LO.  Well, he's eating them for the most part, but it's a fight.  With every bite of the new food, he turns his head all the way around and purses his lips, then fusses and sometimes cries.  Then when I finally get the food into his mouth, he just chews & swallows it calmly, but it's the same thing with the next bite.  It breaks my heart!  Also, some foods (steamed carrots or American cheese), he just spits out and wants NOTHING to do with.  I think he's having issues with certain consistencies.

The only things he will happily eat are pureed baby foods (all of them) and Gerber puffs.

 Help??  Will it get better?  His pedi just says "Keep trying or else he'll need a food therapist after he's 2 years old"