BLW is also a source for much debate amongst professional bodies. But thats another thread! I am being slightly devil's advocate in some of my views because I wish for other MNers to have a more open mind based on their own child.
As you said yourself, the OP's baby was ready for solids, & appeared to be so from the obvious behavioural characteristics in the first place, so she did do the right thing, sought advice, and began with a minor & palatable transition to food & BLW .
As I said in a much earlier post, I am not disagreeing with anything you say, but you are like a dog with a bone on this matter - its NOT Black&White, & no matter how much you quote the guidelines I do beleive (as many do - are we ALL wrong?? Perhaps its you, god forbid, who is wrong?) that instinct of a mother is the best. How can you even attempt to advocate what is best without knowing the baby, living with or seeing the baby on a regular basis?
As for the so-called 'back-slappers' who wean early, I am sure that there is no race or contest to wean the earliest. Beleive you me, friends that I have known that have weaned at 4-5mths would have loved the ease of BFing without high chairs, mess, taking lunch out with them etc. Their decision was laced with exhaustion from constant demand feeding, lack of sleep, unhappy baby, weight loss of baby, & sheer misery over a long period. But hey-ho, if the guidelines say 26wks, or they have to have the manual dexterity to manhandle a bit of carrot into their mouth before starting any form of solids (even 'mush', or rice,quinoa,oats or other food groups used by all nations to fill them up if all the milk a baby can drink is not enough), then you stick to the narrow viewpoint you have chosen to adhere to & NEVER veer away from!