Aaand, Done. Make that DONE!

Well, I think Grace isn't nursing anymore. She refuses when I offer, and by refuses, I mean screams and flings herself from my lap. Pardon me for suggesting something so horrific!

This is good, I suppose. We were winding down anyway and have been supplementing with formula for a while now. I planned to give it up around her birthday, definitely before moving. I'm glad that it's not a traumatic transition for her, and there are certainly advantages. I think when you're first nursing a newborn and you're exhausted and hungry all the time, you look forward to the freedom of not nursing, but as the baby gets older and is only nursing very quickly a few times a day, it becomes more precious. So I guess I'm a little ambivalent about giving that up. And I was mentally preparing to stop nursing in May, so with it coming earlier than anticipated, I guess I'm taken a bit by surprise. On the other hand, I didn't have any angst about the "last time" since I didn't realize it. And she's still cuddly... if she stops moving long enough.

Oh, and since I never wrote most of what I meant to on the subject of breastfeeding (lucky you!) I will post this piece that I've been intending to for some time and that everyone should read on the subject. I have watched so many friends unexpectedly struggle with breastfeeding, causing tremendous anguish. In all the pro-nursing propaganda, no one mentions that sometimes it just doesn't work. And that doesn't reflect whatsoever on one's mothering. Okay, end soapbox.

Although Grace easily dispatched with this aspect of weaning, we will have to give up the bedtime bottle sometime in the next few months. And it terrifies me. I'm not sure what a difference it makes in her sleeping through the night (her appetite is so uneven and sometimes she eats very little for dinner, other times she's insatiable), but I do know it's a significant bedtime cue. She is so ready for her bottle and quiet time in the rocking chair. She grabs the bottle and drinks so peacefully and then lets us know, very clearly, when she's done with it... by screaming, shoving the bottle out of her way and wrestling to get up. We kiss her goodnight, put her in the crib, and she rolls over, scrunches up and goes to sleep. So sweet. I dread giving up this smooth little routine. However, she has surprised me before with transitions so maybe it'll be fine. But you know me, I need to worry about the worst-case scenario for a while.