Weaning

These last few weeks have felt a bit long.  We're finally down to only a couple of bottles a day (mostly at sleep times), and drinking out of cups is where it's at.  We've also got Vivi drinking whole milk now.  Yes, she was on formula for what felt like forever.  I kept telling myself that after her 12th month I would do it.  Then I thought 15 months sounded pretty grown up, let's do it then!  She's almost 17 months.

I just always had an excuse not to do it -- to not take away her babyhood.  It's felt like I have been weaning her from more than her bottles.  Like I've been weaning her from a little bit of me, giving her even more independence.  Feeding times are snuggle times.  We sit in the chair in her room, and she curls up on my lap and nestles in with her "cozy" while I brush the hair out of her face and kiss her head.  I usually sing a song.  I always tell her I love her.  Then she goes to sleep.  These times will pass too, long after the bottles are completely gone and she's just too big for my lap.  That is the next step.  All of this weaning.  This growing up and moving on to the next stage of things.  Of life.  It's all going by so fast.