February 2nd - Updates

Well, I was tying to keep a list of all Dane's new words but over the past few weeks he's turned from baby to parrot. And now there are just too many to keep up with. But my favorite new addition, by far, is "more." He just learned that in the past week and now it's one of his most common words. Usually he's referring to blueberries, as in "GIVE ME MORE BLUEBERRIES NOW!" I've added it up, and our boy has a $100+ /month blueberry habit. We may have to send him to rehab. But they're good for him, at least!

What else...well, this may be an overshare but it's too funny not to mention on his baby blog. I finally weaned Dane in December. December 17th was the last day he nursed, so we went for just over 15 months. It was really hard and I'm still not sure I should have stopped, yet, or if I just stopped because I think people were starting to think it was weird. As my dad loves to say, when they start picking out what blouse you should wear you know it's time to wean them (har, har, har). I'm overly oppinionated on this subject but I really think Americans are ignorant in regards to breastfeeding. It's quite simply the best thing you can do for your baby and if you're lucky enough to be able to, you should do it as long as you and your baby are comfortable. However, I must say that if you had asked me BEFORE Dane was born, I would have said 15 months was a looooong time to breastfeed. But once you see how good it is for them, and how it comforts them and soothes them it's hard to find a reason not to go as long as you can.

BUT I'll get off my soapbox and get to the point. We finally weaned him after our ski trip to Beaver Creek since that gave us a little break to get him used to the idea. It was still so hard. Our first morning back he fought and fought me and was just broken-hearted when I wouldn't let him nurse, and then he cried and cried and that made me cry. We were both a mess. That went on for a few days but then he adjusted pretty well to the idea of just having milk from a bottle or cup. But over the last month or so he has developed a new soothing mechanism which involves having one hand (or sometimes even both) on my boobs whenever he's trying to relax. When he comes into bed with us in the mornings, it's hands on the boobs and then back to sleep. And if I try to roll over and escape his grasp...watch out! It's pretty funny. Don walked in the other day and I was relaxing with Dane trying to get him to take a nap. He was lying in the crook of my arm with his milk bottle in his right hand and his left hand in my shirt. What a little perv! But if that's what he needs to get him through this transition period, I'm fine with that. My boobies were his main source of food and comfort for so long, that he's just not quite ready to part with them.

On a side note...when I nannied for the Johnston boys through college, the youngest - Starkey - would always have to hold on to my earlobe when he took a nap. I thought it was the cutest thing ever and always hoped I'd have a child that did the same. So I kinda got my wish...but my earlobe sure would be more convenient than my nipple!