If you're a parent you know that the first year with a new child is nothing short of amazing. The first few months are kind of blur with the challenges and lack of sleep that characterize the arrival of a tiny new life in the home. the next few months are incredibly sweet as you watch that little life start to really interact - but without the need for constant supervision because quite simply - they aren't very mobile yet. Soon after the 6-month mark, it becomes a true sport (and the time seems to start passing more quickly) as you watch them learn new things and become more and more agile... and before you know it, you're coming up to the end of that first magical first year.
My second child... my baby... sweet little Meaghan, will be 10 months next week. And it's hitting me that we're coming up on the end of her first year, the end of my maternity leave... the end of a special time. And now it's time to think about weaning and daycare options. It's time to say good-bye to our current "routine".
This week I officially started the process of weaning.
With this being my second time around, I was surprised at how hard it was to consciously decide 'I will stop nursing her at lunch time today' - and physically do it.
I've been thinking about it since Christmas (since that was about the time I cut out the first "nursing" feeding for Layla, weaning her slowly over the course of a few months) but it took me until almost the middle of February to actually do it. It's kind of funny because now that she's been taking her lunch milk feeding from a bottle for about a week - now that the process of weaning is underway - and my little Meaghan who refused to take a bottle until just recently is taking to the new routine - I'm fine with it. Really. I'm even starting to wonder when we'll offer a second daily "bottle".
It may seem odd that it's even an issue - but with every "last time" of something (be it nursing, cutting out the 3rd nap, no longer swaddling, putting away toys that she's too big for...) and every "new step" (introducing foods, watching her crawl to me and stand herself up using my leg for support, teaching her to eat with her fingers... and watching her explore...) I am happy and excited on the one hand but a little sad that my baby is less and less of a baby with each passing week.
And on a side note...
Let's not even start to think about the post-nursing-baby-#2 boobs that I have to look forward to. Sigh. Although I was totally okay with how my girls looked after nursing Layla, I've been told by many many mommy friends that the outlook is pretty bleak the second time around. Can I cry...? now...? Seriously.
Sigh (yes, again)... Another topic for another time...
And daycare integration is right around the corner too.
I found out this week that a spot will become available in the next 2 weeks. Which is amazing - as the timing falls just over a month before I return to work. Around here - with government subsidized daycares that have incredibly long waiting lists - I am so fortunate to have found a place for not just one, but both girls in the daycare located at my place of work (not beside, not across the street... AT). So it's not an option for me to put off daycare until just before I return to work. The integration will be slow, a couple hours here and there for the first while. But... the beginning of daycare is just another symbol of the end of something else.
So... 2 more weeks of our current "way of life".
The countdown is officially on.
Wow. Where did the time go?
A.
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4 comments:
It's a heavy time for sure. Good luck. I was lucky in that both our girls more or less self-weaned. The only conscious decision I made was to stop the nursing all together. But I was only down to once a day when I made the decision.
And yes, the post nursing baby #2 boobs are such a let down. (Intended pun) Suddenly a lift doesn't seem like such a daft idea!
You can cry on my shoulder. Although I will try my best to sympathize with the back-to-daycare difficulty, I think it's the *ahem* other issue that may leave your spirits 'sagging' and I'll be able to better relate to.
xox
You gotta love that it's my "side note" that reaches you moms the most :-)
& Cheryl I hear ya! I have never been so close to contemplating cosmetic surgery in my life... what's a boob lift and tummy tuck? It's like getting braces :-P no??!!
Great post, Andrea! (As usual!) Teaghan just passed the 13-month mark and I'm actually finding myself completely stunned at how quickly it all went by... A year? Already? How did that happen?!? (Especially when the 8 *days* of waiting past my due date seemed to take a decade each! ;p~)
(Theory: Studies have shown that sleep deprivation interferes with the formation of long-term memories. So perhaps I'm not actually *capable* of remembering this past year? Good thing we took pictures! ;p~)
And, I'm very sad to hear about the post-breastfeeding prognosis... It is pretty clear that all is not well for me, even one baby into the process (certain pages from "National Geographic" come to mind... ;p~), but I was hoping somehow gravity could be defied. Drat.
(I think as soon as I got pregnant, my body was like, "Oh dear. These will never do... Kick it into high gear, folks! We've only got nine months! Go, go go!" I think I had stretch marks before Teaghan even had a heartbeat. ;p~)
Anyway, enjoy every minute! And thanks for posting! :)
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