Weaning weekend

This past weekend, I left the boys and my husband behind to take a trip down to Rexburg, ID to visit my sister and brother. I got to meet each of their fiancees, and I had a wonderful, relaxing time with them all. Got to have some good bonding time with my future sister-in-law, and enjoyed joking around and reminiscing with my brother and sister. Saw all the rennovations that have been done at my old college since I left there seven years ago, and it was astounding. I wished I had remembered my camera. Now I want to go back sometime with Nick so that he can see it, too.

Back home, things were not as relaxing for my poor husband. The boys ran him ragged, and on top of that he had to deal with Z's tantrums in the middle of the night when I wasn't there to nurse him. I am so grateful for my Nicholas and all his support and patience throughout this past weekend.

Yes, Z is-- for all intents and purposes-- weaned at last. I still haven't dried up completely. But, the four days away were really just what Z needed to convince him that he doesn't need to nurse all the time. He's asked to nurse a few times since I got back home, but he's been pretty easy to distract and hold off. I haven't nursed him at all since I got back, so if I can just hold out for a few more days or so, I'm thinking we'll have reached a new "normal" around here.

Z went down for bed a whole lot better last night than he used to. I really just think things will be better in general for everyone now that he's weaned.

weaning a toddler

Every time I start typing the "story" of our progress so far, I just struggle to put things simply and straight-forward enough. So sorry, no details. But, I am working on weaning Z-- finally-- and wish me luck, because I need it! 21 months of nursing is just a wee bit longer than I had bargained for, and I am so ready to move on to a new phase with my little boy. Now I just have to convince Z to get fully on board with the program.

Yep.

Z's new word for the day was "Yep." It was so stinkin' cute every time he said it. Before now, whenever he wanted to answer in the affirmative to something, he'd just kind of grunt and nod his head. But not today. Today he finally found a word to express himself.

"Z, do you want some oranges?"

"Yep."

"Is that good?"

"Yep."

On and on, all day. So cute. And probably the only reason I didn't feel more like shutting him in a room somewhere, because he was asking to nurse constantly today. This nursing-my-toddler-like-he's-a-newborn phase is really wearing me out. I am so ready to be done already. But, my kid apparently has other plans. Anyway, he just got a couple of molars in lately, so maybe he's still got more coming and he's just doing it more for the comfort than anything else (he never did take to the binky, unfortunately).

I remember a similar phase with my oldest-- the "yep" thing, not the nursing. Some of G's phrases that I remember (he went through them in stages), were "uh-huh," "sure," "of course," and even more recently at age four, "absolutely." Interesting to witness how thier vocabulary grows and changes over time.

Evidence #1 that I am Super Mom

Z was sick and nursing for long stretches. This particular day, G was hungry for lunch, but Z wouldn't stop nursing. So, I had G fetch a can of Spaghettios and set it on the counter. Then I propped my leg up, positioned the can opener, and opened the can-- all while standing up and nursing. Then, I got a bowl and a spoon, dished out the Spagettios, and handed the bowl and spoon to my son.

Of course, I needed a hand to take this picture, so I couldn't actually get a shot of me operating the can opener.