Well, It's Official.
Jackson Parrish Duncan is no longer a baby.
I have joked about this before as he would reach new milestones - but I think I can say with all honesty that I am now raising a Big Boy.
I nursed Jack until he was six months old. The only way he would fall asleep during those six months was to be nursed to sleep. After it became clear that he just wasn't getting enough sustinance from me, we made the decision to supplement his feedings with formula. It didn't take us long to figure out that Jack got more full on the bottle. He really seemed to love it, so we eventally weaned him from nursing and relied solely on the bottle at feeding time. And up until this past week, he was very attached to his bottle. So attached that he would regularly bang on the dishwasher door while shouting, "Bobble! Bobble! Bobble!". It was rare that we could even get him to sleep without first giving him a bottle.
This past Thursday, November 10, 2005, I noticed that Jack wasn't asking for a bottle before naptime, so intead of preparing one anyway, I held him in my arms and rocked him while reading a couple of books to him. By the middle of the 3rd book, he was out like a light. Hmmm.
I decided that I would do the same thing before bedtime, and to my surprise, it worked!
And even more surprisingly, it is now Sunday and he hasn't had a bottle since. I must admit that I underestimated my little guy because I never expected it to be this easy. I was truly preparing for a Battle Royale. I figured we'd be lucky if he was weaned by kindergarten.
Oh, how wrong I was. And oh, how big he is.
I have joked about this before as he would reach new milestones - but I think I can say with all honesty that I am now raising a Big Boy.
I nursed Jack until he was six months old. The only way he would fall asleep during those six months was to be nursed to sleep. After it became clear that he just wasn't getting enough sustinance from me, we made the decision to supplement his feedings with formula. It didn't take us long to figure out that Jack got more full on the bottle. He really seemed to love it, so we eventally weaned him from nursing and relied solely on the bottle at feeding time. And up until this past week, he was very attached to his bottle. So attached that he would regularly bang on the dishwasher door while shouting, "Bobble! Bobble! Bobble!". It was rare that we could even get him to sleep without first giving him a bottle.
This past Thursday, November 10, 2005, I noticed that Jack wasn't asking for a bottle before naptime, so intead of preparing one anyway, I held him in my arms and rocked him while reading a couple of books to him. By the middle of the 3rd book, he was out like a light. Hmmm.
I decided that I would do the same thing before bedtime, and to my surprise, it worked!
And even more surprisingly, it is now Sunday and he hasn't had a bottle since. I must admit that I underestimated my little guy because I never expected it to be this easy. I was truly preparing for a Battle Royale. I figured we'd be lucky if he was weaned by kindergarten.
Oh, how wrong I was. And oh, how big he is.
And now that it's done, I'm not sure that I'm ready. Jack is ready, obviously - but what about me? A while back, I was told by several more experienced moms not to be in a hurry to wean him from the bottle because it's the last bit of "baby" that we mom's can hold on to. Now I understand. Tonight, as I held him, I especially noticed how long and heavy he is getting. I missed that intimate time of cuddling as he would take his bottle and stare into my eyes while slowly drifting off to sleep.
But I am so happy to watch my little one change and grow into a happy and healthy Big Boy. I just sometimes wish I could slow down time. Just a little.
Posted By Mary Alice at 11:43 PM
2 Comments:
Look how big he is there!!! You're right - it goes way too fast, and before you know it, they're no longer babies & there's no turning back. I'm already preparing myself with MK... about to turn 8 months & I'm thinking, 4 more months of making formula... it's hard to let go!!! :)
Whew!! I got two good bottle-rockin's (not to be confused with bottle rockets, but just as exciting in a quieter way) in, just under the wire! Thanks for letting me share in some of those last "baby" moments. And to Raven -when do you sleep?! 4:37 a.m.!!
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