Baby steps...

*PREFACE* This is a very baby-heavy post.  I know for some of you, that's not your thing...  apologies.  

If you haven't yet, check out yesterday's Camping Countdown.  ♥

Sooooo with Elliott fast approaching the one year mark (cuh-ray-zee), we're just milestoning left and right over here.  

Walking, talking, understanding...  this kid is amazing.  With all this new toddler-like behavior, I'm feeling like it's time to make a few changes.  

First item on the chopping block... nursing.  

Last week, I realized that Elliott has basically commandeered my body for more than a year and a half, aaand I'm pretty much ready to have it back.  Nursing is exhausting, and only becomes more so as he gets older and bigger, and hungrier!  James nursed so rarely that in hindsight, I'd hardly even say that he was breastfed.   Both James and Evy were very happy to take formula and "babas".  THIS one?  He wants N O T H I N G to do with a bottle- regardless of what's in it, how much we paid for it, which fancy flash site we ordered it from, or the dumb "cutting edge design"and "innovative technology" behind it.  Just... no.   James basically weaned himself by rejecting the boob completely at the 8 month mark.  Evelyn?  Ok, that's another story.  When she suddenly realized that nursing was simply no longer an option- her immediate reaction was to behave like she could ONLY survive on breastmilk, and without it I was killlllllling her.  That's such an Evelyn response, you guys.  In the end, my mother had to physically take her away for a solid week, and that was that.  Best solution ever.  Unfortunately my mother moved away, so that's not an option this time.  *super sad face*  I should say that he loves food.  He'll eat pretty much anything I put in front of him.  But anything liquid in a bottle or sippy cup- might as well be baby kryptonite.

Next... co-sleeping.

Ok, ok... go ahead and say it...  we made our own bed here, right?  YOU GUYS!!!  He was such a teensy, snuggly, TEENSY little baaaaybeee!  And after everything we went through to have him, we couldn't not co-sleep.  I literally didn't even set him down for the first week.  But this is reality, people.  My teensy, snuggly, teensy is now a wiggling, grunting, nursing all night, BED HOG!  We need to get serious about getting him into his own bed, and reclaiming our lives a bit.  Or at least, our REM. 

So, I'm up for suggestions, my friends...  Tips?  Tricks?  Advice?  Watcha got?   

For those of you who've done it, did you wean first, and then transition to sleeping alone?  Do them both at once?  What was your weaning/transitioning experience like?  Please feel free to weigh-in, peeps.  I'm all ears eyes.  ♥

{Photo via Jeff Claassen}

Sleeping in...

How cute are those two?!

  

This is my favorite way to wake up in the morning.  Happy Elliott, and well-rested Jeffrey.  This year, James and Evy started riding their bikes to school.  *gasp*   So on school days, they typically get ready on their own and just come into our room to check-in before heading off.  Elliott usually wakes up in time to get a kiss goodbye from sister, a diaper change, and then he starts people-watching out the window.  And with the people-watching comes the growling, the yelling, and the bubble-blowing at cars driving by...  and then we're up.  Really up.  

But every once in a while, we get a morning like today.  Today Elliott fell back to sleep.  A conked-out, deeeep sleep.  The 3 of us snuggled up and slept until...  I won't even tell you how late.  But it was late.  

And it was bliss.  

When we finally woke up again, we were so happy and rested, it felt so good.  Jeff played this "I'm gonna gobble you up" game, while Elliott screamed and laughed and clapped.  Yeah, he totally claps now.  :)