The End of An Era

5.16.2007

OK, I admit it. My son still has a bottle every evening before bed. He's 16 months. A little old, I know. It's comforting to him after a long day at daycare. And it's even more comforting to me after a long day at work. Let's not kid anyone. A lot of the things I do concerning Adam I do to make my life easier.

That being said, he hasn't had a bottle at daycare for at least 2 months. I figured I could start weening him that way since seeing all the other kids with sippy-cups would be great enticement for him to use a sippy cup as well. And it worked fine.

But....oh....when we get home, the pining for the bottle begins. It does not end until it's firmly planted in his mouth.

My husband and I said in unison one Sunday afternoon, "When this can of formula is gone we're not buying any more." We've slowly been adding soy milk to replace the formula and he's fine now with a bottle of 100% soy milk. So that part's out of the way. And what better time to nix the bottles than when the last scoop of formula is dispensed.

This is the end of another era in my son's life. First go the little zippered sleepers, then the baby bath tub. Soon he no longer needs to wear onsies and eat baby food from a jar.

I know once the bottles are gone, something else will soon go down in the history books. That's what life is all about. Part of me wishes I could hold him on my lap, just the size he is today, for a very long time. If only that sweet little face would stay suspended in time for just a little longer. Little toes, baby talk, chubby thighs.... all gone too soon. Wonder if I'll be this melancholy over the last diaper?

I'm guessing the answer is no.

10 comments:

Jamie :

You do what you gotta do. He is your son and you know what is best. :)

Nan :

I'm so jaded... I can't WAIT until that last diaper! LOL! I also didn't shed a tear when I threw out all the baby bottles a couple of months ago. I'm such a hardened mother of four (read: I am sick of seeing these grubby little clothes that my fourth one finally grows out of - he being the fourth child in rapid succession to wear them!) that I am exuberant about garage saling everything that he grows out of. I actually have to stop and remind myself to be sentimental about some things, to save some things in the memory boxes, etc...

Having said all of that, I do know just what you are talking about. I'm in awe of how fast my 19 month old (and last baby) has grown. I love his chubby little thighs and his semi-toothless grin (he's a late teether) and I cannot believe he is my last. It's a weird feeling.

Susan :

I'll bet your'll be doing a happy dance when that last diaper goes. Trust all goes well with the last bottle. Probably one or two nights of crying and that will be the end of it.
Susan

Musicaljean :

Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog. I enjoyed looking at your writing just now. Your interests, etc. remind me a lot of my daughter Lisa.

Sandy :

I was happy to move on to the next stage. My middle son had his *nuk* until he was 3. Then he put them all in a baggy and took them to the DR's office and one by one threw them in the trash.
Maybe you could do that with the bottle. It worked!
Sandy

Jillian, Inc :

Thank you all for your nice comments. Sandy... I have to confess. I had my "nuk" until I was one week from starting kindergarten. Actually, I had a stash of them all over the house; probably 6 or 7. My mom kept teasing me that she was going to tie one around my neck and send me to school with it. Suddenly one day one would show up with a little pin hole in the tip so when I sucked, it would collapse. I'd toss it. Then another...and another. And soon I had none. And I went to kindergarten with no nuk around my neck.

justabeachkat :

Oh Jill...I remember how you're feeling. I just wanted to hold onto each stage for just a little longer. Enjoy each one, but at some point you have to move on. Only you will know when that time is right. Don't worry about what the other kids are doing.

Momma Roar :

I know where you're coming from, my baby is 5 months and I can't believe how quickly that is going - I want him to stop growing and stay 5 months forever. Ok, I really don't, but it is hard to see him grow up so fast!

Annie :

I breastfed Izzy until she was almost a year. I wanted to stop before she was old enough to realize it... anyway, she was the one of four who wanted a bottle so I started giving her bottles. She would knock on her wall at night and call out baba. We would hand her the bottle and she would say "kank ooo" and motion for us to leave her alone to her bottle. When her accident happened, she was 21 months and still taking her nighttime bottles. I think one of the hardest moments was the first time I came home to get clothes and stuff (we stayed at the hospital for 3 months) and there were bottles all made up in the fridge, I stood pouring out the milk and washing them, to put them away crying the whole time (I'm crying now at the thought). So, my thought is, let that sweet baby enjoy his bottles. I would give her a bottle today if she would say, "baba" and she is four years old :o).

Nadine :

I say enjoy every moment for as long as you can. You won't miss the diapers, trust me. I still remember my kids at times at that age. So keep doing what you're doing, you and husband knows what best for your child.

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