Happy Birthday Owen!

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oh, yay for Biyi coming home. So happy-making.

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Happy Birthday, Owen!

Yay for a happy homecoming at Biyitea's! That's wonderful news to wake up to.

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Guess who came home today? Guess who is currently making herself at home in our apartment? I am happy to report that it's a wonderful day in the neighbourhood.

Misty now. I'm so ridiculously happy for both of you.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Big Boy Owen!

Random thought I had while doing dishes this morning: "For all the times Tep has said, 'I don't know what I did to deserve such a great, dorky, sweet guy,' I bet The Boy is off someplace right now saying, 'I still can't believe I spent Easter morning drawing faces on all her eggs and then making her waffles while wearing bunny ears and she LOVED IT. I even doodled a heart in the crust of snow on the hood of her car! I am SUCH A DORK, and she doesn't just love me in spite of it, she loves me for it. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like her.'"

So, I was clearly primed for misty smiling even before the Biyitea homecoming and Owen birthday news.

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Yay! Biyi's back!

Owen can't be three! That's unpossible!

Of course, Lillian's two on Friday.

Which means that, as of Friday, I'll have been BFing for two years. Which was my goal, on account of the Only One Kid Seeking Maximum Health Benefits For Me part. Of course, I was all Bright Shiny Granola Boy Howdy, Child Led Weaning Will Be Great! She'll Gradually Get Bored With It!

In reality? Not so much. This morning, she learned how to put the boobie in a headlock. Well, boobielock. Cold turkey's not going to work for us for various reasons (including "full weaning waits on entire set of molars" as nothing else seems to help soothe her when they erupt--only one or two to go!), so it's time to look for other options.

So... anyone here weaned a toddler?

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Of course, Lillian's two on Friday.

Oh, wow. I mean, I know, but I can't know this. You know? Aren't you still on bedrest and a sex sabbatical?

In reality? Not so much. This morning, she learned how to put the boobie in a headlock. Well, boobielock. Cold turkey's not going to work for us for various reasons (including "full weaning waits on entire set of molars" as nothing else seems to help soothe her when they erupt--only one or two to go!), so it's time to look for other options.

She's too cute to be real. I think she's a sock toddler.

Have you thought about giving her a juice pop (popsicle) when she's teething? It's like dessert, only not, and nice and cold which soothes the teething. It might tempt her away from the breast.

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I can't believe Owen is three and Lily is going to be two. And Ellie is growing up, too! I remember when all of you were pregnant and the babies were still limp little mewling kittens.

I honestly can't believe Matilda is as old as she is. In my head, JZ is still pregnant, I swear.

::glares at Time, which seems to have its own secret, accelerated schedule for passing::

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Have you thought about giving her a juice pop (popsicle) when she's teething? It's like dessert, only not, and nice and cold which soothes the teething. It might tempt her away from the breast.

I've thought about it. She doesn't seem to like cold things near her mouth, though, and it doesn't help at night, which is our real sticking point. (During the day, I can distract her.)

Weekdays, we're down to two evening sessions and one or two morning sessions (depending on if she wakes up at 4am or not). So that's not so bad. But I'd like to get rid of a couple of those and be down to one quick session by June or something.

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Not only do I have no toddler-weaning secrets, Plei, I want to know your secret: Is Lillian such an unearthly perfect child that she has somehow never, ever bitten you until you shoot right out of your skin? Or do you have titanium nipples? Because I love the idea of bf'ing for at least a full year, due to a dodgy family history and the health benefits you mention, but if Matilda's like this with only two little nubbins of teeth there's no way it's happening when she has a whole mouthful.

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Not only do I have no toddler-weaning secrets, Plei, I want to know your secret: Is Lillian such an unearthly perfect child that she has somehow never, ever bitten you until you shoot right out of your skin? Or do you have titanium nipples?

I'm stubborn and don't know what's good for me? Plus physical pain = better than dealing with lectures from my mother on how SHE managed it with ALL THREE of us until AT LEAST 18 months, and just "blah blah blah blah blah like I did when you kids bit." Because pain goes away long before lectures.

I think I did the push-face-in, firm NO method of dealing with biting. Also, remember that Lillian hated bottles with a passion, only accepting them grudgingly once she started daycare, and then only after about a week of afternoon hunger strikes. And that she had uppers and lowers long before she was ready for solids.

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