[Mama]

<p>I'm planning The Bear's first birthday. A family brunch, complete with-- what else-- a bear shaped cake that I'm going to try to make myself. Wish me luck.</p>

<p>More importantly, wish me luck on something much bigger. I've started to wean him. I'm sure some of you are thinking...one year, it's about time. While others may say, one year, why not keep going?</p>

<p>The decision, in part, is a practical one. I'm starting to do more video production work outside of the house and I need the freedom. Also, I'm just plain tired. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding since December of 2003. That's when I got pregnant with The Bortski. I weaned him when he was 11 months old because I got pregnant. I know some people breastfeed through pregnancy, and then continue to tandem feed their toddler and newborn. But it wasn't for me. </p>

<p>Even though I'm ready, I'm feeling nostalgic about it. For a week now I've dropped one feeding, the 11 am one. We went straight to a sippy cup, instead of a bottle, given his age. And lo and behold, the first time I handed him the cup, he started drinking right away, like he knew exactly what to do. He'd never had a bottle or a cup before, only breast, so I was shocked. You mean I'm that dispensible?</p>

<p>I'd like to chalk it up to the fact that he has an older brother who he watches drink from a cup. Either that or he's quite talented! We all know how hard it usually is to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle or cup. The Bortski had a rough time of it when we weaned him. I thought he would get dehydrated he was so defiant about the whole thing. </p>

<p>But not The Bear. He's been drinking from that cup like a champ. Even so, it has been a rough week. His nap schedule has been all messed up. Instead of his usual two naps, morning and afternoon, he was down to one. Today, however, he seems to have settled back into his old routine.</p>

<p>So we'll see where we go from here. The afternoon feeding comes next. The question is, am I ready to wean myself?</p>

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