Growing up

Elaine will be one year on the 27th. She is a baby in so many ways still. She still sucks her thumb, she refuses to stand on her own, she is still rear facing. But in other ways she's becoming a little toddler and its really hitting me hard!

We are now on day 2 of a nursing strike. I believe she's done. She just up and stopped nursing yesterday morning. She will have NOTHING to do with it. If she even SEE'S me unlatching my bra she starts screaming like i'm going to torture her.

So odd considering our last nursing session was so wonderful. It was late at night, probably 9pm. It was her normal session before bed. She nursed really well, was way into it and would even look up at me and smile with her eyes. She would pat me and play with my hair. Then on the next side she fell asleep and unlatched, rolled onto her back and laid there asleep blissfully full.

It was so adorable that I went and told Matthew about it after I laid her down. That night she slept all night long not waking for a earlymorning snack. When she woke up at 7am she wanted NOTHING to do with nursing and hasn't since. So after being in extreme pain i'm pumping and giving her milk in her sippy cup which she seems totally happy with.

Its strange how quickly and surely they show their independence. I know i'm being a good mother because she is so confident and sure of her self. She asserts her likes and dislikes and she is loving and affectionate. I love her so much. This last week she's gotten 2 teeth, she's learned to climb stairs (horrors!) and she is climbing into any basket she can find. Hard to imagine that a month ago she refused any type of movement except army crawling. She now pulls up quickly on everything and is cruising around, driving her sister (who used to put all of her special toys on the couch so Elaine couldn't get them) crazy.


But she and Adele are also having a ton of fun together. Yesterday afternoon they spent hours chasing eachother around and playing with the t.v. and with her exersaucer together. Nothing is better than hearing your girls giggle and scream together while you are cooking dinner. I am glad that Elaine is growing up, and I needed to type this all out so I can remember it fully. She's been such a wonderful baby and the highlight of my year. I remember how wonderfully happy I was when we realized she would nurse. How hard I struggled with the new pains of nursing. It was worth it. It was so worth it.