No More Bottles

Last night we put Hayden down for the third night in a row without a bottle. The last time we tried to give her a bottle before bed, she pushed it away - as if the bottle was simply an obstacle to the comfy crib she was longing to climb into. At that time, I didn't realize it was the beginning of the end of the bottle. I figured it was a fluke. Well, the next night she fell asleep in the car on the way home from a Christmas party. And last night she went down without any bottle or any fuss.

Why is it when the baby moves from one stage to another, it's the momma who is the least prepared? I am not ready for my baby to stop taking a bottle. I knew the time was coming, I was preparing for it. We were down to just one bottle a day. But I was expecting for me to be the one to 'make the call' about when the last bottle would be. I was expecting to be able to really cherish that last bottle feeding, the last time I cradled my baby in my arms and fed her.

I know that other mothers are probably cursing my name right now because Hayden willingly gave up her pacifier around 12 months and now has willingly given up her bottle at 15 months. I know that many moms fight an uphill battle on both of those fronts. But, I think it's OK to be a little sad today. Sad that my baby is growing up so fast, that what used to be a blend between baby and toddler now stands firmly in the toddler camp.

My little sweetheart.