I did it!

That's right. I did it! Another year of breastfeeding is tucked away in my book of memories. Landon will be 1 next Sunday, the 16th. (Yikes! How did that happen?) Anyway, yesterday morning was the last time I nursed him. As you all have read in my previous blogs, I have been slowly weaning for well over a month now and my body has accepted it nicely. No major pain but did take a few ibuprofin at work last week to help minimize the little pain I was feeling. Our morning schedule is this. Landon wakes up anywhere from 6:00-6:30. So that means I get up at 5:30 so I can get myself ready before I nurse him. Then I tend to Adalyn (and Landon),fix Adalyn her cup of milk, watch Disney Jr., eat breakfast, pick up things as I go from room to room, brush teeth, give lots of hugs and kisses to a certain 2 1/2 year old who never wants me to leave in the mornings, and then I am out of the door by 7:15. Mornings are busy in our house. Technically it has not been a full 365 days of nursing, more like 353. Over the long weekend I noticed when I nursed him when he woke up, he would act like he was starving by 8:00. I could tell he wasn't getting as full as usual after I fed him yesterday morning,so I kind of figured that was going to be the last time I would do it. This morning I didn't even try to nurse him, I just warmed up a bottle. At the beginning of summer we bought a deep freeze to hold all of my milk, (at that time was over 700 ounces!) and all of our beef from the cow we had slaughtered. My milk stash is slowly dwindling down and we are on the month of March of bags being used on a daily basis. (still adding 3 oz of whole milk to my milk for an easy transition) So, I am sad, happy, I dont know what I am, that my 1 year goal has been accomplished and I am forever done with nursing. I should say I am happy, (more like thrilled, excited, could jump up and down kind of happy) that I have accomplished my goal but a teeny bit sad that it has come to an end. One of the first things I said when I found out I was pregnant, which came as a complete shock to us, was ohhhh nooo. another year of nursing! lol. It's a love/hate relationship. I nursed Adalyn for a year so I knew what I was getting myself in to. Those first few weeks of teaching a newborn to nurse is down right awful. Some sessions they do great, some they totally freak out. It's all up to you to feed them in the middle of the night, which is pure exhaustion. Thank goodness for Adam who would rock him back to sleep after I fed and changed him. That was the biggest help. Someone once told me before I had Adalyn, if you can get through the first two weeks of nursing, you got it. and that's pretty much the truth. So once you and baby get it down pat, it's a breeze. Another part of this "hate" portion of the relationship is pumping. Oh good grief. It makes it so difficult to have to keep up with that if you aren't around your baby. It is just a plain hassle. There were so many times, (too many to count actually) that I actually said and thought about giving it up. When Landon was born Adalyn was 22 months old and very, very busy. So I kept thinking, how in the world can I keep this up AND keep up with her? But then I thought about how expensive formula is and how much trouble it is to find the "right brand" so it doesn't irritate them, etc and I quickly would change my mind. I am very thankful that I was able to breastfeed and not have to think, worry or stress over formula. I know momma's milk is best and that's what I was going to do. Now, the love portion of this relationship is knowing you were the one responsible for basically keeping your baby alive and thriving! Just like the 9 months you carried them, you were responsible for protecting them, feeding them, etc. I loved that Landon needed me at all times. ( though it was very tiring) As he got older, and when he would first wake up in the mornings, if Adam had him and he saw me, he would whine and move with all of his might to get to me until I would pick him up and feed him. It just makes you smile a little bit when they want you that bad! Landon is a big, big boy and I'd like to think I had SOMETHING to do with that! I know Adam is huge and that is why Landon is following in his his footsteps, but a girl has to get some credit, right?! So my venture has officially come to an end. It is now time to watch my little boy grow up without being attached to me. Time for sippy cups of milk and on to bigger and newer things!