Weaning off the boob!

I've still been feeding Freya at bedtime but tonight I didn't. Today is the first day I've not breastfed her since the day she was born. It's the beginning of the end. I'll probably carry on feeding her every other night for a couple of weeks and then just give her the bottles.

I keep wondering if I should just let her self-wean but to be totally honest, that would be more for my benefit than hers!! I wanted to get to 6 months, then I wanted to get to 12. Then I didn't want to stop because she still expected and wanted it so much at bedtime, climbing on me and pulling my top down. She's not done that the past few nights though - she's breastfed as happily as usual but only when it was offered to her. I know she's just as happy to have a bottle now.

It's just really emotional and hard for me, lol!! She's needed me and wanted me all this time and I've loved every minute of breast-feeding her and the bond it's given us. Now that she's happy to go without, the time is ideal. I really didn't intend to go past a year, and personally didn't want to be breastfeeding a toddler, it just kind of happened.

But anyway, just for Freya's record, this is what happened when and why. It's been the most wonderful experience ever but now is the right time to stop. Pretty soon these boobs will be out of business!!

Clinic: immunisations.

Freya had a booster jab today...the Hib/Men C one or whatever it is and boy was she crabby when they stuck the needle in. She wasn't happy to start with as she wanted to get down and explore and touch things but I had her pinned onto my lap!

I wasn't even sure that they'd let her have it as she's had a stinking cough/cold/temp this last week but they said she seemed fine in herself and well enough.

I also weighed her, for the first time since her 8 month check, and, once she'd stopped trying to 'row the boat' on the scales, saw that she now weighs 20lbs bang on...well, she's been in her forward facing carseat for a couple of months now but nevermind!

At EXACTLY the same age as her brother...

...FREYA IS WALKING!!!

I say walking, but it's those first few shaky steps at the moment - anywhere between one and five at a time but there's no stopping her now and she's trying to do it all the time!

It's just as exciting second time round, although I didn't see the very first steps (I was having my first lay in probably since she was born!) but Simon was with her and that makes me happy as he missed Noah's first steps. It's nice that we've both been the first person to see one of them walk.

I joked to my MIL yesterday that Freya only had until today to start walking as Noah took his first steps two weeks and two days after his first birthday!!

Yay!! Go Freya! (I think!! ;) )

Freya at a year :)

My little lady is doing well. She's a cheeky, fesity, fun, bright, stubborn, stroppy, entertaining and beautiful girl! She had a great birthday - lots of fun all weekend, spending time with all the important people in her life and coped really well.

Physically I think she's pretty average! Not walking yet but will stand alone while she plays. She runs pushing the baby walker and loves a ride-on toy! She's much more into climbing than Noah ever was and is far too adventurous with it - I find her on top of all sorts of things (where she'll yell because she can't get down!). She has fab fine motor skills and is very good at picking little bits up! She already likes to hold a crayon and knows what to do with it and attempts to scribble on paper.

Just this week I realised she knows the actions to Wind the Bobbin Up. Each term at toddlers we'll have a song we sing at the beginning of song time every week and that's been the song this term. This week she just suddenly started doing all the winding, clapping and pointing actions in the right place! At one point she was even shouting 'Wawababa wawababa' which I've decided is her trying to sing the song! It's the only song she knows though! Must make an effort to sing more with her!

She is an amazing little eater and there's very little she won't wolf down! Even big old lumpy stuff. She still has only two teeth but copes fine! We've now cut down to one breast-feed a day as the beginning of weaning her off which I'm actually finding really sad because she stil really wants it! She claws away at my top and nuzzles into my chest! She has a bottle first thing and another during the day and I feed her at bedtime.

She really loves a bath but I've still not taken her swimming properly. It's so much harder with two!! Noah was going regularly from 5 months.

She's such a funny little thing. She's a real sweetie-pie. So cuddly and giggly and cute and fun but boy does she have a flaky when she's told no or Noah bothers her! She kind of stands on her head and cries upside down before laying flat out on the floor doing the whole breath holding thing before finally letting out an ear-piercing wail! It's hilarious! She's got lungs! She's pretty laid back most of the time though, a 'typical' 2nd child who just gets on with it and happily goes along with everyone else. She does love other people's company though and isn't always quite sure to do with herself if Noah's elsewhere and she has to play alone!

She's being Dedicated on Easter Sunday. We don't really go to church anymore but I still wanted her to have that opportunity as we'll still bring her up knowing about God.

Anyway, I think that's about it. The most mentionable stuff anyway. Oh! Her hair is slowly growing now! You probably saw from her birthday clips I managed to force a tiny hairclip into it!!!! I think she's going to be curly girly - it's all wispy and beautiful!

Can't believe she's one! She's still my baby!!