Growing Up

I am scared of the future. You know how everyone says that kids grow up so fast, and they wonder where the time goes and other stupid sayings you usually ignore? I normally just nod my head and smile, but today I really felt those words. It was the scariest, most gut turning feeling I've ever had.

My baby boy took a nap WITHOUT A BOTTLE.

That’s like, major shit in my world. Not because we have had a struggle with it- we haven't. Really, it’s just me. Like so many things in life, T could really care less. I am the difficult one who just can’t let go!  He was kept alive for the first year of his life with milk- he needed a full bottle to SURVIVE. How can I be expected to just stop that at a year? Sounds asinine if you ask me. I don’t mind the sippy cup, but my kid likes to follow the rules so all he ever does is sip the damn thing. He never really finishes one. I conceded to stop the morning bottle so he could drink a sippy like the rest of the kids at breakfast, but I was holding strong to the nap and bed time bottles. Nothing was going to stop me- not the doctor, not peer pressure, not even the fact that I really could simplify my life if I didn't have to clean bottles.

 Side note- we went to his second dental appointment last week and I asked the dentist what kind of irreversible damage I am doing to his teeth with the bottle. She said the bottle was fine; it was the sugary milk sitting in his mouth after he had brushed his teeth that was the problem. I can live with that since I am losing the fear of slow starvation resulting from lack of milk. I can’t live with losing our bedtime routine. It has worked for 14 months, and I’ll be damned if I am messing with that! Water in the bottle it is.

So last week, he was sent home with a full bottle. They told me went to bed without it and that was the end of that. Hasn’t taken one at school since. Damn.

My baby is growing up and I don’t know how I feel about it. I guess I am happy about it, because I like the new stages, but I don’t really like what it represents. But I am still not ready for another one, so don't ask!