Mission Accomplished.

The baby is 100% weaned. While I was relieved at first to be done with that part of motherhood, I am starting to be a bit sad about it. Last night I cleaned the RV while my mom babysat. There were no interruptions with "Mary, I'm sorry.. I tried everything else.. Could he want to nurse?" Someone else could handle everything. It is very nice to know that I could enjoy an evening out without worries that he's here at home screaming and fussing because he can't have his favorite bedtime snack. The thing I miss the most about nursing? Several times per day I was guaranteed that the baby would let me hold him, kiss him and just stare at him. He would latch on, his eyes would roll back in his head as if to say "Oh man, that is the best milk EVER!" Then he would tug on his hair (or mine) until he fell asleep. Every once in a while he would get a big smile on his face. He loved the boob. For a few days bedtime was terrible. Squirming, whining, then tears. He didn't want to be rocked unless it came along with a snack. Now, we're set. We say our prayers, Squeeze the "Daddy Bear" to find out who loves us, turn on the lullaby CD, and I rock him for two lullabies. Then, he goes to sleep on his own in his bed. He sleeps through the night. Around 7:30 he wakes up and cries a bit to let me know he's awake.

New things:

• He says "getchoo getchoo getchoo" and hides behind furniture when he wants one of us to get him and tickle him.
• He grabs his blanket and his bear when he gets up in the morning and brings them with him.
• If he's tired, he'll bring you his bear/blanket as if to say "take me to bed."
• He "clears" his tray when he's done eating using a sign I taught him.
• He knows generally where his milk is and how to ask for it. (screams at the door to the kitchen).
• Steals things off of store shelves. (not really steal, but removes and deposits on the floor.)

Things he no longer does:

• Cries for hours at bedtime
• Blows raspberry's after he sneezes
• He no longer walks. He runs.
• Allows me to leave his shoes on. He pulls the velcro off in the car.
• He no longer is tricked by having something hidden from him

I guess, he is generally growing up. Even though we're still a few weeks off from his first birthday, it's a bit depressing. His birthday party is this weekend (we're out of the country closer to his birthday), and I don't know that I'm really looking forward to it. I'm not ready for this mileston. I'm not ready to be able to feed my baby whole milk, peanut products, and allow him to just walk around. But then, life isn't about being ready for those things, because when you're a mom, you never are. Life is about living through those things, cherishing them and moving on. ::sigh::