Nursing at 12 Months

We made it one year! I have treasured every second that I've spent nursing this child of mine. It has been my honor and privilege to nourish her for her first year.

But...I'm ready to be done.

Now, we only nurse at bedtime. We do the same routine as always with bath, lotion, PJs. Now that she only nurses at night, she rarely wants a story. She practically rips at my shirt trying to make contact. She eats for around 30 minutes, falls asleep, and I lay her down. She still loves nursing and rubs my chest while she eats. Sometimes she stays awake and talks to me. Sometimes she can't sit still. Sometimes she bites...

About 2 weeks ago (soon after her first birthday) I stopped offering to nurse if she woke up in the middle of the night. Tongue doc said that at 1, there is no nutritional value to nursing during the night. It's just habit. She chose at that point to wake up every night, multiple times. She would scream at me, hit me and tug on my shirt. After a while she would finally fall asleep on my shoulder while i was standing and bouncing her- just like I did when she was a newborn. Sometimes I could lay her back down easily. Sometimes she just started screaming again. I told myself I'd go in once a night to try soothing, check and make sure everything was ok, and offer water. After that I'd let her cry it out. And cry she did.

Hi, my name is Meredith, and I'm Claire's pacifier.

After 2 rough weeks with that transition, she's doing much better at night. She might wake occasionally, but doesn't expect milk anymore. After we get back from Christmas travels, I plan to wean completely. First by only nursing on one side at bedtime and then none. I'll offer some other form of liquid for her to drink of she so chooses. I also think she will go spend a night or 2 at my parents.

Nursing is wonderful and beautiful, but o truly feel like we've reached our limit. I am hoping that this next transition and phase is smooth and wonderful!

Month 12

Favorite foods: turkey, cheese, yogurt, blueberry waffles, pancakes, French fries, crackers, fruit and veggie pouches, black beans, purple hull peas and anything sweet. She loves to drink water.

Favorite toys: stacking rings, Walker, Weebles, drum, necklace, phones and remotes, books and anything that plays or makes music

She can say: dada, Brody (du-dy), hi, bye bye (di-di), this (dis) and water (du-der). very random. She definitely recognizes a lot more than she can say. She's very good about looking or pointing at things when asked.

Likes: singing (especially "bringing home baby bumble bee"), dancing, climbing, walking with support, words of affirmation and clapping

Dislikes: Being made to lay still for diaper or clothes changes, being sleepy, not being held when she wants to be held, when she's trying so hard to figure something out and it's just not working!

• 22lbs and 30in
• 7 teeth
• Size 4 diapers
• Size 12-18m clothes
• Size 3-4 shoe
• Nurses twice a day (morning and night)
• Sleeps 8-7:30 (most nights)

- Second top left tooth broke through in 10/21.
- Sometimes she has nightmares. When those wake her up she has a really hard time falling back asleep. I'm trying not to go in there and if I do, not nursing. I've done a water cup the few times it's happened.
- Puts the phone to her ear to talk.
- Switched to a big girl car seat.
- Started introducing some whole milk. She doesn't care for it.
- Started working on dropping the 4pm feeding.
- Another bottom right tooth broke through on 10/28.
- There are certain foods she will only eat with a fork. (She has to hold the fork.)
- Celebrated her first Halloween with friends at the Carters house. She was a jack-o-lantern. We strolled around the neighborhood for the experience and one house was handing out chick-fil-a nuggets!
- Halloween night was also daylight savings time and she was up several times and, of course, no more extra hour of sleep ;)
- Chatter box
- Rebellious with her attitude, but Super cautions with actions like walking and standing alone.
- "Brody" is starting to sound more like Brody.
- She can redirect her walker by picking it up and moving it to get around things.
- She loves cuddling with pillows.
- She started standing a lot longer and even took one (tiny) step on 11/8.
- Got to spend an entire weekend plying with Macy!
- She hasn't been enjoying bedtime stories ever since we dropped the 4:00 feeding. I think she's just too hungry!
- Loves throwing diapers out of the drawer.
- She has her first really bad behavior/tantrums in a Restaurant.
- I think she's going to be attached to a pillow. It's the only thing she really snuggles with.
- Standing with ease. Can now stand alone from squatting.
- Jabbers all the time!
- First birthday party on 11/14!
- The night and day after her party she pooped like crazy. It was coming out of the neck of her pajamas when I got her out of the crib.
- She now has several dance moves.
- She likes to play hide and seek and chase.
- She learned to blow.
- She threw up for the first time. It was in the car, so I'm thinking it was motion sickness (on a curvy road).
- She LOVES all of her birthday toys!!
- She hugs and "rocks" her baby.
- She knows all the buttons to press to get music started on her toys.
- When she wants to crawl super fast, she puts her head down and just zooms by!
- She loves going into mine and Andrew's closet and hiding behind the hanging clothes.
- Had some pretty tough naps and nights right before her birthday.
- She knows the sequence of things: socks and shoes go on feet, phone goes to the ear and say "hi", and putting things back into a bowl.

Claire's BirthDAY!

She woke up around 7:15 is a great mood! Daddy and I walked in to get her and sing happy birthday. She nursed, played, and we had a pancake breakfast. hers were blueberry and she ate THREE! She took her morning nap around 9:15. When she woke up, we got ourselves ready and went out! We went to toys R us to exchange something and got her the fridge phonics and a Mickey movie. Then, we went to Barnes and Nobel.  She loved crawling around to look at books and play on the stage. She got a free cupcake for being a member of BN kids! We got it to go and went to chick-Fil-A for lunch! After lunch, we went to the mall to look for something for daddy. We decided to get her picture made with Santa because there was no line at the mall! She loved looking at Santa and playing with his glasses. We got a great pic! We left the mall and stopped in Academy sports. Once we got home I tried to put her down for an afternoon nap. She WAS NOT HAVING IT! I tried 4 times, no sleep, so she was kind of whiney (by kind of, I mean a lot). Aunt Lyndsy and uncle Matt came by to see her for a little while before the game. We tried to start decorating for Christmas. We had supper at home and watched the Razorback game. She got to FaceTime with both sets of grandparents and she showed off both times. We did bath, read "On the night you were born" and then she ate and drifted off.

Here we are. 8:12 on 11/21. I have held you for 365 days, my love.

The Eve of a First Birthday

My Claire,

Right now I'm rocking you, nursing you and putting you to sleep. It's your last night before you turn one. Your daddy keeps opening the door which makes you look around and call out for him. I don't mind. Your eyes are still wide open and you're rubbing my chest. Every so often you stop just to say something really quick, and then you go right back to eating. You snort while you eat and it's adorable. You just closed your eyes and you're drifting off... Everyone told me it would happen, but this year went by so fast!

On this night last year, we were sitting in room 26 at Willow Creek eating pizza with the Duffields. Contractions had started, but they weren't too bad. I loved watching them on the screen. After a horrible nights sleep, pitocin, 12 hours of labor and 2.12 hours of pushing, you were in my arms where you have been for the past 364 days.

I have loved every second of watching you grow (even the seconds I didn't like very much). I loved the faces and sounds you would make as a newborn. I loved figuring out what would get you to stop crying. I loved when your hematoma and weird belly button spot went away. I loved when you got over the Colic. I loved when you started smiling at us and finding your hands, feet and toys. I loved watching you try your hardest to roll, but it was just so hard getting that body all the way over. I loved when you started sleeping through the night. I loved taking you on trips and showing you off to family and friends. I loved your rolls, especially when you started sitting up and they were just overflowing. I loved seeing you learn to crawl, pull up and cruise. I loved the way your appearance changed when you got teeth and started slimming down. I love your poop face. I love your gap. I love how you laugh at and clap for your self. I love watching you with friends. I loved hearing your first words and watching you try to say others. I love watching you play with and figure out toys. I loved seeing your eyes light up at your first birthday party. I love your smile when you see me and daddy.

You are my miracle. My answered prayer. I'm very thankful that the lord gave me the desire of my heart. I pray that you learn to trust him with the desires of yours.

"The lord bless you and keep you. The lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."