The Big Ragu

Our littlest boy is apparently determined to be a tough guy. The past few days when I've picked him up from the gym daycare, they've told me that he's walking around pushing the other kids. He's not doing it to be mean - he thinks it's funny. And unfortunately, the kids he's pushing think it's funny, too.

I've seen him do this with Dante and Gabe at home, too, and while it is kind of funny, he's getting old enough now that we're going to have to start teaching him not to do it. 16 months old and already roughhousing. Guess that's par for the course when you've got two older brothers.

And I didn't think it was possible, but he's even more of a troublemaker than his two brothers ever were as babies. He's constantly searching for things to climb. He's figured out how to use the little stepstools to get up on the couch and ottoman, and spends lots of time bouncing around up there (and falling off), and has also learned how to get onto the kitchen chairs. And once he gets up on a kitchen chair, it's all too easy to climb onto the kitchen table, and I've turned around several times to see him crawling across the table. Which is on the tile floor. As if I didn't have enough gray hair already.....

He's a rough-and-tumble little guy, and is constantly wanting to get in on whatever Gabe and Dante are playing. They're relatively tolerant of him, but there are times that he goes barging over and tears apart some elaborate setup they've created, and they express their displeasure in a not-so-nice tone, and you should see the little pout on his face. He's also perfected the pout and whine for when we tell him No if he's doing something he shouldn't (like climbing on the kitchen table, or turning off the TV when the boys are engrossed in a thrilling Scooby-Doo episode).

But he is also the most snuggly, cuddly, lovey little boy, and is always happy to run over and give someone a hug if you tell him to. There is nothing cuter than watching him hug Gabe and Dante.

As I've been anticipating, he's pretty much done breastfeeding. The past couple of weeks he's been totally uninterested in nursing at night. I stopped even offering about 2 weeks ago, and now at bedtime I sit with him and give him his lovey and we just have a nice long snuggle, and sometimes read a book. It's not quite the same, but I've adjusted, and it is still awfully nice just having that quiet time with him like that, because during the day he's in constant motion.

He had still been nursing very eagerly every morning, though. He had actually finally learned how to sign "milk," and every morning when I went to get him out of his crib, as soon as he saw me he'd start signing "milk" over and over again. It was so cute, and I was happy to oblige, and we had a few good weeks of just morning feedings.

But three mornings ago, he started to lose interest in that, too. And yesterday morning he wanted nothing to do with it. He latched on for a few minutes, but the whole time he was nursing, he was also squriming around and trying to stand up and turn around and see what Dante was doing. Finally, after just a few minutes, he pulled away and got down on the floor to play.

It was sad, and I was a little heartbroken, but I've seen this coming for a while now, so I've had a lot of time to prepare myself for it. And I take great pride in the fact that we made it this far, especially in light of all the work it took to get here. Those early days were not easy - nursing and pumping around the clock, weekly weigh-ins, and a whole lot of stress.

But I can say that it was completely and totally worth it. When you're in the midst of all that craziness at the beginning, you can't imagine ever being able to just sit down and nurse your baby easily and worry-free, without even thinking about it. But we got there - and when we did get there, it was fabulous. We've had a great run, and I'm really proud that I stuck with it and got through the tough part.

And I'm thankful that the only reason we're stopping is because he's ready. And that it's been a very, very gradual and natural process. That's made it a lot easier to handle.

We may not have that special bond anymore, but there's still plenty of closeness, and no shortage of hugs.

And as Gabe so eloquently put it tonight, when Carmine ran over to give him a big hug - "Now that's what I call love!"

Comments

[Mom and Dad]

You have so much to be proud of Michelle...you dig in and get whatever you want to accomplish, accomplished !!!!! Love your closing line and not surprised that Gabe recognizes what love is all about !

[Wes]

those kinds of bonds don't end when the milk dries up. bwahaha! I killz me...