Holy crap. Has it really been 9 months already? It’s been the strangest time warp of my life P. It’s like everything sped up and slowed down at the same time. We had your check up with a new Pediatrician, Dr. Iyer at Glendale Pediatrics. We were seeing Dr. Bursch there, who was also great, but your Dad met Dr. Iyer when you had a fever and he really clicked with her, so I thought I should meet her too. And I am really glad I did. She is super warm, direct, and clear. She says you are exactly where you should be and look perfect to her. You are 16 pounds and 27 inches long. Your flat spot is minor and nothing to worry about. What I liked most about her was that she took the time to listen to me help me come up with a gradual sleep training method that feels like it could really work for our family. It was a little awkward when checking out as we ran into Dr. Bursch, who I also really liked, but something about Dr. Iyer liked more, still, he was super friendly and wonderful. I just felt weird. I hate that. I’m sure they are used to it over there, people must switch all the time, no big deal, right? I just abhor uncomfortable social situations.

So this is the plan from now on- although I love breastfeeding you to sleep- it’s time to mix it up a bit. Beginning with “don’t offer, don’t refuse.” Meaning, I am no longer going to offer my boob to you at the slightest provocation. I am going to wait till you ask for it. Which I am finding, is much easier said than done. The only thing I have really managed to be able to do is notice how often I just offer it to you for no reason. I think it has to do with my intense desire to connect with you ALL. THE. TIME. I am sure this will be good for us as hard as it is for me. Next, we have changed up the bedtime routine. Instead of dinner, bath, naked time, PJ’s, book, nursing to bed, it’s now dinner, bath, naked time, PJ’s, nursing, book, and bed. And here is the zinger- your Dad is going to put you to bed sometimes! That’s right. Dada. You. Bed. And lastly, I am going to dream feed you (although I hate it so) before I go to bed and then if you wake up before 4am- Dad is going to give you a bottle. After 4am, I am going to breast feed you. Then eventually we are going to slowly make that bottle of milk into a bottle of water. Wow. Just writing all that seems like a lot, but it’s not, really. And I think it’s gentle enough for my spirit. We’ll see how it goes.

By the way- your two top teeth are coming, any day now. Dr. Iyer saw them, said get ready! You have two little ones on the bottom. I’m ready for the top ones. Just please, for the love of God, don’t bite me. Which reminds me of something really special that happened this morning, we were horsing around on the sofa when suddenly you somehow snuck your thumb into my nose and with a nail that must have grown overnight into a tiny itsy bits razor, sliced into the soft sensitive membrane and apparently into a gushing vein. I screamed in pain as blood began to pour out. That was- colloquial term from childhood alert- gnarly. Not my favorite way to start the day. Let’s NOT do that again, shall we?

Lastly, there was no drama with bed time, seems you tried to nurse your Dad, but couldn’t for obvious reasons, so you finished your bottle and went to bed. You didn’t skip a beat. I want to say you didn’t miss me at all, but we both know it’s not true. Well, at least I know how much I missed you. I will be fine though, don’t worry about me. I know at some point the breastfeeding will end and I know that point is really not that far away. I am not sure how I feel about weaning at all, I just know that we want to have another baby, so it might be inevitable. But hopefully it will be in the Husom fashion, gradual and gentle.

Here is you on top of the world:

And here is you reflecting on your 9 months:

Sleep tight, my love.

And don’t let the bed bugs bite.

Mom