So, as for the weaning part of this post. It's not about weaning from their own rooms or play time. But yes, I am weaning Belle from nursing. Now that she is being weaned, we are ready for them to start sharing a room so they can be close sisters! Even if we had 10 rooms, I would still want them to share.
She is 2.5 years old now and I had planned on stopping nursing when she turned 2. I stopped with Luna when she was around 18 months old because I was pregnant and not feeling well. In fact, my midwife told me it takes more for your body to nurse a baby, than it does to grow one! It was an easy transition to stop Luna, especially since I knew I would nurse my next child. But with Belle having ear infections like crazy, I decided to nurse her through the cold and flu season of 2013/2014 when she was over 1 years of age. So April came, and she was almost 2 in May and I kept it up because it was easy and the WHO recommends it until at least 2. She was only nursing before nap and bedtime too. Then we traveled here and there over the summer, then school started for her in the Fall and she was clingy and crying like crazy, so didn't think it was a good time. Thanksgiving was my goal but she screamed bloody murder any time I told her no to her 'mommy milk.' Talk about torture as a mom!! I had become her 'lovey'. But after talking to her about being a 'big girl' and that Luna doesn't drink mommy milk, and then trying to snuggle and sing songs a lot before bed without nursing, it slowly started to work. I would spend about 15 minutes rocking her and singing to her to show her that I can still hold her without nursing.
It was hard as I know she is my last child and the baby days are over. Don't even talk to me about selling the crib or baby swing yet. I had always wanted a big family and 3 kids, but after colicky babies and sleepless nights (Belle did not sleep thru the night until she was 19 months old!), and the SAHM gig being way harder than ever imagined in my life, plus the attention the kids need, the cost, etc. and there is no way my kids could handle the attention-lessness they would have, and 100 more reasons. Plus life is just easier splitting with 2 and can you imagine having a Jan Brady complex? No thank you! Plus I am 40 now and pushing it. So, I digress, but I think I am okay now and ready to move onto the next phase of their lives. It's been nice to have my kids not so dependent on me and can get dressed on their own now! There are some days too when they don't follow me to the bathroom! I never thought I'd see the day :)
So anyway, here are a few shots of the girls playing together and stay tuned for the room sharing update! Now that Belle doesn't nurse much at all, it will be easier to put them both to bed at the same time :)