"Why is it",asked my younger sister during a phone call yesterday, "that people feel free give the 'You're still nursing?' comment about my 10 month old, but if I ask a mom why she's weaned a baby to formula, that I'm the one accusing her of being a bad mommy?"

Ah, the horrors of the front lines of the mommy wars (grin). Let's face it, no matter what choices we make about raising our children (breast or bottle, demand or schedule feed, home/private/public/unschoooling, to spank or not to spank...), someone isn't going to be thrilled with it. After four babies, I think I'm moving towards the place where I've figured out that I'm only accountable (well, their father, too!) to God for the choices I make for my children. If someone chooses to encourage me and cheer me on, it's a nice pat on the back. If someone chooses to vent their own insecurities on me, it's an opportunity to either respond in love and find out what's really bothering them, or to simply let it roll off my back (like I said--I'm moving towards that place--I didn't say I'd arrived!)

Although I hesitate to say it in anything louder than a whisper or without knocking on any wood that can be found nearby, she called to check in because that my littlest guy hasn't nursed since Friday afternoon, shortly before I left for another run to California, this time to pick up our oldest from her science camp at USD.

If I sound a bit gleeful about this (at risk of enraging the extended nursing/lactivist camp), well, it's because I am. With the temperatures regularly pushing the 120 degree mark out here; it's hard enough for me to stay hydrated, let alone supply part of his hydration. With a cumulative seventy-two months of breastfeeding to my credit between the four kiddos, I've been there, done that, and am ready to get the t-shirt that can be fitted, belted, and/or worn without a nursing bra underneath!

Beyond that, the timing feels perfect. He's not asking; I'm not offering. (To be honest, I "redirected" him once or twice, but it was painless for both of us). It's his season to wean, and mine to enter a stage of life without nursing . My challenge now is to not try and rush the season of having him talking and out of diapers as well!

My mom once offered this insight. She told me that she never had an easy answer when someone asked what ages/stages she liked most in child rearing. She simply tried to enjoy each one as well grew--because growing and changing was what we were supposed to be doing.


I'm going to try to keep growing and changing with my kiddos-- starting with my wardrobe. Next stop, the mall...anyone up for a nursing-bra burning?