Weaned

I'm wanting to write something more than just this. Maybe recap some of the highlights and challenges of nursing. (Hives, anyone? That wasn't mentioned in the hospital class.) Gush some about my relationship with Zeke. Some thoughtful reflection on his growing up. Toss in the variety of perspectives you get on nursing from those close and from society. (In brief: it is amazing what people say to strangers! it is amazing what people say to friends!) Somehow, I'm not really able, though -- strange as I am generally able to throw out about 1000 words or more to express any basic event or thought. Anyway, in the process of leaving Zeke for five days last month, we brought a close to nursing. Zeke handled it well for the most part, though he still asks in the morning. I probably handled it about as well. I was ready and suggested it, but had really been hoping Zeke would initiate. When I came home, I knew that we could easily restart and I wavered on whether to or not. I definitely had a sense of loss and I think it got a little mixed in with an overall sense of recent loss.

To ease that a bit for me, I tried to add some ritual to it, something very indirectly related to what I read about some traditions based on the feast for Issac's weaning. One of Zeke's friends weaned at about the same time. At a recent dinner our families had together, I gave a special dessert to the boys and we told them about how they were growing up and how we loved them. I also gave Zeke a small gift and then made a donation to his honor to the World Food Programme's Fill the Cup drive so that our blessings change into blessings for other children. That was all helpful, and now I'm ready to take a break before any more big milestones towards independence.