tricks and changes

Charlotte is growing up so quickly. I don't read those books that tell you what your child should be doing at what age because they are so relative. I kinda gauge where Charlotte is off of what Maddie was doing at certain ages just because I remember these things, but mostly I just watch and see what happens and look for anything that appears to be off which might indicate a delay. So far everything seems a-ok. She is sitting up all on her own and these last couple of weeks she has learned how to put her paci in her mouth and move things from one hand to another.....which seem like big deals....at least to me. It's pretty cool to see her in her exersaucer without her paci and to look over a minute later and see that she has found one and its in her mouth. I think that it is helping her at night too because she has been sleeping through the night without waking us up at all a lot more often now. I think that since she can put her own paci back in her mouth she doesn't need to holler to us to do it for her. And the ability to move items from one hand to another doesn't really mean anything right now, but it is a big step in her coordination and fine motor skills.

On an amazing note, we haven't been to the doctor in over a month! It feels weird not having my calendar all marked up with appointment times. Charlotte is still fussy, but I think that is just her personality.....God help us when she's a teenager! But, she seems to be doing so much better in the digestive area. Which makes me happy for her, but sad because we are starting the process of weaning. I don't know what was the cause of all the gas pains and not pooping and screaming for months and months, but since we started her on one bottle of formula a day, about a month ago, things started to get a little bit better, and then last week we started giving her one more bottle a day before her afternoon nap and things have gotten a little bit better still. Combat that with the solids that she is getting once every other day, and she is pooping every other day like a normal baby. She hasn't had painful and horribly stinky gas that makes her scream in I can't tell you how long.....probably about a month! lol I don't know why formula makes things easier for her, but it does......so we're going with it. I'm still going to continue nursing her in the night if she happens to wake up, and in the mornings when she first gets up, and throughout the day if she wants to for comfort or what not, (it doesn't really sound like we're weaing when I say all that lol) but the rest of the time she will get bottles. And already she seems to not want to nurse during the day, she gets frusterated because it isn't instantanious and then she just cries. It could have to do with my supply, but I'm pretty sure its because she is getting lazy because bottles are easier. I'm actually feeling quite good about this decision. We have lived with the digestive issues since the day she was born and it almost drove me over the edge at times, and I'm ready to be done with it all. That may sound selfish and maybe it is, but I don't want our lives to revolve around doctors appointments, or how many days its been since Charlotte pooped, or supositories, or mylanta.....I don't want her to be uncomfortable or in pain anymore and this seems to be the answer. So Im'm being selfish. And only 5% of me worries about what it will mean for her immune system and intelligence if we stop nursing, but I can almost guarentee that my 15 year old bio-mom didn't nurse me, and I'm damn smart!!! lol

Anyway. Thats it for now. Hopefully we are making the right decision. It feels like the right decision, but only time will tell.