stay little forever

There is so much about Madeline that is toddler-ish now that it's becoming harder to find the baby in her. Sometimes when she's nursing I can remember her at three months. When she nods off in my arms in the wee hours of the morning I can look down at her face and it's the same one that I've been gazing at for nearly a year.  But those moments are getting rarer!

I've been contemplating the changes and new choices that being one year-old brings. She'll be old enough (not sure if she's heavy enough yet, though) to turn her carseat forward-facing. It's safer if we leave her rear-facing, but I kind of wonder if flipping the seat makes sense because she'll be happier to sit in it. Madeline will also be old enough to have a blanket in her crib. She's nearly out-grown the sleepsack I made for her before she was born. Do I actually put a blanket over her in her crib (hmm ... do I believe it will stay on her all night?), or should I make a larger sleepsack?  Is it uncool to sleep in a sleepsack when you're one?  We finished off another box of baby oatmeal, and I tried out regular grown-up oatmeal for a few breakfasts with her. She hated the stuff. I didn't know if it was okay to keep her on the baby cereal longer ... I envisioned her becoming an addict and still eating baby cereal when she's three!  Finally I realized that the nutrition chapter in my toddler book recommends staying with the baby cereal because it's full of extra nutrients, and I'm glad that I can feel good about at least one decision!

Comments

[Helen]

I'm in the process of weaning Benjamin and I sure do miss nursing him. In some ways I'm glad that he's growing up and in other ways I wish he would stay a baby forever.

I think you should keep her in a sleepsack for as long as you like! Benjamin has had a blanket for quite some time now, and you're right it doesn't stay on all night.

In regards to the cereal, have you tried Nestle baby cereals? I try to buy no-name brands of stuff but I find with cereals Benjamin only likes Nestle. A friend of mine has the same experience with her daughter.

Thanks for the Ann Douglas link. I'm part of the sleep panel. I've never done anything like this before. I'm kind of pumped about it!

[Jaime]

Nikyla had a sleepsack type of think all last winter that I used and she loved it. Took her feet out of it when she was hot and put her feet in it and flipped it up when she was cold. She also has her blanket in there too. Time sure does fly!!

[laura]

Helen, I just recently bought a Nestle cereal (muesli with pear). I don't think it's a hit yet, but I will try to mix a bit of it in with Madeline's oatmeal and see if that makes it more palatable. Have you tried the cereals with the yogurt in them? I don't understand how yogurt can come in a box :)