The downside of Violet being so good at eating food now

This post is partially about breastfeeding.  You've been warned.

(but rather than embarrass you further and post a picture of myself breastfeeding, I will provide you will this sweet one of Angelina:)

One of the best things about our trip to Arizona was that Violet began to eat.  She has always been a champ at nursing, and maybe liked nursing a little too much, because food didn't interest her at all.  I remember watching my cousin's daughter (hi natalie!!) eat baby food for the first time.  She got so excited, opened her mouth wide, and cried if the food didn't get to her mouth fast enough!  Violet, on the other hand, even once she was doing a lot better at eating, would take about two bites, and then a tiny speck on the table would interest her for five minutes before she would half-heartedly open her mouth for one last bite.

However, Glenn's mom (master of baby-rearing) worked her magic and the whole time we were at Glenn's parents' Violet ate three good meals a day, mostly of oatmeal and applesauce.  When we got to my house, my mom and I took turns feeding her, and she continued to do great job at eating.  Since we've been home, I've really gotten on a regular schedule of when she eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

All of this is wonderful, and she is gaining weight like a champ!  But I am not ready to stop nursing her.  And I can tell that already, if I wanted to, I could pretty much cut out her nursings during the day.  She rarely acts like she wants to nurse during the day, and isn't satisfied by just milk anymore.   A couple of days I have cut out one of her usual feedings and she didn't even notice!  It's not the end of the world; it is actually a really good thing that it looks like she might stop nursing someday.  For a while there I thought I would be nursing my kindergartener.   

I feel so lucky that I am able to nurse her.  I don't want anyone to feel bad who couldn't/didn't nurse their babies.  But my advice to pregnant women is to learn everything they can about breastfeeding before the baby comes and then try to breastfeed.  And if it works out, then lucky you, because it is so cool.  I told my friend the other day that I think breastfeeding is one of those things that you pay for upfront.  While those mom's who are not breastfeeding are healing quickly and feeling more like themselves, you have sore and cracked nipples (yep, I just wrote that word on my blog, I'm so embarrassing) and are SO engorged for a month.  But now, I don't know how I would even take care of Violet if I didn't nurse her!  I love getting some breaks during the day when she will just sit still and cuddle for a few minutes.  

That is the end for today.  Obviously this is a subject I like to talk about.  I didn't mean for this to be so long!  You'll probably hear from me again on this subject when Violet stops nursing altogether!