Almost 1 !

My dear daughter is ALMOST ONE!

It's so cliched, but I really cannot believe we all survived the first year. Intact. And sleeping better these days... there certainly is light at the end of the tunnel!

These days, Madison is all about exploring, walking and doing things... to the exclusion of wanting to sleep or sit down for her meals. Like all parents... we now have a major headache when it comes to mealtimes... the conundrum.. to let her " eat on the run" or to enforce table eating? For the moment we are hanging precariously to table eating, but so many times now I have had to " take a deep breath, keep calm !"

Why do they have to make eating such a challenge? I know we are meant to follow the child's signals and not offer food if they refuse, but what if this happens at the start of the meal? After 1 bite!!

Sleep is another issue... we are supposed to have sleep trained our girl, and most times it works well, except that I haven't dealt the final blow and still nurse her to sleep.. I know... BAD HABIT, and one that needs to be broken. I have started thinking about fulling weaning her off breastfeeding, and the main difficulty I face is how to get her to sleep without nursing! I have been talking to her about it and I think she understands when I put her in the cot awake and say "nap nap! " but then the battle to get out starts. I really hope not to have to go the controlled crying way, and am still hoping that she would just amaze me and decide to go off to sleep by herself!

On the other hand, there are lots of benefits to extended breastfeeding, from allergies to immunity and bonding. It has become second nature and extremely easy for me at this stage, except when I have to be somewhere else at nap time! The only downside to this are the 2 episodes of mastitis and Madison's recent biting that left me in pain for close to a week (last week). I can't decide. I think if I do want to wean now it will have to be cold turkey at naps.

On a brighter note, we are in the midst of planning her first birthday, and I have conceptualised a " picnic in the park " themed celebration at the Novena park. ( Whether it turns out is a completely different topic!)The plan is a barbeque with some catering, lots of toys and space for the kids to run around. The catch? Our unpredictable weather! After being rainless and hot for the past 2 months, it's suddenly raining every afternoon! The party is supposed to be from 4 to 8PM...

It's almost 330PM now.. Madison should be getting up from her nap pretty soon...