Today marks exactly one month since I’ve last blogged and one month until Thanksgiving, which coincidentally, is Benjamin’s second birthday! It’s been an amazing month, that included a 10 day visit from my very best friend, the completion of my first mud run, tons of fall activities like the fall festival, apple picking, pumpkin patchin’, and hayrides. This month has included many new experiences and even some change (other than the leaves)… the biggest of these is a new [to us] family car! November is going to be absolutely non-stop and I’m already knee deep in projects and planning. I have over 20 holiday sessions over the next 3 weekends and then we’re leaving for vacation in California. My son is turning two and while I cannot even believe it, I know this month will be up before I know it!
Benjamin keeps me on my toes. He’s definitely settled in nicely into the “terrific or terrible” twos (however you want to look at it). It’s a little of both, if you ask me. He is pure joy and so smart. He’s talking so much now, and picking up new words every day. He mimics Dada and wants to be his shadow. He engages in projects. He loves obsessively. His obsessions over the past month have been tools, the vacuum cleaner, and “Optopus” (which refers to a movie + a book). He loves visiting the park and Tar Tar (Target) and can recount visits with family and friends incessantly.
He shows interest in potty training (yay!), is back to sleeping in our bed 100% of the time (ugh!), and is still breastfeeding (eh). Other than helping him learn to cope with his thoughts and feelings (the kid can throw a tantrum!), these are our main topics of concern. It seems that not much as changed from the time he was born… in that I’m still thinking about him in terms of pooping, sleeping, and eating. Ha!
About a month ago, I received this gorgeous teething necklace from Milk and Joy and it could not come at a better time. For the most part, I feel perfectly fine that we’re still nursing. My goal was to nurse Benjamin until 12 months and then when he wasn’t showing any signs of being ready to wean, I changed it to 18 months. I feel like we were right on track with everything until we tried to move him into the big boy bed. I’ve been asked why we tried to move him so early and it isn’t necessarily that I felt he was ready to move. He had been sleeping in a mini crib up until then and had simply outgrown it. Had we had a full size crib for him, he would probably have stayed in it until after his birthday/the holidays. Unfortunately, now, we’ve developed some poor sleeping habits that will need fixing. I don’t feel that it’s possible to wean him while he’s still co-sleeping. It’s too frustrating and sad for him to be so near me and for me to say no. Even now, when I remind him that he’s just nursed or tell him not right now, it can start a full on tantrum. I feel that we need to get him back into his own room before we can address weaning and then potty training.
Which brings me back to the teething necklace! So, I’m not sure about your kid(s), but when Benjamin nurses, he likes to do something with his free hand. Lately, he’s taken to kneading or pinching me (specifically the free nipple — ouch!), which is just awful. I was seriously at my wit’s end by the time this arrived! It’s the perfect solution because it gives him something to fiddle with!
There is so much that I love about this necklace, beginning with the fact that it’s totally safe for him to handle and even put in his mouth. “Each skein of yarn used in the making of this necklace is EKO Certified
Organic and FaireTrade. It is hand dyed using plant based pigments and
natural mordants.” Besides being completely functional, I also love how stylish it is. I would totally wear this necklace even if I didn’t have a nursing babe!
Organic and FaireTrade. It is hand dyed using plant based pigments and
natural mordants.” Besides being completely functional, I also love how stylish it is. I would totally wear this necklace even if I didn’t have a nursing babe!
There are so many beautiful colors and styles available! Be sure to check out the Milk and Joy shop and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
*Non-disclosure: Teething Necklace c/o Milk and Joy in order to review.
