I was thinking the other day about when I should take away LBZ's night time bottle. Yes, he is 21 months old. Today, actually.
No one actually asked me this question, but the whole thing got me thinking about when I wrote this post about BBZ still nursing...and I started to recognize the similarities.
No one really knows he still drinks a bottle at night. He won't even really take one if he isn't at home. And even when N puts him to bed when I'm not there he isn't really that into it. It is definitely our thing. And selfishly, I really like it.
He is independent in 1000 ways. His independence is so incredibly different than his brother's. BBZ is independent too, but snuggling at night, not letting go of nursing, wanting us to help with dressing and shoes, etc, those are things that have been and are a part of BBZ's life.
LBZ on the other hand, wants to do everything himself. He wants to be put to bed awake and have some time to himself before he falls asleep. He shows us numerous times throughout the day that he is capable of doing so much for himself. So this little bit of his baby self hanging on is alright with me.
Plus, it still feels like our own special thing we do, like nursing was with BBZ. I didn't get that as long with LBZ, so I am soaking it up.
I did decide last night to start reading to him before bed, with the hopes that when he transitions into his toddler bed he will be bottle free. He won't need to be rocked then, and we will be able to snuggle in bed and read books together as we do with BBZ, if that's what LBZ wants.
I am slowly talking myself into just going for it. He would probably be fine drinking his warm milk from a sippy cup, but what's the difference then? It might as well be a bottle until we're done having anything at bedtime in my opinion.
I am slowly, but surely, getting close to being ready to let go of this. Clearly, this is a lot about me. I'm not afraid to admit that. This night time bottle is what allowed me to be ok with ending nursing. This bottle is how I continued to bond with my littlest boy when I didn't think there would be a way for me to do so. This bottle is more than just a bottle.
But like all good things, it will come to an end. He will move into his toddler bed and a new routine will begin. I'm looking forward to it, while also cherishing this baby-ness of his that will very soon be a distant past.
So yes, he is still taking a bottle.
