How to Wean Your Baby

When Andrew turned one in March, I started trying to wean him from breastfeeding. As I watched him throw himself into the floor and scream, I had flashbacks to similar episodes with Benjy, whom I'd weaned at 13 months. I knew it was not going to be an easy process and that Andrew was not going to give up his "ninny" willingly.

Foreseeing many more days of floor rolling and fit throwing in our future or, at worst, a breastfeeding kindergartner, I hatched a plan to wean him for good. Like ripping off a band-aid, it would be quick and painful, but in the end, the deed would be done.

I called up Kim, my friend of 13 years and former college roommate, and told her my plan. Before I could get the words "weekend in Vegas" out of my mouth, she was eagerly agreeing. It would be the first time in seven years, that I had gone anywhere for more than 24 hours without at least one of my children.

Everyone needs a friend like Kim. She's the one person outside of our parents that I know will visit me anywhere in the world. She's single, fun, loves to travel, has an expendable income and will do just about anything as long as she gets a good story out of it. And even though she doesn't have kids of her own, she loves mine. Usually her visits involve us doing kid friendly activities, but this time, we were going to have some grown-up girl time, and we were psyched.

Kim made all the arrangements for our trip, booking the hotel and renting the car. In homage to road trips past, we decided to travel to Las Vegas Thelma and Louise style, in a convertible, minus the crime spree and grand finale cliff diving. We did agree, however, that if Brad Pitt showed up wearing faded tight jeans and needing a ride, we would have no choice but to give him one, despite my mother's final warning not to pick up hitchhikers. 

Obviously, I have the most awesome husband ever, since he readily agreed to this trip and the task of dealing with the weaning 14 month old. While he was wrestling Andrew through his tantrums and mommy withdrawal and trying to explain to his coworkers why Benjy, who is three, would streak bare-butted through the chief diplomat's pool party--twice, I was off becoming the coolest mom ever.

For Jacob

For Benjy

For religious cult leaders

More from Vegas later.

For now, I am pleased to announce that my plan worked. Andrew is weaned!  And despite feeling a bit nostalgic for the good old days of last week when Andrew was still a nursing infant, we have both adjusted to life without "ninny."

I wonder if this method would work for potty-training. That's certainly a task for Fall 2012 I'd prefer to avoid. Do you think Chris will be up for the challenge?