It's almost that time again...

Some of my loyal readers may remember my lament over Eliot starting solids 2 years ago. And now here I am again, 20 days to go until Ivy begins the solid foods journey.

Although, her pediatrician seems to think the Gruyere double cream that I produce is probably food enough until she's 6... (Ever had a man compliment you on your milk quality? Let's face it, it's awkward. "Ummm... thanks. Comes in pretty packaging too, doncha think?" I mean, I love breastfeeding so much I would marry it if I could, but even I struggle not to blush when trying to objectively discuss the quality of the AMAZING milk I produce. "Yes, yes, I know I produce the kind of milk that would satisfy triplet sumo wrestlers... but let's talk vaccinations or swine flu or...")

I digress.

Little Ivy, my 100% dairy product, will soon be building her cells with bits of carrot and spinach and barley in addition to all that milk. And the second time around is at least as bad as the first. Once again, my child, produced entirely by my body, is taking a baby step towards independence. But we won't be doing it at the speed of light, either.

I remember at Eliot's nine month visit, the pediatrician asking what kind of milk he was drinking.
"I'm still breastfeeding."
"Oh that's good for mornings and evenings."
I didn't even bother to tell him Eliot was still nursing 5 times a day! To each their own.

With the crazy amount of allergies in our family, we will be going super-slow, one food at a time, a few tablespoons a day, until 9 months, at which point I will make some sort of effort to switch over to mostly food and some milk. At I'll admit it, this gives me time to emotionally adjust to the very slow process of weaning. I don't yet have an age in mind at which point Ivy will stop nursing... with Eliot it just felt right at 13 months. I'd be willing to nurse Ivy longer, assuming it still feels right, but we'll see what she and my body decide later on.

Why, WHY, must the first year pass so quickly?