Weaning

To wean: (according to Dictionary.com) to withdraw (a person, the affections, one's dependency, etc.) from some object, habit, form of enjoyment, or the like

Having a baby has caused us to use this word a few times already.

After only a week we had to wean Jackie of sleeping in our bed and transition her to the crib.  That was a very successful and short weaning process.  Thank goodness!

When Jackie reached about three months it became necessary to start weaning her off of sleeping in the swaddle.  She was just too hot all wrapped up and more importantly, she had started rolling on her belly.  That was a little longer process, but again successful.

In the future I will have to fully wean her from breast milk on to cows milk, but we're still a ways away from that (hopefully).

At 6 months old, my husband decided that it's probably time to start weaning her off of the swing. 

Gasp!

My first reaction was FEAR.  OH NO!  We can't do that yet...she still meets the weight requirement.

But once I had a chance to think about it, he is probably right. 

She is now mobile (more on that later...), she likes to lay on her side, and she HATES being strapped in to the swing. 

Starting to get the picture now.

Falling out of the swing is now reality. 

The swing has been our crutch for so long.  It has allowed us to have dinner peacefully, me to get some chores done around the house, time to get ready for work in the morning, a place for her to sleep when she's stuffy and needs to be a little elevated, some of her best naps are taken in the swing, and it does wonders getting her to fall asleep at night. 

Weaning off the swing means all of that disappears...

We are now on our second night of putting Little Miss to bed without the use of the swing and so far so good.  Ethan even put baby in her crib awake to see if she would put herself to sleep (something else we need to do a better job of).  I can hear her now rustling around in there and I hope she'll just play herself to sleep for the night. 

I'm hoping so...I'm ready for bed myself (and it's not even 9:00 yet!)