Goodnight Moon

In our family "Goodnight Moon" has a totally different meaning. For once, Erik is still nursing and he's a jr. pre-schooler already. Yes, Mummy knows many will GASP! and would advise ways to wean. At the same time, Mummy is actually okay with doing the extended nursing as well, at least when its at home.

Anyways, Mummy came up with a great strategy of trying to "wean" Erik or decrease his nursing slowly. Mummy didn't want Erik to be sad for his sudden loss so we're taking one step at a time. It started in April, before Erik's birthday, Mummy and Daddy started telling Erik that he's a big boy. Big boys do not nurse anymore. We'd point out some of his big kids' friends and tell Erik that they don't nurse because their big boys or big girls. Preparing Erik to say "Bye Bye".

In May, after his classroom transition settled down and nursing Erik right after day care pick up is just not feasible any more because it just took a big chunk of our time and that we'd be rushing out of the classroom just before they close! So Mummy would then bring Erik a FAVORITE snack to keep his mind away from the nursing...like pretzels, cheese dips, low-fat/low-sugar animal cookies, muffins, etc. That worked a bit and when Erik would come home, he'd lead Mummy to the living room floor and he'll say "Mummy sit! Nai Nai!" where Nai Nai = Milk.

Then Mummy moved onto a more advance strategy, personally coined, "Goodnight Moon" to cut down the Pre-Dinner nursing by telling Erik one day that "No Nai Nai. Can you find the moon? If you can see the moon, the you can have Nai Nai. If you do not see the moon, you can't have it yet" Erik was initially a bit upset but he was curious about the moon...so he'd look up in the sky and tells Mummy & company "No moon!" but he'll be happy doing something else with Mummy, like reading a book, drawing on the board. Still have that 1:1 time but with an activity.

So far the "Goodnight Moon" strategy was working for the past week and half. Mummy was super happy and was even telling one of the other extended Mom's that the strategy is working well. Only night time nursings, and that's okay with Mummy, it's one of the last things to go anyways.

Erik was a happy camper...he'd point out the big bright fat round moon and knows that "Yes! Nai Nai is here!". For the past couple of evenings, Erik couldn't see the moon. Maybe its because of the cloud covers? or due to the moon cycle slowly waning of the moon.

He started getting a bit 'stressed'. He couldn't find the moon and was pleading to have "Nai Nai" desperately and right after dinner. What's worse is throughout the night, Erik would wake up every hour crying "My Nai Nai! My Nai Nai!" with tears rolling down his cheeks. Eek! Is Erik mourning his lost of the boobies?!

At this rate, Daddy says that Erik will be a nurser until he's 4 years old! Oh good gosh!