Lately

This past week has been a roller coaster of sorts. Peter is taking a while to get adjusted to his quiet afternoons with me while Nora naps, and Nora has gotten a lot worse at nursing with all her sharp little teeth.
So Peter's still two, which is why I've been on the fence about preschool for him and ultimately decided not to. I'd go back and forth, thinking he needs all the home time he can get right now, that he doesn't really need the structure yet, and that all he really needs is something low key for his emotional development. Then the first week of kindergarten happened, and Peter was in tears when I told him I'd decided not to put him in preschool after all. I felt sort of guilty for making that decision for him, and started to reconsider.  I guess even if he doesn't make any academic progress in preschool this year, it should build up his confidence to be on his own a few mornings a week. So a little sheepishly, I asked for my spot back. He'll start next week and I think it will be good. It certainly helps that I will only have to drive him in the mornings, and he'll ride home with a friend while I get Benjamin on the bus. So I also feel good about not having to live my life in the car, transporting kids everywhere. We'll see how it goes.
And about Nora. I promised myself I was just going to wean her a few days ago because she was hurting me so much, but here we are- still going. It's hard when she wakes up at five, and there's nothing else to get her to go back to sleep for a few more hours, or when her nap time/bedtime routine is rocked because she's used to nursing to sleep. But I've got to do it, if not for the fact that I'm wincing every time we sit down. Also because I just found out I have jury duty next month (right during Paul's two week business trip to Brazil), and there's no excuse box to check that says "I have a nursing baby and two little kids and my husband will be out of town." So Nora's going to have to learn her civic duty early I guess and find a new way to soothe herself, and soon! I remember we waited until Benjamin was about 18 months before weaning him, but by then, I was able to explain to him that he was too old, and he accepted it. Peter kind of lost interest around 9 months, so that was easy too. It's going to be a little harder this time around, since she clearly doesn't want to give it up!