Easy Access

Let this be a warning to any male readers (although I'm pretty positive I don't have any) or anyone uncomfortable with the topic of nursing.....this post WILL contain talk of boobies. What is it?? If you can't run with the big dogs, stay out of the kitchen....hehehe! j/k

Well, we're back from the Sunshine State. Actually, we've been back since Friday---but blogging hasn't been my priority. Actually, it seems to get lower and lower on the list lately. Maybe one day soon I'll dazzle you for the first tme again with my whit and stories on a regular basis.....but let's be honest, I've lost any whit I once had. So here we are......

We had a nice time hanging out with family in FL. Braya loved being around her grandparents, aunt, uncles, and friends. She's particularly in love with my dad, who I think comes FIRST a very close second after me. They went for a million walks a day, fed the ducks, drank the pool water (YEP, unfortunately that last statement is true...thanks Grandpa). I'll post some pics at the end of this.

Where was I? Oh yeah....we had a nice time with everyone. However, I've come to realize that I don't think I could ever live in FL while still nursing. I predicted we'd have this issue prior to going down there, but unfortunately Bug didn't prove me wrong. ANYWHO....I'm still nursing. She's 14 months now, so I'm FAR from her main source of nutrition at this point, but she still gets a couple doses of mommy's antibodies and nutrients throughout the day. Mainly though, she gets a little comfort. In case you didn't realize, Florida's HOT, so we spent some portions of the day at the pool. When we weren't at the pool, we still managed to find ourselves uncomfortably sporting our swimsuits throughout the day. Funny thing about FL and vacation....one manages to go a whole day without makeup or brushed hair, smelling from sweating to death by a pool that's WAY too cold to actually go in and cool off, and having your suit give you wedgies all day because YES, it's 8PM, but who knows? You could decide to go for a swim or just maybe there was still enough sun for a tan. Did I mention that I didn't go into the pool even once?? Scratch that, in almost two weeks, I did go in ONCE...after a grueling beach v-ball game when I was covered in sand. Who needs a shower on vacation, right??? Did I just expose myself too much? Please tell me someone else turns into a hot mess on vacation. :-)

All this to say, I was in my bikini for good parts of the day (I NEED a tan belly). You know what that means??? EASY ACCESS!! Yep, when Bug was starting to get sleepy or just wanted a quick sip of something (I guess the sippy cups of whole milk and water weren't enough for this girl), she started going for it....right there...in PUBLIC! If I was in my suit, she's start grabbing at me like a crazy girl. If I was in a tank top, she'd lift up my shirt to get to the goods. I had to seriously make an effort to always have a towel or something near me to throw over myself and whip out a boob. Good thing the only people around were typically family members seeing me getting grabbed at like a piece of meat....well, milk to be specific, but you can't exactly grab at milk.

I predict this summer in GA is going to be an interesting one. I'm planning on weaning her sometime toward the end of the summer when she's a year and a half, but I was hoping she'd wean herself. We'll see how it goes because she really loves her nursing. The World Health Organization recommends nursing until they're 2, but there's no way I can (or want) to go that long unless it's like a once a day thing--even then, I don't know. This well is pretty dry, but it doesn't stop Bug from trying.

For those of you who have yet to encounter warm weather & swim suits and are nursing a baby who's old enough to know what's going on.....you WILL need protection or a quick cover so you don't mauled in public by a milk-seeking, seemingly starving, little one. They're awfully strong and unstoppable when they want something. My suggestion: keep a towel close and your humility & humor closer.