*Sigh* - it seems that I always post after everyone is off the computer for the night or something.....I'll update tomorrow and just try to go with it tonight.

I'm looking forward to hearing how the night went. It sounds like he was grasping the idea though and hopefully this will be a smooth transition!

So check it out:

He went down around 10ish as usual, and woke up a little past midnight, asking for milk of course. I reminded him that milk had gone to sleep. His face crumpled and he started wailing in protest. Just from the look on his face I thought my heart would break. But I took a deep breath, continued to hold him while in the rocking chair, and explained that when the sun came out, he could have as much milk as he wanted. He said ok, but continued to cry and protest...after about 10 minutes he adamantly said: "DADA!" a couple of times. DH has NEVER been able to put him to sleep, but I figured this would be a great time to start, so we went and woke him up in the next room. We sat down next to him in bed, but after about 10 seconds Donovan pulled me up and pointed back to his room with the rocking chair. So we went back, and immediately he put his head on my shoulder, I started rocking and humming, and he fell asleep! So really he was only upset for 10 minutes or so, which I am astounded by...I thought it would be a long grueling hour of tears. Thank goodness!

He woke up a couple of hours later and came to find me in bed, asking for milk again. I put him in bed with me, offered him water, which he refused, and started crying again. He seemed sad at first, then after a couple of minutes he got angry, was kicking at me as I tried to comfort him, and started almost yelling: "No, mine! No, mine!" About 4 or 5 times, trying to claim ownership of my milk. I hated that he was upset but I thought that was so cute. So, after saying that 5 times, he flopped down on the pillow, rolled over, and went to sleep. I didn't think that was possible!! He woke up slightly a few hours after that, but didn't even ask, just snuggled closer to me and went to sleep.

Woooooow! I am beside myself right now. The only drawback is that we've been on this schedule of him going to bed at 10, me going to bed at about 1, and then we've been getting up at 9 or 9:30. This morning he asked for milk in his still mostly asleep state because he realized the sun was out, at about quarter to seven. Then DH came in and started getting ready for work, and Donovan immediately started talking to him, and then I realized that he wasn't going back to sleep, so we've been up since before 7. *yawn* Which means our day is going to be cut short, and he'll probably be in bed by 8 tonight. Funnily enough, this is the schedule that I was trying to get him on a month ago, but I gave up because we've been staying outside till about 8. lol I'll just have to adjust though, but overall I am so happy, it was really a lot less stressful than I expected!!

from what you describe, it sounds like you're being respectful of BOTH of your needs. i don't think that's something to feel guilty about, but rather to be proud of.

I know, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous about how it would go, considering how the first try went and how extremely attached he's been to nursing. But I'm proud now; I really think this is the right time and I'm glad that I found the guts to stick with it. I feel that we are on the threshold of a new stage in our relationship, which is strange but exciting.

That's great to hear it went so well! It sounds like he's going to make the transition with very little trouble. Congratulations on your first night well done!

I know when I night-weaned my youngest ds, he went from waking up a few times a night to nurse to sleeping through the night completely. He might wake up to snuggle closer and I've noticed since it's been warmer here at night he wakes up for something to drink, but will go right back to sleep.