We Did It!!

So among the other every day life stuff going on around here I also decided to work on weaning Darcey off of the exercise ball last week. Don't laugh when you read that (even though I know you want to). This was a serious addiction for her! And becoming a serious hardship for us! 

Let me first of all say that I am extremely thankful for the use we got out of it while she was going through such a hard time. The fact that it could calm her down (at times) when nothing else would is well, nothing short of miraculous. I'll also add that I am grateful that we learned about using it before she was born rather than having to resort to "bumping" in a straight-back wooden chair like we did with Dathan and Delancey.(which we borrowed from my Momaw who did the same thing with her babies) Needless to say, as hard as holding a crying baby while bouncing on an exercise ball can get after awhile, it was way better than rubbing your back raw on a hard chair. (did I mention the marks it left on our then carpeted floor as well?) Okay, that's enough said about that I think. Not a pleasant trip down memory lane there. Ahem, where was I?! 

Oh, yes, bouncing on the ball. So anyway it was a life saver for us during all the horrible crying spells. (although granted there were days when I just held and bounced while she screamed anyway.....and I just cried too because I didn't know what else to do!) But fast forward to her being a 9 month old who weighs in at a whopping almost 24 pounds and holding her to bounce had become more than a little uncomfortable. And I really started feeling like she's doing well enough physically that it was more of a habit for her than a need for comfort. (On top of it being difficult for obvious reasons I also have chronic neck and shoulder pain most days so it was extremely painful getting her to sleep at nap time when that had flared up.) So I made the hard but neccassary decision to break her from it last Thursday. Cold turkey. No going back.

And I am more than happy to report that on this 5th day into it, she is falling asleep by only being rocked and sung to. Every. Single. Time. Am I excited about it?! Deliriously so. And what makes it even better than it not being painful is that I can actually enjoy the time holding her and putting her down now, instead of before when it was just something to get through. Just one more milestone to mark how amazing it is what the Lord has done in her life. I am so thankful for this healthy, happy, baby girl we are blessed to call ours!