End of an era ...

I've pumped for the last time. Hard to believe after spending so many hours (literally -- days) of my life hooked up to the breast pump, we (all three of us!) are finally weaned. My original goal was to get through the first 6 months of the boys' lives -- and I would reevaluate at that point seeing I would be starting back to school. I managed to keep up with a rigorous pumping schedule during the fall semester (pumping 6 times a day), and decided to make it the full year. I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment on their first birthday, and began the process of weaning myself. I pumped for the last time one week ago (ha -- April Fool's Day!) and it seems so strange to me to not have to think about pumping or trying to figure out how to fit pumping into my day. It's so "liberating" to go to bed when I want, without thinking about pumping, or to wake up in the morning and think about other things, besides my engorged breasts! I do have to admit, though, I'm definitely a little sad that about the sorry state of my post-breast feeding breasts -- but it's all worth it in the long run. Now it's time to remember I no longer need those extra 1,000 calories/day ... I find it so amazing that my body produced the nutrition to transform my tiny little 4 pound babies into the strapping young men they are today!