Weaning
I noticed Tracie's mentioning of trying to wean kids from the bottle at an early age. I am going through this problem right now. Doodle STILL takes milk from a bottle -- usually one in the morning and one at night. We have really tried to cut them out completely but it's hard on everyone involved when Doodle doesn't get his "ba."

We've gotten to the point where we will not offer him one unless he asks for it, so sometimes he will only ask for one a day. And we have done the water substitution thing, as well, which works sometimes and other times doesn't.

This morning, I was running late and Doodle got up late, so when he asked for his "Ba" there were literally 5 minutes left before we had to be out the door. I quickly gave him a bottle with water in it, and continued to get ready for work. This touched off the most gigantic tantrum Doodle has ever had. He cried and screamed for a Ba, and then, when I carried him off to the car, he went totally nuts. He screamed for it the entire way to day care, and then wouldn't let me let go of him once we got there.

I have huge Mommy Guilt now, but I also am glad that I held firm. He's almost two and we really need to move on to the big boy cup.

Not helping in this situation is my mother in law, who, when I told her the plan to ix-nay on the ottle-bay, pretty much pooh-poohed the whole thing and said that he just uses it for comfort and it's ok for him to have it. Not only that, but when he's at her house, she will just offer him a bottle without him asking for one. *sigh*

Advice? Sympathy? I'll take it.