Open the Buffet, Please

Koley Oley is 6 months old today.  Incredible.  He's so different now from when he was just born.  He's grown.  He seems so... human.  Our biggest accomplishment as of late is eating real food.  Real meaning luke warm and mushy and predominantly out of a jar.  He's crazy about it.  Yes, I've started the long awaited Weaning Project and, as expected, I have some things to say about it.
FIRST- Why is it that as soon as you really get nursing down, babies want to eat?  I mean I had it down!  His nursing schedule was so regular.  It was almost to the minute!  And I was getting pretty good at nursing discreetly in public places.  I don't think I'll ever be a pro at that because my comfort level is just NOT there.  But I could do it in emergency situations... say when I had a bottle of pumped milk and no nipple for it.  WaahhhWAHHHH!  Nursing is so easy....and so free.  And so unwanted by the Kolester.

SECOND- Why are there no instructions on how to wean.  I mean there are the What to Expect books, other moms, and some books by Le Leche League.  All of which I consulted.  The What to Expect books left me... with answers to questions I never had.  Other moms helped but most of the time I was met with "But Kole is so Big."  And the books by Le Leche... didn't fit my needs.  They were focused mainly on weaning your 4 or 5 year old.  And, in my opinion, and I am talking strictly for my needs, if you can talk to your child and explain what is about to happen and they understand and respond (!!)  that child can be making it's own GD sandwich!  Back to no instructions.  I called Kole's pediatrician and they gave the pat answers... give him some rice cereal, start on a little baby food once you think he can handle it.  These words are fuzzy to me "some", "a little", "you think", "handle."  The instructions on the box say to start with a tablespoon and gradually work up to 4 tablespoons.  So, I started with one.  That was enough to feed a fly.  The next day we went to 4 tablespoons.  And, it should be no surprise, that Kole, the 24 pound baby, was still hungry.  Am I asking too much for more specific guidelines and instructions?  I mean there are millions of babies born.  I think there should be a chart on the box.  Something along the lines of "If you baby weighs ____ it will most likely need to eat _____ a day." 

THIRD- Why can't my baby just stay a baby?  Every milestone, every triumph breaks my heart.  I am so proud of him for developing and for learning new things... but I feel like it just brings him closer to wanting to play at his friend's house instead of with me.  Closer to borrowing the keys and staying out all night.  Closer to leaving and serving a mission.  Closer to going to an east coast college to prove he can.  Closer to moving out of the house and leaving me all by myself.  (Well all by myself plus Ken.)  It's incredible and heartbreaking to see him grow.

FOURTH- He is the ca-yutest eater.  Hands down.  No contest.  Don't even try.  His palette has been exposed to applesauce, pears, carrots, rice cereal, and Baby Mum Mums. Tomorrow we'll explore sweet potatoes.