Ba-Bye Pacifiers!!!

Yes, it's true. Noah's days of happily sucking away while driving in the car, riding in the stroller and, most importantly, sleeping like an angel at naptime and bedtime are OVER as of this afternoon!

I've been thinking about how I wanted to tackle this event, since I didn't want it to be traumatic. He's been through so much these last few months, and Kevin isn't home yet from his 6 week training in Dallas. This is the main reason as to why Noah still has his pacies at almost 21 months. I just didn't want to fight that battle when pretty much EVERYTHING in his little world has been turned upside down lately and he still doesn't have his daddy back. But then I woke up this morning and said to myself, "Let's make a game of it." And more importantly, I wanted him to take part in saying good-bye to them.

So after mid-morning applesauce, we went up to his room and read a few books. Not unusual. Then I told him that we were going to play a game and I wanted to tell him something first. I handed him one of the pacies from his crib and we went around his room looking at pictures of him when he was a tiny baby, and then pictures of him getting bigger and bigger until he saw his one-year picture on the wall. The whole time I told him about how when he was a baby, he loved his pacies and now that he's a big boy he could still love them, but he didn't need them anymore. Then we played the "game" of finding all the pacifiers in the house, diaper bags and cars and putting them in his little green basket.

Then we pulled the step stool up to the sink and Noah helped me wash all the pacifiers. I think he got a few soap suds in his mouth from the occasional suck, but he did such a great job and seemed pleased with himself when we were done.

Then we left them alone for an hour to really dry out while we watched an Elmo video. Noah is quickly becoming attached to Elmo and Sesame Street. I'm actually glad because I was a Sesame Street girl. Now we just need to bring back the Muppet Show! Eh-hem, but I digress.

When they were dry, Noah helped me to put them into a baggie. I explained that they were all clean and ready to go bye-bye. I carried him out the car in the garage and said that they were going bye-bye so we should give them kisses and wave! He thought this was so silly...And it really was. I wish I could have been an outsider looking in... No, that's not true. I wouldn't have traded being IN that moment for anything. I helped my brave little boy give the baggie kisses, and then he gave Mommy kisses, and then Mommy gave the baggie kisses, and so on. He was giggling like crazy and finally we set the bag on the front seat and closed the car door. We waved at the them as we walked back inside. He went right on the other things!

I'm not sure how all this will play out, but I do know that at least Noah was part of it. Hopefully that will help! And the proof is that about an hour later, I laid him down for a nap with his sippy cup, his blanket and a good book. No complaints... Hallelujah!!!! Knock on wood... We'll see how it goes tonight.

Yeah, so if any of you get a frantic phone call at 1:00am and I'm on the other end pulling my hair out while he signs "car" all night long, I'm sorry. At least I tried!!!

Nicole

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