Pacified
We’d put it off long enough.
Secretly, I’d hoped we could keep it going for the next 18 years. I mean, why mess with a good thing? The thought of going through the inevitable made me sick to my stomach and I tried to think of reasons for why we shouldn’t go through with it.
There’s a chill in the air. It’s not a good time.
The cat’s not ready. I don’t think we should.
The Padres lost. Now’s not a good time.
But finally, we’d run out of excuses. It was time. And, truth be told, we’d already started the long and difficult process a week earlier. The success we’d seen from that only reinforced our belief that we could no longer keep up what we knew had to change. I knew it. Andrea knew it.
And that is why we took away the binkies.
Now a week earlier we had taken them away during the day. TheMonk, we knew, would have the most trouble adapting to this but he didn’t seem too troubled without his binky during the day. The next step was nap and bedtime and this weekend we took the plunge. Oddly, it was Swee’Pea who refused to nap all weekend long. She chatted all nap long talking to TheMonk long after he had fallen asleep. By Sunday afternoon I almost lost my nerve. I almost pulled out the crack binky and gave my kid a hit the pacifier she so obviously wanted. But I didn’t do it.
And guess what? They survived. No more binkies. They’re not really babies anymore.
It kinda makes me sad.
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Cheers all around! Good for you for not giving in, and good for the kids for not missing them. If it only took a weekend, then you know it was time for the pacifiers to go.
Another milestone. It is a little sad, how fast they grow.
Comment by Deanna — October 19, 2006 @ 2:40 am
Yeah, but pacifiers lose their charm somewhere around college. Congratulations!
Comment by Jared — October 19, 2006 @ 6:04 am
Good for you for doing it at this early an age. With my son, I did it at 16 months and he did great, cried for about half an hour the first day and then only 5 minutes the next day and no problems after that. With my baby girl though, since she was so little and my last baby and all, I kind of didn’t want her to grow up and kept putting it off and putting it off. She was 2 months after 2 years old when I finally put it away and it took her about 2 weeks to get used to sleeping without it. It was two horrible, yelling, screaming, grumpy little girl weeks.
Comment by Julie — October 19, 2006 @ 8:01 am
I recall you were involved in a pacifier dispute with another toddler who had recently had his binky taken away. He grabbed yours and you lunged at him and a struggle ensued…if TheMonk and Swee’Pea get a time out at daycare don’t be surprised.
Comment by Grandmother — October 19, 2006 @ 10:25 am
Dam I feel lame now…Nata still has hers and I’m letting her keep it until college. She really is attached though, she sobbed like she’d lost her best friend the one night hubby tried to take it from her.
Good for the Monk and Pea though.
Comment by Melissa — October 19, 2006 @ 3:44 pm
My congratulations and condolences. Bittersweet, but they’re better little people for it.
Comment by samantha jo campen — October 21, 2006 @ 7:19 pm
i just read about The Swedish Pacifier Tree over at daddytypes. did you see it? here:
http://daddytypes.com/2006/10/20/the_swedish_pacifier_tree.php
congrats to you and the monk and swee’pea. now they’ll be free to talk ALL THE TIME!
Comment by laurie — October 21, 2006 @ 8:09 pm
Congrats! My twins will be 3 years old in December– and we keep telling them that the nuk fairy is coming. Keep in mind that the “nuks” are ONLY allowed at nap and bed time and the rest of the time they’re stashed waaay out of sight. they don’t leave the house. One of my girls I think would accept the concept of trading them in for a new fun thing (specifically a care bear which has been requested). The other has simply told me she would just like to keep it. It’s time to pull the plug, I know! Leah even tells me “on my birthday the dentist will say no more nuks, it not healthy!” which is a bizzare version of me telling them that they’re going to the dentist some time around their 3rd birthday and that he will likely tell us to give it up!
Comment by L&S's Mom — October 23, 2006 @ 11:34 am