Paci-Fairy cometh

Yes indeed, little Maggie is being forced to grow up. 3 was a big year for her. We kept telling her all the good (and the bad) things that would happen on her third birthday. She would get to go camping with grandad (and, oh yeah, we would take away her water at bedtime); she would get to take gymnastics (and don't forget, we would take away her pacifier).

Everything went pretty well. My parents took her "camping" in their back yard. Luckily their yard is kind of like a campground, complete with built in fire pit! She loved it. We said goodbye to the water cup, no problem. We told her three days of dry pull ups, and she gets to wear panties to bed (we are on day number two! tomorrow morning is a big day!). She is very proud. She absolutely loves gymnastics and may be the hardest working kid in the class (Mo is in it too. She is naturally talented, but I have seen her take a shortcut or two). And well, it was time to say goodbye to her pacifier. Now this girl loves the pacifier. Actually, love is not strong enough a word. It truly is like a magic switch for her. When we limited her pacifier use to the bed, she would literally put herself down for naps and bed. It was amazing to see a two year old get up from watching TV or playing a game and head up for a nap. She would even put her pull up on before settling in for her nap. I would not even have to walk upstairs.

We took Maura's pacifier away on her third birthday, so we thought we would do the same with mags. Maura, like always, made the transition with no problem. She, howver did not have the same relationship with her paci as Mags does (did). Well Mags 3rd birthday rolled around, snd I went and got sick, so no way were her grandparents going to be the big meanies and take it away. I totally do not blame them. Not only that, but she got to have it more and more throughout the day. It was no longer limited to her bed. She may have had it in her mouth half the day. Needless to say, no one was looking forward to the day we actually cut it off. I think too, deep down, I did not want to see my baby girl grow up or stop cuddling. Whenever she put that thing in her mouth, she would snuggle up to you, twirl her hair and stay there until you made her move. If the paci was gone, would all my cuddle time be gone too?

Well, we are on night four, finished day three with absolutely no pacis. It is going pretty well. The first night was fine. She loved waking up and getting her presents -clothes, shoes and a glass (broken by Maura about 15 minutes after she opened it) princess. Mags is the only three year old I know who would prefer a new dress to a toy! The first morning was miserable. She would get upset and want her paci. The poor pathetic child would go up to the clear plastic container we put them in the night before, look in it, see nothing, then still open it, hoping they might appear. She dumped all her toy bins looking for the one we may have forgotten to put in the bin. She looked in the basket in the kitchen where I often kept them (there was one in there, but luckily I got it before she saw it through the tears). Since then there have been a few little cries for it, but bedtime is going well, and most of the time she is just proud to be a big girl. They were even playing in the basement playroom and found a stray. She picked it up, looked at it funny, and have it to Sean... good for her.

So, we dreaded the day; we put it off, but I am glad we did it and I am glad we are surviving. Life without the paci will be a little more difficult. But worse than that, my baby is growing up. Good thing I've got B and baby #4 to take pacis from too!