Bye Bye Paci

I can't believe Chase is old enough to give up the paci. Yet another milestone that takes him from baby to little boy. *sigh*

Adam and I have been feeling that the time was coming for the past few months. Every so often we would talk about taking it but then decide the time wasn't right.

Until this past week.

This past week we started talking about upcoming changes in his future. Potty training is just around the corner. Sleeping in a toddler bed is on the horizon. Eventually becoming a big brother (relax, I am not pregnant yet).

Those are some heavy changes and we are hoping to space them out so he isn't bombarded at once.

Knowing all that, we thought there was no time like the present to phase out the paci.

We learned early on that just talking to Chase about what is going on really goes a long way. He responds well to reason and rationalization. So, with that in mind, we started talking to him about how paci's are for babies, not big boys... and since he was becoming such a big boy, we were going to need to give away his paci's soon.

Almost immediately he started parroting the words back to us... with a firm grip on the paci but at least he was saying the words. He actually said 'give the paci's to baby Chloe' so I jumped on that. We started talking about how baby Chloe was so little and she needed the paci's... Chase is so big, he doesn't need them anymore.

Then today at naptime we decided to give the 3 paci's that are usually in the corner of his crib, to baby Chloe... and we would just use the 1 paci. I laid him down and he immediately reached his hand to the corner for the paci's. I reminded him we gave them to baby Chloe. He cried a half a cry as I left and then that was it. He napped with just the one paci.

So far so good.

I waffled all day about whether to attempt no paci for nighttime. I kept talking myself into just letting him do 1 paci for a night or 2, then finish the phase out. Then I would flop back to 'no, you have to be firm... attempt it tonight.... it's not going to get any easier' mentality.

As I was getting him ready for bed I decided I would go with the 1 paci scenario. We would talk about giving the last paci to baby Chloe all day tomorrow and tomorrow night would be the no paci night.

But a funny thing happened. Chase didn't ask for it during stories like he does without fail. Hmmm... my mind starts racing. Can we actually do this tonight? Is he ready? BTW, I think it's funny how you can be reading a kids book out loud while thinking very life altering thoughts in your head. Motherhood is funny like that.

So I let him go without the paci for stories. Then we cuddled for singing and he didn't ask right away. Wow... weird.

Well he did ask eventually but I said "remember we gave our paci's to baby Chloe?"... "remember that she needs them because she is a baby and you don't because you are a big boy?"

We talked it out for a moment or 2... then he settled back down for more singing. As I laid him down he said "paci's are for baby Chloe". I smiled and said yes they are and you are a very good boy for giving them to her.

He didn't last long... he was up and crying for mama and daddy very quickly so Adam went in and laid him down. They talked about giving the paci's to baby Chloe and then said goodnight.

Again he was up... we let him alone for a little while. He laid down... then got back up... laid back down... then got back up.

Eventually Adam went in to lay down him down again. Same conversation as before... paci's... baby Chloe... goodnight.

And that was it. All that happened from about 8:25 - 9:00. (We went to the tree lighting ceremony at City Park therefore the late bedtime!)

I'm not convinced that he is completely broken... who knows what tonight will bring? Maybe we'll find out that he wakes at 3 every morning and the paci is what stops him from screaming?!!! Who knows... isn't guaranteed that he will do as well tomorrow night... or at nap tomorrow.

But for the first night out of the 'non-paci' gate, I think we are doing great!