Ashley is PACI FREE!! That's right folks, bye bye Paci!!!!
We had been talking about giving paci's to babies who need them for almost 6 months. She was wanting no part of this idea until 6 weeks before she turned 3. She started telling me, "Mommy, when I am 3 I want to give my paci's to babies who need them" and "On my Happy Birthday I want to give them to babies born on my happy birthday."
So that morning she wrapped her paci's in tissue paper and placed them in a bag to bring to the hospital. She was super excited. She gave many farewell kisses to her paci's and was smiling the entire time. She never once said she didn't want to do it.
So the entire family went to St. Luke's South hospital to give the paci's to the babies born that day. We walked into the building and found a nurse. Ashley ran up to her and says, "I have paci's for babies." The nurse then brought us up to the maternity ward where she delivered her paci's to the nurses on the floor. Everyone was super proud of her; giving her high fives, big hugs and huge smiles. Ashley was beaming. She had a death hold on her puppy dog stuffed animal Max but she was so proud of herself. Then we walked away.... just like that.... no paci's.... no tears..... no paci's....
That simple. Rob and I were sweating. Super nervous and couldn't believe that it went so smoothly. And couldn't believe the fact that she was so ready to give them up. We both stared in amazement at how old she was truly getting. What a milestone.
Ashley did a really good job adjusting without paci. She had a minor breakdown when we got home but Max helped do the trick. Bedtime was hard that night; she cried for about 10 minutes saying "paci, paci, paci" over and over. And she also said she wanted to be 2 again and that the babies who took her paci's weren't nice.
Thinking fast on my feet, I tell Ashley a parent fib. I told her I had 3 yellow pacis (I honestly don't know if I had one) when I was 3 and I gave my paci's to babies too. I told her that when I get sad, tired or in need of paci, that I reach for my bunny and suck on her ear. She smiles and decides she can do the same with Peter Pan, Jake, her blanket and broken preschool paci. After this she fell asleep quickly. The next day she didn't nap because she wanted paci but come night time she had no problems falling asleep. I didn't hear mention of paci for 2 or 3 days after that and every once in a while at night she would say she didn't want to be 3 anymore or that the babies aren't nice and she wants paci's back. This only lasted a week or so.
I can't believe I am saying this but it all went very smoothly and even easy.
Much Love,
Jenny
I was surprise how smooth it went with Leland as well. He would ask for his every time he went to sleep for maybe a week, but never actually cried about it. It is crazy how grown up they can be at times.
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