Bye Bye Duckie, Ucka and Pacifiers

Sunday evening we just decided, on a whim almost, that Lillian was done with pacifiers. So that was that. Lillian blissfully took her bath, unaware that her world was about to be shaken upside down. Or perhaps, I was fully aware and therefore blowing it completely out of proportion and maybe shedding more tears than needed over the situation. It *could* be that I was having a hard time parting with one of the last grasps of babyhood we had left. The baby clothes and gear has all been sold or donated in the last few weeks (I purchased a new couch with the money!) and I’m feeling a little sad. Now, to get rid of pacifiers? Could she handle it? Could *I* handle it?? But, as Loran points out, she’s tall enough to play middle school basketball, it was time.

I grabbed a box and found as many pacifiers as I could, including beloved Ducky. Lillian had to put each one in the box. I thought she’d have a hard time parting with Ducky, but he went in easily. The one we had trouble with, was the pink one. Ironically, the one pacifier she has refused her entire small life. Her green ones are for babies age 0-3mo. The pink one is for the older crowd. It’s firmer and slightly larger. She has only accepted the newborn pacifiers. But suddenly, she needed that pink one and didn’t want to give it up. So, I brought out the big guns – M&Ms. Yes, you can get a small child to do almost anything with the promise of some M&Ms. I showed her the candy coated goodness and without blinking, the pink pacifier joined its comrades in the box. We sealed the box and addressed it to Aunt Chelsey and as far as Lillian knows, her box of pacifiers are now in Chicago with Chelsey.

 

 

That night, we had some crying for Ducky, but not much. And subsequent naps and bedtimes have had a few cries for the Ducky, but not many. She hasn’t even asked for it during the day, which is surprising because in the last couple of months she’d become quite the pacifier junky. So that chapter of our lives is over. No more searching for Ducky or a Soothie that is able to roll to record lengths out of our grasp. No more giving Lillian a hair/crumb covered pacifier out of my purse with a twinge of guilt. No more baby…*tear*

And to make matters worse, I was able to get all of Lillian’s hair into this adorable little ponytail, further proving to me that she’s no longer a baby. (But still *my* baby.)