We started by scaling her back a few months ago to only using the "paci" at church, nap time and bedtime. She handled the scale back really well and would even joyfully throw her "paci" into the crib in the morning when she was ready to get up, but we knew kissing the bink goodbye forever would be a different matter. Auntie Laurel helped keep us on track with a book that she gifted to Claire entitled, "Pacifiers Are Not Forever". We read it for weeks to help Claire wrap her mind around giving her "paci" up. Finally, we just picked a date and held what we termed, the Pacifier Sendoff.
We thought about taking the pacifiers to a baby and having Claire give the up, but then worried that it might make her resent babies (which would definitely be bad since we have one permanently coming to join us in December). We then thought about just trimming the pacifier slowly until it was just a nub and no longer fun to suck, but then I worried about choking and nixed that idea. We decided that the moment had to be memorable and final (after all, I am only so strong and could not bear to go through this twice). That is how the Pacifier Sendoff was born.
The idea was to attach all of Claire's beloved "pacis" to balloons and let her send them off to heaven.
Which she did...
After one last love...
It has been a rough week, particularly for me. Claire has been really good about it most of the time and the first night went to sleep almost seamlessly. She had her breakdown on Wednesday though, when she woke up from her nap crying "paci, paci". I held her while she weeped/ moaned inconsolably for almost 20 minutes for her friend. It was all I could do not to break into my secret stash and get her one last suck. Yesterday, she encountered three bink suckers and the Children's Museum--I can't imagine her self-restraint--and didn't even rip them from their mouths, as I had feared. Today, she still asked for it a few times but less and less. And tomorrow, well it is Sunday, Claire's most dreaded day and we will see how she faces three hours (count them, One...Two...Three...I certainly will be tomorrow) of church "paci"-free. Wish her luck and keep her in your prayers, my little "paci"-fiend.
13 comments:
I LOVE that idea with the balloon!!! I know exactly how you are feeling I am in the "dreading" srage with Clark and as time goes on he only gets more attached. Thanks for the idea!!!
That picture of Claire with the binky in her mouth tied to balloon strings is possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!
we're on the other end - any words of advice as we begin? She is so dang cute by the way! How did she get so big?!
i love the balloon idea. You guys documented this experience really well in terms of Claire's experience as well as your own. Stay firm and the day will come where you will realize "she's no longer asking for her paci".
Oh, you have GOT to read Digging to America (Anne Tyler). Talk about a pacifier sendoff!
love the last pic of her bink tied to the balloons. I need to do the same, thanks for sharing your tactics!
Hope church went well. When J&K gave up the pacifier, they also (termporarily) gave up napping because they didn't know how to fall asleep in the daytime without something to suck on. I hope Claire is doing better in that department!
Aw! Poor little CB... it must be tough to have your little security bink gone. She sounds like she's adjusting well, though. How did church go? Did you survive?
tara...just as you're telling someone my story i'm telling them yours! my friend is trying to think of ways to get her boy to give up the bink as well...she loved the balloon idea. poor little claire though...is she doing better now?
Oh that picture of her with her paci with the ribbons attached is just too sweet. Cole and Cagney asked for their binkies off and on for a couple of weeks.
Love the balloons, great idea.
You guys are so cute. How do you come up with the cutest ideas for everything? Have I told you guys lately that we miss you guys and think you should come back to the city? Well you should.
Not one of my 4 had a paci but Beau sucked on a blanket which was bad because then he dragged the wet spots around to pick up dirt and cried when I washed it because it had no wet spots. Getting rid of it was easier than I thought it would be. If things are happy and stable in their life they get it and move on. Better to do it before the baby comes or it might take another couple of years.
Love it! I am so glad you had kids before me! I now know who to call for inventive ideas! I was glad to read C hadn't fallen off the wagon after ten days! And I'm proud of you for keeping her on it! Much love and miss you!
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