No pacifiers: day 3

I mentioned the other day that we were going to take the pacifier away. Well we did it on Halloween night.

Connor collected all his pacifiers and put them in a box. Then we attached a balloon to the box and put it in the backyard. While we were trick or treating the Pacifier Fairy took the pacifiers to give to the new babies and left Connor a new helicopter. When we got back from trick or treating it was there waiting for us.

That worked soooo well. He knew the pacifiers were absolutely, totally gone. Which is what we needed. No one can cave at that point. Yes, we know the pacifiers are in a graham cracker box in the garage, but he doesn't. And we went through so much trouble making all the magic that it's going to take more than a pitiful cry to give up the jig.

The first night he was wiped out from trick or treating that I think it helped him fall asleep without the pacifier. He cried at first for a minute or two and then was quiet. Then about 20 minutes later he cried again and I went in there. He didn't ask for the pacifier but he did tell me about how he has a helicopter and the babies have the pacifiers. So he was clearly thinking about them and trying to convince himself that everything we said was true. I told him "You can do it. You can fall asleep without your "fire". You are a big boy now." And he said "ok." When I left he cried again for another minute or two and then that was it. He slept all night without a peep.

The next day went great, no issues at all. But he was still mentioning them. On the way up the stairs we always talk about how cozy his bed is and name all his bears and pillow and blanket. Kind of try to get him thinking good thoughts about bed as we head up there. So the last few days he's been saying "Going to lay down with C.B., and Cowboy, and Rocky, and pillow, and blanket, and no pacifiers"

Then yesterday was the day I've been expecting. No nap. Two hours of crying and he never did fall asleep. Which sucks. It's supposed to be quiet time around here. Time to get all that stuff done that you can't do while he is awake. But instead we just sat looking at each other while he screamed for two hours. Hopefully that's it. The night went fine, he was very very tired and pretty much passed right out.

I'm putting him down for a nap in about 20 minutes and I hope it goes well. I have stuff to do!