"My Paci Go Bye Bye"

Grace has slept with a pacifier in her mouth since day 1. She loves her pacifier. Beginning about a year ago, we only let her have it in her crib and in her car seat. As soon as she gets in either, she asks for two dollys and her paci. Jack and I had decided that when she turned two, we would start to get rid of the pacifier. We've been putting it off, trying to decide the correct way to say goodbye to her longest friend.

Sunday night at dinner, I told Grace that soon we were going to have to say bye bye to paci. I intended just to lay the groundwork for the next few weeks. But, Grace said "oh, I say bye bye to my paci. My paci go on trip." We weren't sure what to do, but Jack got up and got the pacifier, Grace kissed it and said "bye bye paci." Jack took it away and Grace proceeded to talk about saying bye bye to her paci for the next 30 minutes.

And then it was bedtime.... Grace asked for two dollys and her paci. We told her paci went bye bye and her little face just fell. She said "Paci come back?" We had to tell her no and she quietly cried herself to sleep. I think Jack and I had a harder time then Grace did that first night. It was so sad to see her without something she's had her entire life...

Yesterday was a bit more difficult. She had a really hard time getting in the car with it and a really rough nap yesterday afternoon. She just cried for her paci ;o)

But last night, she didn't say a word about it. This morning when I woke her up, she handed me her two dollys and looked briefly for her pacifier to give me but looked up and said "my paci go bye bye." We got in the car for swimming lessons and she looked at me and said "Mommy, my paci bye bye" and asked for a book to read.

So.... the end of an era. It's pretty sad... another sign she's not a baby anymore... :o(