Wednesday, November 04, 2009

we've got a mission!

I am admitting with no small measure of shame that Ace still uses a pacifier. He only uses it to go to sleep, and hasn't fallen asleep without it since he was probably six months old. (Well, he can sometimes conk out in the car, but usually not without a pacifier.) We all know that it hasn't affected his speech as extended pacifier use can, but I know it's affected his teeth. I see braces in my future.

I have made half-hearted attempts to take it away before. I've tried peer pressure. "Big boys don't use pacis, Ace, don't you want to be a big boy?" He was not especially interested in that. One night I gave him a long talk beforehand and decided to go cold turkey. After he'd woken up for the 8th time crying for his paci, at 2am, I decided I wasn't ready for all that. Ohhhh, how I wish I'd stuck with it. I'd be done with this by now.

My mind is made up. He's going on Thanksgiving break in a couple of weeks, and has a whole week off. That's it. The end of pacifiers. Bye bye.

Here's my plan. Ace is going to receive a letter in the mail from The Little Einsteins. I've got to make up some reason why they need all of his pacifiers, and then have him mail them back to The Little Einsteins. I'm going to make stickers, letterhead, everything.

Do y'all think that The Little Einsteins should need the pacifiers for a mission in a couple of days, or immediately? Warning or no warning? Also, how much do you think he'll resent The Little Einsteins for the rest of his life?

If y'all get to Fryday and realize I've had no sleep, this is why. But dadgummit, he's three and a half years old and I should've taken the paci away two years ago.

10 comments:

Dr. Wifey said...

after trying EVerything else, my parents told my lil bro that santa claus took his paci. he was cool with that. send it immediately, it will make it seem that much more important. i doubt ace will harbor any ill feelings towards the little einsteins.

Jo said...

When I worked at Target, a woman came in with her little girl. They went to the toy dept and the little girl picked out a baby doll. The mom ran to the front (dad was with them) and purchased the doll and told the cashier that they'd be coming back through and she wanted the cashier to pretend to ring up the doll and then tell the little girl that it cost "one paci" to pay for it.

The cashier just did a price inquiry, so she still had to scan it and it still beeped and showed up on the screen. The little girl gladly handed over her paci and walked out hugging that baby doll with a HUGE smile on her face :)

I, obviously, don't know what happened later that night... at bedtime... but in the store the girl was pleased as punch :)

Just a thought!!

But Little Einsteins, I am sure, need that paci right away because their mission is of the utmost importance :)

Mommy said...

The Little Einsteins actually called me on the phone today asking for pacis immediately, but all we have to offer is a wrinkly, well sucked on thumb. When will they need thumbs for a mission???

Definitely send them away immediately. I have a feeling Ace is smarter than all of us adult type folk and he will come up with a plan even bigger than your Little Einsteins plan if you give him time!

"THE" Rob Cerio said...

The little Einstiens need all the Pacis they can get because the stork that brings babies to new Mommies and Daddys is completely out, and can't fly well with all that crying. He's asked the little einstiens to help, but because there are so many babies, they need Ace's help.

I would however, change the method of delivery from US postal to tying the Pacis to a few helium balloons, so Ace himself can release them and watch them float away, and won't be begging you in the middle of the night to take a crowbar to the mailbox.

black betty said...

we stopped using diva's at christmas time. we told her santa needed hers to give to a little girl that didn't have one. she never asked for it again.

good luck!!! sleepless nights SUCK! i've been having those a lot lately with little pooper pants. he just wants to play ALL the time now...ARGH!!!

AM said...

Twitchy told GB that her paci was her personnal responsibilty and if she lost them-it was her fault. She lost them-she'd cry for them periodicay then shrug her shoulders and say "oh well it was my pa-senol respon-si-bi-litee and I lost it" ---it was so damn cute!

Good luck! I like your idea....

Christine the Soccer Mom said...

We told the girls that the Paci Fairy came when they turned two. They just disappeared.

BTW, pacis are WAY easier to get rid of than thumbs, which is why we never went the (less expensive) thumb route.

Every kid is different, and I'm sure the girls took to a fairy better than a boy might. ;)

Susan said...

Yeah, I'm laughing insanely now, but I feel confident in a couple of years I won't find it so funny...

You have to make it immediate. Give him time to think about it and he'll back out!

Mrs.H said...

I love the idea about the balloons. Just make sure you're not close to any trees or power lines that could steal pacis.

Can we use this for a forum on pacifier farewells? When my eldest was 2 and still had hers, I read about someone who kept trimming the rubber part every week until none was left. I tried it. After the first snip, she walked around with it in her hand for a day, saying "Ted broke." T.E.D. = turtle excluder devise (it kept turtles and everything else out of her mouth!) The next day she through it away herself.

Em was 2 1/2 and an avid pacifier user when El was born. On July 4th that year, the eldest convinced her to 'declare her independence' from the paci and throw it away. She did... and promptly started sucking her thumb ... which she continued to do for the next 8 years ...

El came home from the hospital sucking her thumb.

tank said...

hmmm, I don't feel so bad now! Our youngest redhead sucks the two middle fingers on her right hand. She keeps a sore and teeth marks on those fingers. We have tried the "Thum" stuff you apply but after a few times in her mouth all that wears off and she's back in business. I don't know what we'll do. At least you can get rid of the paci. We can't get rid of those two fingers.