Victory

JD worked regular hours all week so we have had a blast living like a family with a daddy on a normal schedule. We've had lunch dates with grandmothers and shopping trips and everyone sleeping under one roof at the same time. But, the most monumental thing to happen all week: I weaned the paci.

I hate pacifiers. I vowed never to allow my child(ren) have one. To me, they seemed like the lazy way out. Weak parents use pacifiers. Parents who don't have the endurance and strength to outlast their kids turn to the paci. Before you get offended, I totally am was that parent. Pacis are sleepsavers, sanitysavers, and sometimes they are lifesavers. I get why parents use them and I get why parents dread the weaning process because no matter how much they love them, babies love them more. And my baby loved hers. But every time I saw her sucking on her pacis, it was a reminder of how I caved and gave in. They taunted me.

So I weaned cold turkey. The first day was rough. Beatrice cried for an hour and twenty minutes for her first nap, then 30 minutes during the second. By bedtime, she was getting used to the idea and cried for 5 minutes before falling asleep and sleeping 12 hours. The next day, she never cried. It was over. Paci weaning was not as bad as I thought and I am so glad I did it.

JD asked me why I did it so soon. "She's still a baby," he said. Beatrice is a very strong-willed child and I knew that if we waited, she would protest more the bigger she got. Plus, I really didn't want a toddler walking around, mumbling with a pacifier in her mouth and with her on the verge of walking very soon, I knew we didn't have much time. So I did it. And it feels like victory. Bye bye, pacis. Hello big girl.