I Heart Mommyhood: Ridin' the paci train...choo-choo!

[The below post is copied from my other blog: I Heart Mommyhood. I created More Skees Please to keep people up to date on our family, the boys, and Aiden's medical journey. On the other hand, I Heart Mommyhood is a tongue-in-cheek look at the joys of being a mother. I have chosen to make it public, while keeping some anonymity as a writer. I don't use my kids names or any specific personal information - it is merely a creative outlet to write about and share my experiences and frustrations with other interested readers. Feel free to check it out!]

Okay, so how many white lies have you told your kids to cover your tracks on the "basics" in life? I mean, really, you'd be lying if you said you didn't. Tonight was monumental. With the help of Thomas the Train and little babies under two everywhere, I was able to get my toddler to bed without a paci. Wait. I mean without a paci in his mouth and two in his hands. He went cold turkey everyone and I couldn't be more proud. Not since the day I went cold turkey from Marlboro Ultra-Lights in college.

It took a little coaxing. A few "but you're two and two-year-olds don't need pacis". Followed up with a couple "We gave your pacis to Thomas the Train to take to little babies who need them more than you". I know - I did feel just a tad bit guilty exploiting his age and favorite TV-icon to get him to give up his habit. But I'm only doing what's best for him. He'll understand when he's thinking more clearly. You know, in like three years or so.

My original plan to get rid of them was this charming little idea I found in Parenting magazine. Some clever parent decided to submit their story in the "It Worked For Me" column about how they tied their poor kid's paci to some helium balloons and let them go. Genius. I set a deadline of his 2nd birthday for our big balloon ride into paci-less freedom. It never happened. My fault completely. I will admit.

Letting go of this paci addiction is, I think, harder on the parents than it is on the toddler. The thought of more sleepless nights (if this is possible) and fighting on car-rides is too tempting. I have, up to this point, been an enabler for my own benefit. Does that make me a bad mother?

Okay - now stop. I'm normal. I hope. I hope I can say that all parents go through this very thing around two years of age (maybe even three, maybe four?) Maybe the balloon extraction worked for Mrs. Mommy-of-the-year. But for me, it took a couple of weeks of warming up to the idea before I could begin to think about implementation. And if he hadn't have fallen asleep after about an hour of rocking, book-reading and story-telling, my unsure hand was ready and willing to dig into the pocket of my pink robe and present him with the object that he so desired.

Thank you God for sparing me from continuing to feed his habit.

**Update** We are now 2 FULL DAYS without pacifiers! Next up...getting rid of the diapers!