Another habit, kicked!

Okay, maybe not kicked, but we survived ONE night!

Gus just turned 3, and still sucks a pacifier. He is obsessed with it. He sucks it 24/7. It is in his mouth when he plays, talks, and sometimes between bites of food. It goes everywhere we go. And when he finally puts it down and misplaces it, he calls it by name. "Sassy"! I can't count the number of times I have frantically searched for it before bedtime. It drives me crazy!

But, I also love it! I NEED him to be quiet, once in a while. I NEED him to go to sleep! And, I secretly love to watch him turn it as he is falling asleep. If it goes, will my baby years be over?

Lately Gus has been biting a hole into his pacifiers. Luckily, he will not suck them once they have a hole. We immediately throw them away. We have been telling him when they are all gone, we would not buy anymore.

Fast forward to last night.....He was down to his last pacifier. It was time for bed . After searching the house more times than I care to count, it was no where to be found. I told him that was it. No more "Sassy!" (What did I just say?)

Gus couldn't believe it either, and he didn't go down without a fight! He cried, he screamed, he tossed and he turned. He called out to it. He would crawl to the edge of his bed and look for it. He kept telling me he saw it on the floor. I think he was hallucinating! Finally, after 2 hours, he fell asleep!

As soon as I was sure he was asleep, I went on my final pacifier hunt. I found it in our bedroom, behind Jon's nightstand. Yes! I quickly placed it in my keep safe box along with all the other items that have "magically" disappeared from our house.

Okay, I will admit, as satisfied as I was, I was also sad for taking it away from him. I feel like parents spend the first year getting children "attached" to things, then the second (and third) year taking the items they are attached to away.

Gus made it through last night, and thankfully, so did I. I am so proud of Gus. I miss the "baby" in him, but love the fun "little boy" he is becoming.

I LOVE YOU, GUS!