Truth be told, we're kind of strict in regards to how often our kiddos even get a paci, but the fact that we let this linger until three years old makes me go - uhm you're actually not that strict Katie, but good try! HA! Regardless, our parenting model with the pacifier has gone a little something like this:
- The first three months of their lives both of my kiddos rocked soothies. I was told they were better for nipple confusion while breastfeeding, so we started using them.
- And then between months 3-4 we started introducing "normal" pacis like an avent or nuk, so they were more orthodontic friendly when they started sprouting teeth.
- Around their first birthday we start the car and crib only rule; and they are only allowed to have them either in the car (we keep it clipped to their carseat) or when they are sleeping in their crib at nap or bedtime.
- And then around age two we had planned to remove them all together, but instead we just removed the car paci and left the crib one in play. I was too pregnant to deal with the emotional side of things, he was sleeping great and we just didn't make it happen.
- So now, at age three we officially remove all pacis. (Tear, sad face, I know it's good for him but wahhh it means he's getting even older!)
Hubs and I talked a lot about it and how we were going to do it. Here's the thing with Bennett, he's INCREDIBLY logical. He wants to know why, how, when, etc. when it comes to EVERYTHING. He is always looking for an explanation of why something happened. Or how it goes down. So, simply telling him no more paci in our opinion would have never worked (well it would have, but there would have been 1,000 questions a long with it that would have made it messy). There has to be a reason WHY. We have to explain what happens, where something goes, how it's used in the future. He seems to respond much better to this type of logical thinking vs. just telling him something. So ding ding ding, enter CoCoa, our fun little Elf On The Shelf from Christmas time!
Bennett was fascinated with CoCoa and his adventures throughout our house last Christmas. So much so that several months ago he found a small piece of cotton (let's be honest, it was probably a dust bunny) and came running too me saying "Mommy! Mommy! I found one of CoCoa's socks! He must have been here checking on me!" Again, with the logic and imagination. This kid, I tell ya. Always keeping me on my toes! So, it's become a thing. We chat about CoCoa frequently and every time we find dust bunnies instead of being reminded to clean, I'm simply reminded "you better watch out, you better not cry" because Santa is always watching!
So, Hubs and I agreed Cocoa needed to be a part of the 'peace-out paci plan' and we I created a fun little to-do to complete our mission. First, I needed to scour the craft room and produce a small box, some construction paper, some pens and a ribbon. Check yes. Had it all.
Then I had to gather Bennett's paci's that have somehow managed to survive the last three years. Two pacis. Literally, he's had both of these since he was first born and somehow we managed to hang on to both of them. If I had to put them in order of favorites, the "hi" paci is the all time favorite. When we would choose his paci out of his bowl he would always choose that one. The mustache paci was more for silly moods, or when the "hi" paci would get lost in his sheets or was being cleaned or something.
After I gathered all of the items, we came downstairs and crafted our letter to CoCoa.
While I was writing and Bennett was listening intently, he got very excited and exclaimed, "Mommy! I'm going to give a present to CoCoa! I'm going to give him a car to say thank you for all of my Christmas presents!" I mean ya'll could this boy's heart be any sweeter?! He picked out one of his monster trucks and placed it in his box.
Next, he added his letter.
And finally, in went his pacis.
And then he closed up the box as best he could ...
And handed it over to me for finishing touches. "To: CoCoa @ The North Pole; Love: Bennett (with his personal squiggle signature and the date: 7.7.16" and then did his best attempt at a smile, because well, he's three.
"CoCoa is coming tonight?!?!"
"Oh yea! He's going to love my present. I'm so excited!"
And then he took his box and ran to place it on the porch for a CoCoa pick up while he was sleeping.
And there it sat. Waiting for CoCoa to pick up and another chapter in his boyhood was closed. Another item his emotional mommy is crying over. Another reminder that life is so fleeting. Another 'thing' that makes me wish for superhero powers that would allow me to freeze time and bottle up little three year old Bennett forever. Another reminder to cherish every single moment, because 'these are the days'. We're living them, right now. Right this very moment. The time is now, we're in it. And before we know it, we're going to be the ones looking at the young mama's in the grocery stores watching them roll their eyes when we tell them to enjoy their screaming baby. We're in the blur folks. The most beautiful blur I could have ever imagined. And goodness, another reminder to my poor husband. Sweetheart it might be time to start saving some money to pay for a trip around the world; because that's the only way you're going to be able to get me to leave that little boy's dorm room freshman year. I will not go willingly. I will not.
While I was writing and Bennett was listening intently, he got very excited and exclaimed, "Mommy! I'm going to give a present to CoCoa! I'm going to give him a car to say thank you for all of my Christmas presents!" I mean ya'll could this boy's heart be any sweeter?! He picked out one of his monster trucks and placed it in his box.
