Yesterday was a big day for our family -- we finally pulled the trigger and said goodbye to Drew's pacifier. There was no real planning involved, but this is the story.
Not thirty seconds after pulling out of the driveway to head to the park, I heard the dreaded words from the back seat, "paci mommy, paci." Terror struck -- I didn't have a paci with me. In my current scatter brain state I had left it at home on the counter. I had three choices: (1)listen to Drew whine non-stop for his pacifier while I try to explain to him that I didn't have one to give him and hope that this time logic would work on my one year old, (2) stop at the store and spend the extra time and money buying a pacifier to quiet him, or (3) kick the habit right then, once and for all. I went with option 3. This is how the instantaneous plan went down (Drew has been begging Chad and I for hockey skates for the past week so I decided to see if bribery could work in my favor).
"Drew, remember how you asked Mommy and Daddy for hockey skates? Well, hockey is for big boys and pacies are for babies so you can either have hockey or the paci. Drew, do you want hockey or paci?"
From the back seat..."Hockey mommy."
"Ok, great! Then Dad and I will get you some hockey skates, but paci is gone."
Guess what? The plan worked! When Chad and I put Drew to bed last night, he laid there without tears, clutching his bear and blanket and said "skates mommy." (Need I remind you that this is the boy that only 24 hours before had to sleep with one pacifier in his mouth and one in each hand). The moment was a very bittersweet for me because I realized Drew's not a baby any more. I came downstairs and sat at the bottom of the steps and just thought about how far our family has come in the past year and a half and how much our little man has changed. The baby that I carried around all day and rocked to sleep is now a dirt throwing, hockey obsessed little boy.
The night went better than anticipated, and Drew got lots of hugs and congratulations when he woke up. He didn't ask me for his pacifier all morning and before his nap I promised we would head to the store in the afternoon to find him some skates. After searching Frisco high and low we finally found the perfect pair (as in the only pair of skates small enough to fit a one year old).
Drew was grinning ear to ear the whole way home. He wanted to put his new skates on immediately and wore them all evening. Here are a few pictures of the little man cruising the house, holding and hand at all times of course at Chad and my demand. On to another stage in life.
Putting on his skates
Concentration
Skating like a pro
The end of a great day
