Bye-Bye Paci

On Wednesday of this week, we decided to bite the bullet & send Jackson's pacis into the clear blue yonder. We've been talking it up for several weeks (or months...) now so it really came as no surprise to him. After a morning of fun at Monkey Joe's, we stopped by Wilson's and got a dozen helium balloons. He was super excited to pick out the colors he wanted. We loaded our circus in the car & I let him enjoy his last few hours with his beloved paci.



After nap, we tied a paci to each balloon and waited for Ben to get home for the big send-off. He couldn't resist as few last sucks.










{Being somewhat cheap, I only splurged on 12 balloons when in reality, we needed about twice that. Turns out each paci needed two balloons to set it free. I ended up throwing about 6 of the pacis in the trash - don't tell Jackson!}

And on the count of three, we sent all of Jackson's pacis to the poor babies who needed them.







**Note the single red balloon that Jackson hung on to.

Fast forward 2 hours. His remaining, paci-less balloon** escapes in the foyer. Out of our reach. Meltdown ensues. Meltdown becomes full-blown tantrum once he realizes that there is no paci to comfort him. Uh-oh. Ben creates a distraction by making a bounce house in his room and letting him go at it until bedtime. Thank goodness for co-parenting!

After multiple attempts at getting him settled down and us taking turns explaining that, yes, even the pacis in mommy's car got sent away to the poor babies, I finally laid down with Jackson around 9:45 and feel asleep until around midnight, at which time I stealthily snuck back into our room.

Thursday morning: No mention of paci until we get in the car for preschool. I go through the explanation yet again that ALL pacis - from the bed, the car, the drawer, all of them - were sent away with the balloons. And finally I think he go it.

The true test was when he slammed his fingers in the huge heavy church doors as we were leaving school yesterday. Yes, in the jamb -- fortunately not broken, just bloody. If this didn't trigger his screaming for the paci, then nothing will!

So 3 days post-paci, I'd say we have cleared this hurdle. Up next: Potty Training!!


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