Thursday, April 24

goodbye dear friend

Here's another Alexis post.
This picture is almost two years old!

I've mentioned before that Alexis still uses a pacifier, though it's restricted to only at night or nap time. The deal was that when she had her 4th birthday this summer she'd have to give it up.

But that's changed now.

For her nap today I couldn't find her pacifier and I was desperate for her to take a nap, so I found the other pacifier that I've hidden. Later I looked and looked and couldn't find the first one, I think Tyler ran off with it somewhere and now it's gone. Fortunately we had the other one. But then tonight when it was time for bed I couldn't find the replacement pacifier! It was somewhat heartbreaking to watch as she realized that she wouldn't have a pacifier for bed. There were some tears shed.

She told me that Heavenly Father and Jesus were going to be mad at me for taking it. No matter how many times I told her I didn't take it, she wouldn't believe me. Then she told Jeremy that her mouth was going to die if she didn't have a pacifier. Her sadness at losing this inanimate object reminded me of the scene in "Cast Away" when Tom Hanks loses his volleyball, Wilson. Definitely a different scenario here, but sad nonetheless. And when I said to her, "your pacifier was your friend wasn't it?" she got upset and said "It wasn't my friend. It was my pacifier. Friends have faces and pacifiers don't. I just liked sucking on it". When a child can tell you just what about their comfort object is comforting, it's probably time for them to be done with it.

Now excuse me while I go dig through the toy box, I've got to find those pacifiers before she does, or else we'll have to go through all this another day.

6 comments:

The Shill Spill said...

Wow! Good luck with that! I'm not sure when blankets will no longer be a part of the scene at our home. But, whenever it is time...I am pretty sure I'll have my dad pay Jake for it, and then sneak the blanket into my cedar chest for the rest of time. :) (OR until Jake's wife wants it for sentimental value.)

Cindy said...

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!
SEE YA IN A FEW WEEKS
trent

shellybellybee said...

Oh, once again, she is the funniest girl. I remember when my sister was 4, we cut off the rubber parts of all her pacifiers and hid them in their normal hiding spots. She was so mad when she found them all "broken." But don't worry, now she's a happily adjusted person. :) At least you can get rid of pacifiers. I'm going to have to cut off Hayden's thumb someday, I just know it.

Jessica M said...

Alexis is so smart! The paci battle is a tough one. Hailey had to give hers up at 2 and I decided Melanie could lose it at 1. It was amazing how much easier it was to do it at 1 rather than 2. I'm sure you've got a challenge on your hands with Alexis. Good luck! It's hard being a mama sometimes.

Jessica M said...

Oh, I was also going to mention that it's just the adjustment that's hard sometimes. As soon as Alexis gets used to the idea that the paci is history, she'll probably forget all about it. A week of torture and it's all forgotten.

Shelise said...

That's how we got rid of Dallin's. I couldn't find it one night and I decided that it would just have to be gone for good. He cried a little but went to sleep. He asked about it the next few times that he went to bed but he did just fine without it. Now, it is never mentioned. It was easier than I thought to get rid of and I think it is because it really was lost. Anyway, good luck.