Pa-Pa Problem Solved

I will publicly admit that Eli still used a pacifier up until last week. It's sort of a taboo subject since it's one of the many things that mom are pressured about.

Now, we have tried multiple times to pass on the "pa-pa" but we took baby steps. The pa-pa has given Eli comfort from the get go. He literally left the hospital with one in his mouth.

Here he is at 2 weeks old. The only thing that would soothe him after his first bath.

A little bit older still actively using it in his sleep.

At 12 months still using it to go to sleep. This was the age of our first attempt.

There were so many tears that it broke my heart. I caved and decided to let him use it only when he went to sleep. Thus started the pa-pa progression. The car was our first meltdown. Then he got over it but cried for a week in the car.

Next 6 months pass and Eli gets really sick to where he can't use it. We thought that was it, but no. As soon as he could breath that was the first thing he asked for. Our baby step was to only use it at bedtime not naptime.

That set a routine. Those are the hardest to break with this little man. As soon as he got in bed that was his first question, "Where'd pa-pa go?"

Then he turned 2. Brent and I knew it was time but how? We are going out of town New Year's and planned to "leave it at the cabin". Eli on the other hand had a different idea. In preparation for the cabin we have repeatedly told him he doesn't need it, babies use pa-pas and he was a little kid, little kids just lay down then close their eyes.

I guess something sunk in. Last week I couldn't find the pa-pa in his bed so I told him I couldn't find it and he would have to be a little kid and just close his eyes. To my surprise his answer was, "Okay." AND THAT WAS IT!

No horrible meltdown, no crying, no waking up in a frantic search. . . just an Okay. The next night we did the same thing. He asked, we answered Little kids don't use it.

Fast forward one week and all the pa-pas are in the trash and he doesn't even ask about them.

Weird, I know. Eli is the easiest kid. It really makes me think twice to if we should have another one. They might get Eli's dose of naughty.