I honestly think Madeline has fallen asleep with it for every nap and nighttime since she was 1 month old. To say I was nervous about parting with it is like saying I didn't really think about eating a cupcake for breakfast this morning.
(For the record, I thought about it a lot and enjoyed every bite.)
With potty training around the corner, we decided to start the big girl talk with the pacifier.
Last Monday night, right before we put her down for bed, we had a pacifier ceremony. We rounded up every pacifier and she put them in a bag "for the babies." After she placed the bag on the porch, she got to eat five "big girl" M&Ms. Because what is a celebration without chocolate?
And surprisingly, she did great that night. And the next day's nap. And the next night. She only asked for a pacifier twice in the first two days and never even whimper when we reminded her the pacifiers were with the babies now.
I was pretty confident that Joe and I created the perfect child.
Then the terror started. She started waking up A LOT in the middle of the night, crying and distraught. It was not fun. She wasn't asking for her pacifier but she was definitely needing the comfort it gave her.
We came close to breaking down and giving her a pacifier since "the babies" never picked up our bag. But finally, our determination paid off. She slept great last night. Hallelujah.
When I laid her down for her nap today, she didn't fuss or cry but I could hear her bouncing around in her crib. Then I heard the worst sound in the world: a loud thwump, followed by silence.
I knew immediately she either bounced out or fell out of her crib. I was already crying by the time I reached her room.
She's banged up with rug burns but otherwise fine. I sat on the floor and we just held each other and cried for a little while until she fell asleep.I am wondering if the big girl bed is also on our horizon.
One thing is for sure: we are heading into uncharted waters this summer. It could get interesting.
7 comments:
Poor baby girl. Poor you! I feel for you...there's nothing like hearing that thud or whatever to make your heart stop. Glad she's doing so well without the paci...that's a huge deal!
Ouch!
We did the big girl bed pretty early and then created an unholy fire hazard maze of baby gates. At one point I had to pass through three gates to get to the kitchen.
How old is Madi now? Great that she's paci free already! You've probably already been bombarded with advice but Olivia started sleeping in a toddler bed at 18 months and I just used a gate at her door so that she couldn't escape her room in the middle of the night :). Though Liv never tried to escape her crip...though I'm not putting it past Jackson. We'll just have to see. let the fun begin! :)
Katie, I should have included, "Please give me advice" because I have no idea what to do. Start with the real deal or just a mattress on the floor? And I didn't even think about gates.
Anyone else, help! How did you do this?
"Thuds" are the scariest sound on the planet aren't they? Yes, indeed let the fun begin :-) You'll get through potty training and big beds like a champ. Sometimes it is just as hard for Mama to transition to these things isn't it?
Oh, poor little baby girl. Growing up is tough. :(
All of mine have been so different...Kate went into the big girl bed (it was a toddler bed converted from her crib. I highly recommend a toddler bed if you're afraid of her falling out. Either that, or get those temporary rails that go along the sides of the bed so she won't fall out.) Little Kate NEVER got out of that bed. Seriously. She would yell down for me when she was ready to get up. Never once got up.
William wouldn't stay in bed. It took him a while to understand that he needed to be in that bed. It was a little difficult. Actually it was a LOT difficult for a while.
Henry, I used to lay down with Henry until he fell asleep. :) Because I thought he was my baby, and I couldn't resist his cute red curls and his fat cheeks. :) But he slept well once he was asleep.
I have no idea what to expect of Ella. None. But we will wait until she has learned how to climb out of the bed, or until she is old enough to understand that she is not allowed to get up. And we will use the toddler bed with the raised bar so she won't fall out.
And as for potty training...wait until she's ready. Otherwise you're setting everyone up for a rough time. And when they're ready? it is really really easy.
That was a book. Sorry.
I am so proud of you for doing away with the paci-- seriously I am not tough enough to deal with that quite yet. We switched cohen to a toddler bed about a month ago....... he is back to his crib.... I was way to tired to deal with cohen and olivia crying all night long--- GO KATIE!!!
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