The Meece Family: Farewell, Sweet Friend

At 2.5 years old, we decided it was time for Robert to be all done with his paci, which he lovingly referred to as pa pa. At 20 months he started using the paci only for sleeping but he looked forward to getting in his bed and being reunited with his pa pa every nap time and bed time. He absolutely loved his paci and it gave him so much comfort and security through all the growing and changing he did over the last 2.5 years. It was so sad to take it away from him but at 2.5 we felt it was the right time and he had started biting holes in them so it also became a safety issue. We talked about being all done with paci for a couple months before we actually did it. We explained that when his last paci "broke" or got a hole in it that we wouldn't get anymore because he's a big boy now and it's time to be all done with paci. Of course we promised him a trip to the toy store and a toy of his choice. He did so much better than we anticipated! The first night it took him over an hour to fall asleep and he was asking for his blue pa pa. He whined on and off but I think Mommy cried more actual tears than he did. The next morning we took our trip to the toy store and he picked out a construction truck that moves and makes noises and a new sword. He asked for his paci at nap time and bed time the next 2 days and we just kept reminding him that his paci broke and he was all done with it. And then that was it, he really was all done with pa pa. Like I said, we knew it was time and he did great, but it still broke our hearts to watch him part with something he loved so sweetly and so innocently. At the same time, we are so very proud of him for handling it so well and being such a big boy!