Marvin

If you recall, this was the first picture on yesterday's post.  And if you'll notice, he has a big giant green monster, I mean, pacifier in his mouth.  Well, Kade is/was extremely attached to his paci.  

This boy was born to suck.  He got attached to his paci about four hours after birth, when I realized I couldn't feed him all...the...time.  

When I got pregnant with Jett, Kade was eight or nine months old (they're 17 months apart - do the math) and I (and kind of Arthur) made the decision to let Kade keep his paci after he turned one.  We took Maya's away the day after she turned one and she was totally fine.  But since Kade LOVES his pacifier, we thought he'd be better off during the transition of adding a new member to the family, and so would we;  we'd approach taking it away when we needed to cross that bridge.  With the new baby, we just let him keep it...and he kept it...and kept it. 

At about 18 months, we started only having it for naps and bedtime.  I was ready to just let him keep it until he went off to college, but at the same time knew that wouldn't be a good idea.  Finally, Arthur and I started discussing 'Marvin's' (we called it that so he wouldn't know what we were talking about) time frame about a week before his second birthday.

We did it...COLD TURKEY!  The first few naps and bedtimes were a nightmare and after about a week he didn't cry at bedtime and he didn't ask for it a million times.  It's been about a month and he only asks for it maybe twice a week.  We just tell him that the paci is no more and he asks for something else...like his soccer ball...lol!!!

I'll be the first to admit that I was one of those moms that couldn't believe someone would let their kid have a pacifier out and about after they turned one.  Well, here she is, in the flesh, taking back those feelings and apologizing to anyone I may have looked at funny or judged; my boy is, well was, the paci KING!! He still would be if we'd let him. 

I'm glad this part of Kade's life is over.  I was very anxious about taking it away, but relieved it went as smooth as it did.  Here's to breaking habits and creating new ones!!  You'll thank us one day Kade.