Bye bye, paci?

See that little family photo over there on the right sidebar? Notice Colin's crankypants expression? Well, here is the photo we took just before that one. Can you see why?

To get a better picture, we took Colin's paci away, and as you can see, he wasn't a fan. Our little guy has been using the pacifier pretty much since birth to soothe himself to sleep and find comfort when he's sick, upset or teething. I've never seen anything wrong with it, as it always seemed to do more good than harm, but lately he goes in search of one when he just seems bored, and fusses like crazy if he wakes up in the morning and it has fallen out of his crib. To be honest, it's been getting a little annoying.

When he moved up to the "Tods & Twos" class at daycare a few weeks ago, somehow his paci didn't make it to the new room, and the teachers had no idea that he had ever had one. He went the whole first week without it, naps and all, by the time I realized he hadn't been using it there. I probably should have tried weaning him from it then, but I chickened out. But the hubs and I have since come to the realization that if he doesn't need it at daycare, he shouldn't need it at home either. For consistency's sake, our plan is to start "paci boot camp" tonight. It may be surprisingly easy, or it may bring tears for both Colin and me. Only time will tell.

On Colin's first birthday, a sweet friend gave us a book by Karen Kingsbury called "Let Me Hold You Longer." If you read it, make sure you have a box of tissues first. Here are the first few lines:

"Long ago you came to me, a miracle of firsts.

First smiles and teeth and baby steps, a sunbeam on the burst

But one day you will move away and leave to me your past

And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts."

We've already said goodbye to formula and bottles, to the little bassinet Colin used to sleep in, and to his sweet, out of control baby curls. Is the paci the last remnant of his babyhood? This thought makes me want to cry. Whew... good thing we'll have a tiny new baby to do all these things with all over again. :) 

More to come.