Pacifier Update

He did it!  Emery is successfully "paci" free!  And he did so good! We are so very proud of him for making this big step like such a big boy!  Here's a recap of the week of "Operation Bye Bye Paci":

-Tuesday, 11/23/10- I poked several small holes in all of Em's pacifiers before he went to bed that night.  He didn't seem to notice a change.
-Wednesday, 11/24/10- We didn't do anything different.
-Thursday, 11/25/10- I cut the tip off of each pacifier.  When he went to take a nap he told me his paci was broken.  He looked at is strangely and wouldn't suck on it.  But, he wanted it.  So, I laid an unhappy Emery down for a nap.  He cried for about 30 minutes and then fell asleep.  That night when going to bed I gave him a pacifier with the tip cut off.  He told Patrick and I that it was broken (the video is in the post before this).  I offered him another, all with the tips cut off, and he said all of them were broken.  He handed them to me and I asked if he wanted to throw them away but he wasn't ready.  He went to bed upset with all three of them in his hands.  He cried and fussed for about 30 minutes.
-Friday, 11/26/10- That morning one of his pacifiers was laying on the floor when I went in to get him.  I didn't say anything to him but he told me that his paci's were broken.  After breakfast, I went into his room and put all three of them on the floor so he would see them.  He came in and saw them and told me his paci's were broken again.  I suggested that maybe since they were broken he should throw them away.  He agreed.  He threw all three of them away.  At nap time, he asked about his paci and I reminded him that he threw them away because they were broken.  I put him down without a paci.  He didn't fuss much at all!  That night, though, he asked about them again and we reminded him again that he threw them away because they were broken.  He went to bed upset and fussed and cried for almost an hour.  This was the worst night.  I honestly think he was more upset about having to go to bed while Grandma and Grandpa were here rather than not having his paci.
-Saturday, 11/27/10- He told me first thing in the morning that his paci was broken and I reminded him again that he threw them away.  That was the last time he asked me about them.  He went down for a great nap without them.  He fussed for about 5 minutes at bedtime but that was it!
-Sunday, 11/28/10- He never asked about paci and never fussed at nap or bedtime!
-Monday, 11/29/10- He went to daycare and took his first nap without a pacifier there.  He did great!  After his nap, his daycare provider offered him his paci to throw away because he is a big boy now and he did it!!  He went to bed great on Monday night, too.
-Tuesday, 11/30/10- Operation Bye Bye Paci was a success!  It only took two rough days and he's going down for nap and bedtime perfectly again, just like he used to do with his pacifier.  We're so proud of him!

Emery,
When you read this someday when you are older, I want you to know that it was hard for Mommy to take your pacifier away.  It was the one thing really keeping you my baby and now you are a big boy.  I'm so proud of you for taking the change so well.  I know how much you loved your paci!  But, I'm glad we did this for you while you were young so you won't remember it or have to deal with it anymore.  It's good for you.  Plus, when your baby brother or sister arrives, you'll know that the pacifier is for the baby.  You are an awesome little boy and I love you so much!!
Big Hugs!
Mommy