What is a TT you ask? In our house, TT is the mute button, the soother, the one, the only, pacifier. See, when I was pregnant I was pretty sure I wasn't going to use them. I'd heard from so many people the disadvantages to pacifiers (speech delay, teeth problems, trouble weaning from them, etc) and because I knew it all (ha) before I had kids I hadn't really purchased many.
But then this guy showed up. And he cried. And cried. And boy did he cry. He cried so much in the hospital that the nurses gave him a pacifier, not me. At first I was upset that they just gave him one without consulting me but I had a little guy that sure liked to suck and pacifiers soothed him. And I'll be honest, to get a break from the crying, I gladly let him have it. *SANITY!*
By the time he was 1, he was pretty addicted to the thing. Again at this age, Brady cried a lot, was super strong willed, still loved to suck, and spoke a ton so I didn't think twice about letting him keep it. A little before this age he started using "TT" (tee-tee) to refer to his pacifier. We have no clue where he came up with it, but those darn things have been TT's ever since!
By 2, same story, different age. This was in the hospital room when we had Layla. I saw the pictures and thought enough is enough. We limited him to only have his TT at naptime and bedtime. It was a big struggle at first but he adjusted.
Want to know a huge major secret? Brady's 3.5 now and before last Tuesday, well, he still slept with his dang pacifier. I'm mortified about this. If you have nothing nice to say about it, please don't bother saying it. Anything you could say I've already said in my head. Brady is a very spirited child and before the age of 3 I had many days where it was a major battle just to get through the day with him. I'll be honest in saying this was just one battle I didn't want to pick. Brady's always been a great sleeper (naptime and bedtime) and with Layla taking forever to sleep through the night, I just didn't want to screw things up. And it seemed like once she was sleeping through the night there was either a trip, a deployment, or some other excuse why we didn't fully get rid of his pacifier.
Not to say we didn't try though. We tried tricking him that they were yucky (didn't work), tried cutting the ends off (didn't work), tried telling him that none of his friends have them, that only babies do (didn't work). I think sadly a part of me didn't want him to lose the last little part of his baby-ness either. There was only 1 thing we could think of that could possibly work: the TT Fairy. Not sure what the TT fairy is? Well it's basically the thought that a child leaves his pacifiers with a note for the pacifier fairy(who can give their pacifiers to new babies that need them) and leaves a gift in exchange. We set a date: January 6. And talked the heck out of this TT fairy business. I knew Brady would eat this up.
So last Tuesday, Brady sucked his TT for the last time. He was so confused. You mean I can suck it without being in bed?
He told me what I needed to say to the TT fairy in the note and we put his pacifiers in a baggie.
Brought the note with his TTs down the stairs
And gave me his biggest thumbs up. Or at least his version of thumbs up.
I wish I could say it was easy peasy, but some days have been downright rough. Honestly it's gone better than expected though. I had to talk him off the ledge initially because he was terrified the fairy was going to sneak into his room (backfire much?) and he was pretty sad the first couple of days (which absolutely broke my heart) but he is now officially a big boy and TT free! He's pretty much not napping anymore though and not getting a ton of sleep at night but hopefully soon he'll be back to normal (hopefully, oh please!) and be my good sleeper again.
In retrospect we should have done this a long time ago. But honestly we've had 6 months of pretty great sleep and that was worth not picking the battle for us. Oh parenthood, it's a journey!
Now there's just this little stinker left...
5 comments:
I am totally with you on picking and choosing your battles. I was never against the pacifier but my husband kind of was. At about week 2 with Charli, I knew she needed it, I couldn't just stick my pinky finger in her mouth or my boob in her mouth every single time she cried (she just needed to be soothed) so he finally gave in and let me give it to her and it was amazing! But she gave it up all on her own at month 3 and didn't want anything more to do with it. I say we all know our kids best and know what is best for them. But what a big boy for giving it up!! Way to go Brady!!
V had her binkie until she was 2 and a half.. It didn't delay her at all, so I wasn't all that concerned. My husband really wanted it to be gone by the time he came back from Afghanistan, so we constantly reminded her that, "Papa doesn't like binkies." For a while, it was night time only, and eventually, I just hid them all. It was tough at first, and even now, if she sees one, she might put it in her mouth, but it passes. Thankfully, Adri never wanted one. That was a battle that I didn't want to have to fight twice.
Taylor used to call herself TT so I'm loving his pacifier name.
And my TT still uses a pacifier in the car at age 2. No other times, but she needs it in the car. I know it will be hard to break.
Good job, bud!
My mom told me that I never wanted anything to do with a pacifier and barely liked a bottle! My little cousin, on the other hand, was an addict. Haha. She would have one in her mouth, one that should would rub against her nose to sleep, and one or two more in her other hand! Haha. I don't remember how my aunt got her to get rid of them! But truthfully, what's wrong with a pacifier if it saves your (or your kid's) sanity!? :)
Haha that Layla picture!! She's like, Don't you even think about it, Mama.
Sam had his until sometime after 2... We only had like, 3 to begin with (because I am such an awesome mother and super-prepared, aka cursing in the middle of the night when the ONE in his room was stuck between his crib and the wall- GODBLESSIT!). Like you, we started limiting it to naps and bedtime. Then one day he brought it downstairs with him, I told him that wasn't allowed and I took it, hid it, and never gave it back. (It's still in my pump bag from that day, btw.) He was crying for it at bedtime, and I was all, "If you can tell me with words what you want, you can have it." And since he REFUSED to speak, he didn't say anything. Well ok then! haha I know, I'm going straight to hell.
Also, unrelated- finally got a box of those cheese sand crackers! Whoa talk about crack! Will send y'all some more soon!
Big congrats to Brady and may peace and wine be with you when it's Layla's turn!
Post a Comment