An Experiment in Paci-Seperation

So after my post yesterday and reading the comments that people wrote on Facebook and here, I decided to try an experiment last night. As I said yesterday, I hate Evie's pacifier. I can't stand watching her take it out to talk or hearing her suck-suck-suck on it in the evening.

I just hate it! And it seems like the older she gets, the more attached she is.

See how cute she is without it?

So precious!

Ugh...

Awww...

Grrr...

Okay, who am I kidding. I think she's cute all the time. But I really despise that paci.

I don't have anything against Elly's pacifier. Though I have informed everyone that pacifier use is a "last resort only" for her. Typically she doesn't want a pacifier anyways. But I don't want to create this paci-monster we've made Evie into. But the site of Elly sucking on a pacifier doesn't make me feel like a slacker like Evie does.

See, I didn't cringe a bit.

Eek!

I cringed. Surely you don't blame me. I bet you cringed too! haha.

So, anyways, where was I? Ah yes. Experiment. So last night I get home to a tired and cranky husband and two babies that are in serious need of a non-tired and cranky adult. Everyone is speaking in their loud, angry voice. And for some reason both babies were wearing only their diapers. I did not ask why. When faced with redressing two girls, especially if it's nearly bath or bedtime and warm, my husband typically errs on the side of caution and just...well, doesn't redress them. I don't blame him a bit. I'm sure I have made some hilarious faces at the outfits I have found Evie in and I admit to laughing out loud a few times.

So while it didn't seem like the optimal time to take away a comfort object from a whiny toddler, I figured she was pretty much as bad as she got so it wasn't like she was going to get worse. Let's just see what happens! Keep in mind that Evie still doesn't have a tremendous vocabulary and words that she has developed some visual sign for, she doesn't have a word for. Like her pacifier. So while I knew there would be some whining and some of Evie running up and down the hall, I figured I wouldn't have to listen to anything like "Paci, Paci, Paci, Paci, Paci" for hours or anything.

So we did baths, both kids were in pajamas, and both were ready for bed. We got Evie's blankie and picked out bed time stories. Every time she started running down the hall and trying to get me to come with her to get her pacifier, I diverted her attention to something else.

And the amazing thing?

It worked!

Now, she wasn't as peaceful after stories. And she didn't seem as relaxed when we went to bed. I could tell that not having her pacifier made her anxious and that she was agitated about the fact that I kept ignoring her cues and signals. I'm normally so good at it after all. She probably wondered if I was suffering from a traumatic brain injury because I had gotten really dumb yesterday. As if she knows what a traumatic brain injury is.

I expected to spend a lot of time going back into her room to put her back into bed. I tried to decide whether I would cave and give her a pacifier or just suffer through one night. I decided that if I gave in to whining later on in the night then next time I tried this she'd figure it out faster and be much more difficult so I wasn't going to give in.

Normally, I never hear a peep from her after I put her to bed. Some nights she might have a bad dream later on. Or if I try to put her to bed early she might get up and I will have to put her back in bed a time or two. Last night she yelled a few times. I heard her talking and was afraid that I'd have to go in there and tell her to go to sleep. But I waited it out. And after about 30 minutes, didn't hear another sound. I stayed up later than usual, worrying that she would get up since she didn't have her fail-safe pacifier to keep her asleep. But even at midnight, she was resting peacefully.

I tiptoed in to check on her, afraid she would wake right up, but she didn't even stir when I readjusted her blankets and turned her ceiling fan on because she was warm. This morning I woke up around 7 a.m. to the coffee pot turning on and Elly jingling some toy in her crib and giggling. I fetched Elly hoping that she would go back to sleep and about the same time I got Elly snuggled down in our bed, Evie came plodding in with her blankie and her stuffed alligator (which I think I will be blogging on tomorrow!).

But all in all, I thought it was a success. Will I continue with it though? Honestly, I still haven't decided.