Friday, November 10, 2006

trying to lick the habit.

We have finally kicked nappies at night!
It has been over a week now with no accidents. We finally gave in to the girl's insistence that she wanted to wear undies to bed "like a big girl!". She has so far done a great job.


Because that went so well, today, we started on the dummy

(pacifier for some readers - "nummy", "nummy noodle" and frankly any variation on that theme in our house).

Dummies, amongst most people I know, are received with widely varying enthusiasm and my dentist certainly hates all varieties with a vengeance (he was quite blunt about it - until I was equally blunt back about the reasons we went with it regardless)

Without going into it...it was a last resort decision at the time given the circumstances and a baby that wasn't a self-sleeper.

So today...we whittled down the nummy usage to night only and we collected the four nummies she has and popped them in a box. This is so, in the near future (i.e. before the baby arrives) they can be sacrificed to the 'nummy fairy' or chosen to be put away for good by the girl (hopefully the latter)

She handled the day not too badly, considering. However, it was tragic to view all of the things she tried to do to get herself one hit (suck) of the addictive rubber bulb.

We had crying, determined stamping of the feet, anger, a small tanty and more crying. Then she was fine for a bit (obviously re-grouping and considering a new tactic) She then tried feigning extreme tiredness. Which, of course, you need a nummy for! (I am sure she would've slept all day if I had let her have the nummy)
She tried to go for numerous afternoon sleeps and when all that failed, she tried a sobbing meltdown complete with the most harrowing, pleading eyes I have ever experienced.

Lastly, she actually found an very, very old flat one (only God knows where?). She diligently said she was going to put it into the nummy box. I did notice that it looked a little wet (I said nothing) but after she put it away, she came back to me and confessed...

"I did have a lick mum...just a lick...OK?"

7 comments:

van said...

oh poor thing! baby Lilo doesn't wear her dummy that much but she likes to walk around with it, she basically sucks on it for sleeping or watching cartoons. I just know it's gonna be hard to let go of it - maybe i love it more than she does - but eventually... oh dear...
It only means they're growing into "little girls". *sob* *sob*
Good luck, anyway. And congrats on the nighty diaper issue, that sure is a big step. *clap* *clap* *clap*
xoxooxo

Anonymous said...

my kids have all loved their 'paci's'. my oldest was about 2 (and i was expecting #2) when we made her go through paci rehab. she was in bed crying and screaming - in total withdrawal. "I want it in my MOUTH!!!" and then, when she calmed down a little "I just want it in my hand."
one of those Sad But Hilarious parenting moments.
good luck!

Anonymous said...

Thank you Dani! Catching up on blog sticky beaking, yours was first and I am in stitches reading your dummy story. It bought back so many memories and I have a vivid picture of your daughter. LOL. I think kids just give them up when their ready. My son was horrified when Grandad was going to "Smash" it but it wasn't long before he wanted Grandad to do it and I had to let him watch so when he asked for it later we could remind him what happened to it. Santa Clause, I think, needed the others. And of course his sister had the others. Good luck. Love your writing.

Anonymous said...

Ohhh, poor Bubba! My girls don't have dummies. Mia sucks her thumb and has a special 'Ted' that she rubs on her nose and face. Esme just uses my boobs, i'm trying to wean her off but she's having none of it, she pulls at my shirt to get at them!

Kate said...

I am dreading this day when I have to take them away. Congratulations on the nappies (or lack of)!

kirsten said...

Oh man! We had a nummy at our house (even called the same thing - nummy!)and it didn't leave until daughter was,um, four. There I said it. I just didn't ever make a big deal about it and waited for her to ditch it herself. I didn't think it would take that long!!!!
Seriously, though, I figured that the only possible objection I could have to it was what other people thought. I decided A meant more to me than anyone else and she was happy with her nummy, so it stayed :)

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

Hi!! I am new here to your blog! My friend just went through the same thing with her daughter. They used the paci fairy. She had 4 pacifers left and they went and bought 4 helium ballons and tied a paci onto each ballon. The daughter then set the ballons free and off the pacis floated all the way to the paci fairy! The next day...there were 4 new books from the paci fairy!