Goodbye my num-num...

Goodbye my friend. Or at least Justin's friend. After two wonderful years together, as of yesterday, we have bid adieu to Justin's num-num (pacifier). I don't know what took me so long to get rid of the stupid thing. I think I needed it more than he did/does. I was always so proud of myself for getting my kids off the bottle, cold turkey, the second they turned 1. But the pacifiers have always been my Achilles heel of parenting.

Dylan was 2 1/2 when the pacifier fairy came and took her pacifiers away. That was the end of that for her, she never asked for it again. I knew Justin would be a different story, and I always had an excuse for not taking the thing away. First we moved and then took on a 45 minute commute everyday. Rather than listening to him scream in the car I would plug him up with his num-num. Rather than listening to him scream for 20-30 minutes at bedtime I would just let him have the num-num. And to keep him from waking up in the middle of the night, or early in the morning I let him have his num-num.

See, I needed the num-num more than him. So what suddenly made me change my mind? There is a new little girl in my pre-k class who still uses her pacifier. 4 years old! Asking me for her bi-bi at nap time! I always thought that I would be able to break Justin of his num-num when I was ready. But seeing this 4 year old cry and throw a fit over her bi-bi made me think that it was time for both of us to say goodbye.

So yesterday morning we threw Justin's num-num's in the trash. He watched me throw them all away, and I told him they were going bye-bye in the garbage truck (his favorite things in the world are garbage trucks). That was that. He cried for about 20 minutes at nap time and about 15 at night. Not so bad, and right now he's sleeping without it again. Keep your fingers crossed that it continues to go this smoothly.

Dear Sir-

To the Target patron in the toy aisle today I would just like to apologize for what you witnessed this fine morning.

Yes once again I was on my weekend trip to Target. The kids have actually behaved themselves lately so I haven't had any shameful trips...until today that is.

Justin was in a lovely mood today. Trying to knock things off shelves, pulling his sister's hair, kicking off his shoes. You name it, he was doing all of it. He wasn't getting a reaction out of me, so that really pissed him off. He started trying to hit and pinch me, but I was too quick for his moves. So he tried a new tactic, which I haven't seen in his arsenal until now. He pulled my shirt down and flashed my boobs in their full glory, to a man who happened to be venturing up the Barbie aisle at that very moment.

Victory is yours Justin, you have left me utterly defeated. I wave my white flag of surrender.