Ploo All Gone

Anna has kicked her pacifier habit for good! She used it for a bit as an infant and basically gave it up until she started teething. Since then, it has become a constant companion and grown from a sleeptime thing to an "I need this all the time" thing. We're certainly not anti-pacifier around here as they do have some benefit for young infants who need more sucking time, but when you're over one, it's time to shut it down.

Matthew gave up his pacifier around 15 months old after four nights of screaming. However, he only used it at night. Anna's addiction became an around the clock thing so we knew it would be a little harder. We accidentally left hers at church on Sunday night so we knew we'd have to bite the bullet and just go without. She went down with a little fussing, but not much, so I thought we might be in the clear.

Well. On Monday morning, she woke up saying "Ploo! Ploo!" and pointed at her mouth. I told her "No more ploo, it's all gone." She accepted that fact and went about her busy morning. Then came naptime. I put her down and she proceeded to throw a fit for about thirty minutes, changing from temper tantrum into pathetic weeping. I went up to see if I could calm her down. I took her out of the crib and cuddled her, then asked her, "Are you ready for nie-nie now?" She said, in a rather scared and shakey voice, "No nie-nie!" and started crying again. Obviously, the pacifier meant alot. I just kept her up and she didn't nap all day long. I put her to bed a little early, with much the same problem as naptime. She was so tired that she fell asleep upright, still clinging to the bars of the crib. I adjusted her and rubbed her back while she wimpered some more.

And this morning, she woke up saying, "Ploo! Ploo?" I told her again, "Ploo all gone." She nodded and started her day. Later in the morning, she climbed on my lap, pointed at her mouth and said, "Ploo?" I reminded her, "Ploo all gone. Finished." She said, "Ploo all gone?" I said, "Yes." She stopped a moment, looked away, and asked again, "Ploo all gone?" I repeated my answer. She paused again, then said, "Ploo all gone," and climbed back down. She went down for a nap with only a bit of fussing and went to bed just fine. I think she finally understands that the ploo (short for ploop, which is what I called hers for no real reason) is finally out of the picture. She still has her special blankies and her Boo-boo (dolly) so she has no shortage of comfort objects.

Ahh, another chapter closed in the life of Anna.