Bye Bye SueSues!

I have been trying to get rid of those gross things for awhile. We had talked about going to "Build a Bear" and putting the suesues inside the bear...but she didn't pick up on that idea. About 2 weeks ago a friend came to visit and we got talking about it. She said she had discussed it with her kids ( a set of twins) first, and then made them look very unappealing. Pointing out that babies had them, and they were smelly, and they made their teeth funny. She said finally they picked a date, circled it on the calender and counted down the days. When the day came she said she ended up getting called into work, and wasn't actually there that evening.....but they stuck to the plan and chucked them anyways. What good kids.

So with all this is my head I sat down to talk to Grace. I told her what a big girl she was and that suesues were for babies. She was nodding and cuddling shyly into my side. A subject she really doesn't like talking about....and she knew where this was headed....I asked her if she would rather put her suesues into a "Build a Bear" or give them to Baby Zachary or put them in the garbage. She quickly answered in a shy quiet voice "Give them to Baby Zachary."

I explained that Baby Zachary was coming next week and this would be a good time to give them to him since he was a baby and suesues are for babies. She was hesitant to agree with me. I talked to her about how I understood this was really hard because she has had her suesues for so long and they helped her go to sleep, and comforted her when she was sad.

She was nodding and looking at me with these very vulnerable eyes.

"But you can do this!" I urged her. "And mommy will be here to help you, and daddy too. Instead of suesues and can think of happy things in bed, or mommy and daddy can lay down with you for a bit to help you settle down. You can do this!" I told her again. (This became a repeated phase over and over again.)

Finally she nodded in agreement. "OK Mama," she half whispered.

So we marked 'Special' days on the calender. One for the day we give the suesues to Baby Zachary, and another one 2 nights later, when we would go to "Build a Bear". She liked the idea of building a bear.

A friend had lent us a book, "Bye Bye Pacifier". We read this over and over. She enjoyed sitting against me and turning the pages. Taking it all in.

We started with no suesues at nap time. The first day she didn't nap. She was on her bed quiet, and then started screamed for the last 20 minutes of nap time. I was having doubts. The second day I reminded her how to fall asleep. Thinking about happy things and maybe singing songs. I insisted she keep her head on the pillow. Lo and behold, she feel asleep!

"Grace? Grace, wake up Hunny...Look, you did it!! Gracie you did it!"

One day turned into two...and the day to give them away grew closer. We counted the days on the calender. As the day grew closer Grace became more and more reluctant to talk about it.

The night before, I reminded her that this was her last night. Yes, she nodded that she understood. I tucked her in one last time with her suesues.

The next day dawned and she passed her suesues over to me before breakfast. I reminded her what would be happening later, when it was time for Baby Zachary to go home.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"I need to know you understand Grace. Tell mommy you understand," I urged her.

"I understand Mama," she mumbled looking down at the table.

My heart was sad. Was she ready for this?

"And what happens in 2 more sleeps Grace?" I asked her

Her face turned to me, glowing, with the biggest grin ever. "We go to 'Build a Bear'."

She was ready.

After nap time we were all sitting around, everyone was waking up and rubbing eyes. I reminded Grace what would happening it a little while when it was time for Baby Zachary to go home. She was leaning against me. She looked up into my eyes and said "I want to do it now."

I just about fell off the chair.

"Are you sure?" I asked, very gently.

She nodded. I looked questioningly at Kristyn. She nodded and shrugged at the same time. I thought for a minute. I tried to put myself in her place. No one was really paying attention, so she could do it quietly and discreetly, and maybe she just wanted to get it over with.

She sucked on each one for a moment and put them all in a baggy. When she was done she went and gave them to Kristyn for Baby Zachary.

And that's been it.

Its been a few days since I started this post. She is doing really well. She has a harder time falling asleep then before, and sometimes I go in and talk to her about things she can think about or songs she can sing. But she isn't sitting on her bed screaming her head off, and she isn't exhausted from it all. And she is falling asleep, and sleeping all night long!

We have gone to 'Build a Bear'! She picked a calico kitty, and luvs it! She carries it around with her, takes the clothes off and then puts them back on, and even lets Angelina play with it a bit.

So I am very happy to say, we are a suesue free house!!