Bye-Bye Soother Party

Don't judge me but...

Yes,  my children are 3 1/2 years old.
Yes, they still use used soothers at nap time and bedtime.
Yes, I fear feared taking away their soothers...more for me than them (I don't handle crying and screaming very well).
Yes, I rely on my hometown bestie, LeeAnn to make the "hard" decisions when it comes to raising my children...

Yes. YES!  They FINALLY said Good-bye to their soothers yesterday.

Soothers have always been a comfort.  For my children AND me.  It something they have stuck in their gubs when the pressures of their tiny worlds have come crushing down.  It calmed them and kept me calm (again, I don't handle crying and screaming all that well).

I was THAT mom that had NO PROBLEMS allowing their children to walk around ALL. DAY. LONG. with soothers.  It wasn't until I came home when they were 1 1/2 years old that my bestie, LeeAnn shut that down convinced me that it was in their best interest to transition from 24/7 usage to nap time and bedtime only.  She simply plucked those suckers out their mouths one day while visiting and told them they didn't need them anymore and that was THAT.  No crying.  No screaming.  Done AND done.

When we returned the following year when they were 2 1/2 years old she was shocked that they were still using them during "sleep times".  To be honest, everyone was...except me.  You know, that whole crying and screaming phobia I have?  Enuff said.  I wouldn't budge.  The soothers stayed...much to my bestie's dismay.

Then when we arrived this summer, she was appalled.  OK, not really but kinda.  I jokingly said that since she was the master of soother manipulation that I was saving the task of saying goodbye to them forever to her.  She jumped immediately into action and well, here is what ensued yesterday afternoon...

The Spontaneous (like thrown together in a few minutes) BYE-BYE Soother Party

When the kids awoke from their nap, the soothers had left them a letter (thanks Madison!)...

 Since I didn't feel like changing them, I gave them the choice of staying in their PJ's, which they chose.  They then placed their soothers in their bags and that's when the FUN began.  Ave was right on to the whole "why are be burning our soothers?" while Bryce was more excited about the "party and surprise"....LOL!

When we got to the fire the final letter read that they had to throw them into the fire and then a special surprise would appear and the party would begin.

 Ave kissed her soother bye-bye while Bryce became extremely concerned.  He was beginning to catch on...

Bryce is, at this point, catching on that Ave is saying goodbye to her soother and well...

...the panic begins to set in!!

Like a big girl, Ave stepped up to the fire and threw her soothers in.  We all cheered!

WTH is going on?!?!?!

Bryce on the other hand...

...had an epic break down!

He had TOTALLY figured out what was expected of him.  "I don't want to burn my soother!  I ne-e-e-e-e-d my soother mom!"  

We finally convinced him to hand the soother bag over to LeeAnn who promised to give it to a little baby while explaining that it WOULD.NOT.BE.BACK.   

He did this only so he could partake in the festivities of the s'more making, wiener roasting AND...

...trampoline-balloon-water sprinkler-jumping party!

Ave went to bed and never mentioned the long gone soother.  It was touch and go for Bryce.  He cried and screamed (which stressed me out greatly...SURPRISE!) for about 10 minutes and then fell asleep.

I thought that was pretty good and went to bed thinking that once again, a transition I feared most was pretty painless UNTIL he woke up this morning talking about how he had a nightmare last night but it all worked out because he got his "blue suess" back from a baby that had stole it.  *sigh* This might not be as painless as I thought...I'll keep you all posted...LMAO!!

THANK YOU LeeAnn & Madison for throwing the kids their Bye-Bye Soother Party.  We LOVE you guys and appreciate that you help make these "difficult times" a little more easy and super FUN for us!!