Magic!
Maya is two, so experts and pediatricians alike rule that it is time to get rid of the pacifiers. After reading various suggestions and asking our pediatrician for advice, my favorite idea was to gather the pacifiers and leave them somewhere for the pacifier fairy, who would come in the night and replace them with a present. My concern was that Maya, knowing that the pacifiers were sitting somewhere nearby, would cry for them until either we gave in or she fell asleep. Hoping to avoid as many tears as possible, I came up with my own idea.
We emptied a pink toy box from the toy shelves and gathered all the pacifiers from the house and the car into it. I left the children to guard the box while I went to get a magic blanket. Hidden inside the magic blanket was a Ziploc sandwich bag and a giant sticker book. (Maya loves sticker books more than anything else except Bunny and jellybeans.) When I spread the blanket over the pink box, I slipped the hidden items in unseen. While we sang the alphabet song, I reached under the blanket to mix up the pacifiers (stuff all the pacifiers into the sandwich bag and seal it.) We then waved our hands over the blanket saying "abracadabra" and I lifted the blanket off with a flourish (pinching the bag of pacifiers into the blanket as I lifted it,) revealing only a giant sticker book in the box. Layth was very amazed, and Maya was very dubious. I was very proud of myself. While I explained to Maya that we turned the pacifiers into a giant sticker book because "paci"s are for babies and sticker books are for big girls who are 2, Layth was busy trying to turn things into other things and wondering why he just couldn't do it. I explained that magic was just very tricky to do and that it didn't always work. I actually showed him how to do the trick later, but it's hard to pull off when you're 4! I advised him to keep practicing. Maybe he'll be ready for a magic set for his next birthday.
K slept with Maya last night to ease her first night without a pacifier. This afternoon, she was still asking for them, but not crying for them. She even explained to me that they turned into a sticker book. I think it helps her to know they're not just lying around somewhere. What a big girl!
We emptied a pink toy box from the toy shelves and gathered all the pacifiers from the house and the car into it. I left the children to guard the box while I went to get a magic blanket. Hidden inside the magic blanket was a Ziploc sandwich bag and a giant sticker book. (Maya loves sticker books more than anything else except Bunny and jellybeans.) When I spread the blanket over the pink box, I slipped the hidden items in unseen. While we sang the alphabet song, I reached under the blanket to mix up the pacifiers (stuff all the pacifiers into the sandwich bag and seal it.) We then waved our hands over the blanket saying "abracadabra" and I lifted the blanket off with a flourish (pinching the bag of pacifiers into the blanket as I lifted it,) revealing only a giant sticker book in the box. Layth was very amazed, and Maya was very dubious. I was very proud of myself. While I explained to Maya that we turned the pacifiers into a giant sticker book because "paci"s are for babies and sticker books are for big girls who are 2, Layth was busy trying to turn things into other things and wondering why he just couldn't do it. I explained that magic was just very tricky to do and that it didn't always work. I actually showed him how to do the trick later, but it's hard to pull off when you're 4! I advised him to keep practicing. Maybe he'll be ready for a magic set for his next birthday.
K slept with Maya last night to ease her first night without a pacifier. This afternoon, she was still asking for them, but not crying for them. She even explained to me that they turned into a sticker book. I think it helps her to know they're not just lying around somewhere. What a big girl!
posted by Nikki | 11:35 PM
4 Comments:
Funny, funny Mommy! A little sleight of hand sure comes in... um... handy. Sure hope big brother doesn't spill the beans!
Since he never saw where the pacifiers actually ended up, I don't think he put it together that they may still be around somewhere. He's already moved on to other things now. :-)
We had the paci fairy, too. (Except my kids were 4+ before she arrived...not sure what took her so long!) She left Luke $10 (he loves money) and Molly a pair of earrings and a "ticket" to get her ears pierced. Which she did and then hated it...they have since grown back.
I'm very impressed with your magic skills!! What a great idea! I hope beautiful Maya hasn't had too hard a time without her pacis!
She's doing great. She asks for them only occasionally, and is satisfied with the answer that they have been turned into a sticker book. She does ask for someone to lie down with her more often, but if I cuddle her for 5-10 minutes and then explain that I need to go do some things and that it's time for her to sleep with Bunny, she's ok.
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