Pacifiers are Gone plus pictures!

We commenced operation, "No More Pacis" yesterday. Jon has been saying it was time and I knew he was right but I just didn't want to yet. I had anxiety about it and I didn't want there to be another sign that my baby is growing up. So we planned on doing it a couple times and something always came up- sickness, traveling, or there was one time where we just had a really rough week with Jackson and I told Jon I didn't have the strength to do it that weekend. Of course we always plan for a weekend because then I can have Jon home to help. :)

Anyway, Jon kept saying Labor Day weekend was our time and I knew it was time because Jackson has become so much more attached lately. He would ask for the paci a lot throughout the day and it was too hard to fight him on it so a lot of times we gave in. I wanted to wait until I was finished babysitting the girls because their 3 year old still has a paci so I knew that would make it hard for Jackson to get rid of it if we were around her. I am done babysitting, for now I think, so it was time. So yesterday Jon took Jackson with him to Wal-Mart while I got my hair cut. Jackson was allowed to pick out a motorcycle toy and they took that home to use in an exchange. When I got back, Jon gathered up all the pacis and we explained to Jackson that paci was going to go bye-bye and would be all gone. Jackson had a paci in his mouth at the time and very willingly handed it over in exchange for the motorcycle, or "cyscle" as he calls it. We even had Jackson help throw them away and then Jon took the trash out.

We had somewhat prepared Jackson by telling him a few days ahead of time that paci would be going bye bye soon. But I am totally amazed at how well he has done. Jon and I prayed a lot for him to be comforted and to do well. I know it sounds silly but we didn't want Jackson to feel punished and didn't want him to just cry and be miserable for several days. There is nothing worse than seeing your kid suffer. So Jackson was fine all day long Saturday and would happily tell us paci was all gone after he would ask for it, and he hardly asked for it at all. Saturday night was a little rough and Jackson had to cry for about 25 minutes to go to sleep. He ended up sleeping through the night until 5 which is when he wakes up anyway. He woke up once briefly during the night but went right back to sleep. We woke up in shock that we had survived the night without the paci. It went so well.

Jackson woke up happy and after asking for paci and being told it was all gone he was fine. He did wonderful all day long. We anticipated church being rough but he did so well. He fussed some about paci in sacrament but he also was upset about not being able to play with beads that a girl next to us had. We had to take him out twice but it wasn't bad. He went to nursery where his friend still had a paci but Jackson did awesome. He cried for a little bit and then stayed in nursery the whole time. After church he fussed a tiny bit when it was time to nap but not bad at all. He just chews on mono when he wants his paci. He did great all day and went to bed amazingly well. He fussed a little but didn't even cry, just whined for mommy a tad. We are so shocked and so proud of Jackson. He is so perceptive and understands so well. Our prayers have been answered and I am so grateful this hasn't been as torturous as I thought it would be. I know it is a silly and small thing but for us it felt like a big hard thing for us. I know that God loves us and hears and answers our prayers, even the small ones.

How about some pictures from our summer?!

the pacis and the motorcycle

my favorite face of all time

Jon's favorite picture- we were playing in the rain and got soaked after this

The last picture I have of him with a paci from Friday. Also holding his first worm that he picked up as soon as I showed it to him.

\