Oh... the "Pop". This is what a pacifier is known as around this house. Braden started calling it that as one of his first words and it stuck. He never used it a ton... and by the time he was about 10 months old it was just something that he used at naptime and nighttime.
Now judgers... stop judging. If you had told me that my son would use a pacifier to sleep at 2 1/2 I would have thought you crazy and swore at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 months we were done with it. But the timing never seemed right, we were either traveling (about to travel), leaving, transitioning to a new bed, you name it... I had an excuse. I'm aware it was an excuse, and I'm aware it a mutual attachment Braden, Chad and I all had. I mean... who want to screw with a perfect naptime/bedtime ritual and a child that never fights you to sleep, it was peaceful and it worked... so I continued to put it off.
That is until April... we had just moved into the new house here in Washington. It was Braden's month of terror. Everyday was a struggle, he would. not. listen. for anything. It was a difficult month and during that time one day in my fed up moments when my son was whining for the "pop" when it wasn't sleeptime (which he never did... I couldn't understand) I was pushed to the edge and decided "It's now or never... how much worse can it get?" So, cold turkey, I took it away. And even though I didn't think it possible... it got worse.
My sweet child that was already out of sorts and crazed was now barely napping... not falling asleep before 10:30 and up by 6am. He was losing about 4 hours of sleep a day and I was losing my sanity.
After 10 days it seemed this habit wasn't broken and I (pregnant, husband traveling, adjusting to a new place... I know... I'm full of excuses) gave in and went back to the "pop". You know what... life was good again. Overnight my child was listening, rested and fun to be with.
BUT... I knew this was a habit I had to break before Baby Girl arrives and just over a week ago we did it. Cold turkey... with an explanation that he's getting ready to start school in a few weeks and big boys don't use "pops". It's worked. He's going to sleep at night and with a few minor short episodes at night he's sleeping solid. HOWEVER... there has been a trade off (isn't there always?). The precious 2-3 hour daytime nap has disappeared. It was an amazing time for me each day to regroup, recharge, clean up (or at the beginning and now at the end of the pregnancy... chance to nap for an hour). But as parent's come to realize... it's not about what works for you, so I'm coming to adjust. I was disappointed since I was counting on his naptime once I have a newborn here next month... but get over it and move on (and I need to up my bedtime to super early). I had a weeklong pity party for myself last week and was in quite the funk, but I'm better now. I think Chad's constant travel for work in the midst of all going on added to my sheer exhaustion since no break was coming for days.
Okay... enough of that. In other Braden accomplishments, I'd say he's about 90% potty trained. We're still working out some details (my hang ups if I'm honest about leaving the house, etc). But I've changed my mind set and just going with the flow.
So... that's why I've been missing last week, I just wasn't my happy self and still have a lot of really exciting and fun times to blog about our Midwest trip last month. So... without much delay I'll get caught up this week! :)
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