A Pacifier Problem

HELP.

We have a pacifier problem.

I need your help. I need your advice.

You see, all my kids have had pacifiers since they were a few days old.

I didn't want them to be thumb suckers 

(My mom was a thumb sucker and sucked her thumb until she was 8!!! She warned me to not let my kids suck their thumbs since it was a hard habit to break. And, plus...all the germs with thumb sucking..yikes!)

So, I gave my kids pacifiers. 

Once they were around 6-7 months old, I only let them have the pacifier when they were in their car seat, stroller or crib.

Once they turned 9-10 months old, I only let them have the pacifier in their crib for naps & nighttime.

When the girls were babies, I took away their pacifiers right after their 1st birthdays.

They were horrible sleepers anyway and the pacifier didn't really help them sleep, so I just decided to get rid of it.

For Kate, it was about 3 rough nights without the pacifier (but then it was fine)

Claire's first night without the pacifier was rough and then she was fine.

Both girls barely slept through the night at 1 year old, so it wasn't like the pacifier was that big of a deal to take away.

When Luke turned 1 last August, he was sleeping 12 hours a night from 7 am until 7pm.

There was NO WAY we wanted to disrupt that by taking his pacifer away.

Plus, summer was ending and school was starting back up...sleep is PRECIOUS to me.

I didn't want to start the school year with sleep deprivation after having an amazing sleeper.

So, I said I would take it away during Thanksgiving Break when he was 15 months old.

November came and went and we didn't take away the pacifier because he slept so well and, sleep is PRECIOUS! 

I told myself I would take it away during Christmas Break.

Christmas Break rolls around and that is when Luke's 2 year molars decided to come in!

The poor kid was miserable and waking up all the time.

We would go into his room and he would be crying in his crib chewing on the pacifier trying to get some relief on his gums. 

I surely couldn't take it away then, poor little guy was in pain and his pacifier was his comfort.

So, I told myself.....I will wait until Spring Break to take away the pacifier.

Well, Spring Break was a couple weeks ago.

Did I take away the pacifier? 

No. 

I tried one night and he cried and cried and cried for almost an hour.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

(Plus, I was binge watching Breaking Bad....all that crying was interrupting that ;) Kidding. Kind of)

 

Luke is now 21 months and still has his pacifier during naps & nighttime.

There is ONE pacifier left in our house.

This is it:

It's an infant one, but he loves it.

I will not be buying anymore pacifiers.

The last day of school is on June 12th.

That is the last night I will let Luke have his pacifier.

But, that is also a month away....should I just suck it up and take the paci away now? 

Or wait another whole month until summer?

So, this is where I need your help.

I need you to keep me accountable.

I also need your advice.

Any tips on getting rid of the pacifier?

He is 21 months old, so he understands.

He knows that his pacifier has to stay in his crib. 

Every time he wakes up from his nap or in the morning, he knows to drop the paci in the crib before we take him out. 

Sometimes when we are playing in his room he will reach into his crib and grab his paci, put it in his mouth, laugh and run away from us so we won't take it away.....he is a sneaky little guy with a sense of humor.

I would love to hear how you got rid of your kids pacifiers!

HELP! 

I feel like a first time mom with this situation!

Thank you in advance!