Three-year-old Ava Grace says those words every night before she goes to sleep. Now she's proving it -- tonight is night #2 without hers. Ever had to give something up that you thought you needed so much you'd die without it -- but when you did, you didn't? The new life transition started Friday night with twin sister Stella (above) -- daughter Emily wrote about it:
I've been worried about it for over a year now. I've read segments in several books on ideas about how to do it. I've had endless conversations with my mommy friends about their experiences. I've talked with professionals.
I've even prayed about it.
And then last night, just before I was ready to tuck her in and say goodnight, Stella very clearly and precisely said "Mommy, I don't want to use my paci anymore. It has hair on it."
Seeing as how we've had false starts in the past, my response was not the gushing of "What a big girl you are!!" followed by an immediate trip to the trashcan that you might expect. Besides, where was the screaming and gnashing of teeth that I've heard tell about? Where were the tricks? The "lets tie paci to a balloon string for the babies in the sky"? The paci fairy? The sleepless nights? The bribes and promises of rewards to come?
Instead, I looked at her with raised eyebrows and said, "Well, are you sure?" And she responded that yes, she was sure...and she took her lovey that I handed to her and happily sent me away, paci in hand, dumbfounded.
That was last night. And today, with a little bit of prodding and a lot of cuddling, Ava Grace decided to do the same thing. Tearful yet determined. I can relate.
Because I am finding myself to be strangely tearful over the decision my girls have made. As freeing as it is for me, I just wonder how can these little girls be old enough to make a decision like this? To me, it's just a paci. But to them, its like...a friend. A comfort. A companion in the night. Where is the motivation to give that up (besides the polly pocket cars I got them at Target)?
And just like that, this day that marks 6 years of marriage between John and I and the anniversary of my Grandpa Morland's death has also become the day that our twin girls grow up a little bit more...and teach their mommy a thing or two about letting go.
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