Elizabeth vs. The Soother Fairy

Elizabeth turned 3 in April, so we decided to get on the task of somehow weaning/breaking her of her soother addiction. I have been dreading separating her from her soother (or BooBoo as its called around here) since I gave it to her when she was a baby. Its an easy go to when she's exhausted and losing her mind, and I know how much she loves it soothing powers. It was like crack. She began crying out for it when she was having a tantrum one day and I knew right then it was time for an intervention. So I called A&E...but they didn't call me back. It was time to take matters into my own hands I guess? So we started talking about the Soother Fairy whenever we could drop it in casually. Wait. You don't know who the Soother Fairy is? Well, she is the fairy who brings you a big girl present when you're too big for your soother. She gives the soother to a new baby who needs one and you get an awesome gift for being a big girl. Elizabeth loved this idea and we started thinking together of what kind of present a big girl could get. Barbies were one suggestion, a skateboard was another, but that was quickly kibosh-ed. Then it hit me. "Why don't we tell the soother fairy you want a big girl bike, Elizabeth?" It was settled, we would ask the soother fairy for a big girl Disney Princesses bike. Now we just had to wait for the Soother Fairy to drop us a letter that told us where to mail our baby soother.

So we waited.

And waited.

I have to admit...I was the one procrastinating about this one. I kept telling myself it wasn't the right time because there was so much going on right now. I was going back to work, the kids were starting daycare full time, we were in the middle of night time potty training, we were selling our house, we were buying a house...it was summer(?)... Luckily for me and my gutless parenting, last Sunday afternoon Elizabeth said "Mommy, its sure taking the Soother Fairy a long time to come." Boom. Operation Big Girl was in effect. I whipped out a cellophane bag, silver twist tie and a card to address to the Soother Fairy. We're not waiting for her to write to us, we're writing to her! Check out the card we made in a flash!

Soother in a cellophane bag, all ready to be picked up!

"Dear Soother Fairy, I'm a big girl now. I don't need my Boo Boo anymore. You can give my soother to other babies. Can you please bring me a Disney Princesses bicycle? thank you. Love, Elizabeth" She even signed her own name!

Elizabeth thought if we left it on the porch the Soother Fairy would surely see it, so we did. And then we went up to bed filled with excitement over what tomorrow morning would bring! I was so proud of my big girl!!

At least, until she went into withdrawal.

And I do mean withdrawal. The second it was time for goodnight kisses, she lost it. Like she's never lost it before. She was hyperventilating, sobbing and crawling over us to try to get to the door. It was an epic breakdown if I have ever experienced one. But we stuck to our guns and never gave that soother back. Winners! We got her calmed down and she eventually fell asleep 30 minutes after we first tucked her in. But wait! Now we need an awesome big girl present STAT! See Mommy fly out the door to Wal-Mart at 9:30 at night like a crazy woman on the hunt for a bike. However, this late night trip to Wal Mart was waaaay better than the meltdown Matt had the misfortune of dealing with in my absence. His text message said it all "PICK UP YOUR PHONE! Both crying for 20 minutes!!" Unfortunately (luckily) my ringer was still turned down from being at work so I didn't hear it go off while I was browsing the cosmetics section. Too bad. I had a few more minutes of peace before walking into the catastrophe that was Detox: Night 1. The only difference with this round of "talking Elizabeth off the edge" was that we told her the Soother Fairy already came for her soother and was going back to her castle (?) to get a big girl present. She needed to go to sleep now so the Soother Fairy could bring the present while she was sleeping. Another 20 minutes of calming voices and fruitless negotiations (did someone just promise cookies for breakfast?) and Elizabeth was asleep for the night.



This is what my big girl looked like in the morning getting ready to check out her loot from the Soother Fairy...

"Just let me outside woman!"

And for a few minutes all is right in the world.

Elizabeth's Well Deserved Big Girl Bike.

We only had one more less than pleasant bedtime after that, and it was to be expected. I'm so proud of my Big Girl and her strength (or maybe her lack of memory of all things soother related?) Whatever it is, she rocks. And she rides that Big Girl Bike like she stole it!! Love ya Bear.