An End of an Era...and New Ones Begin

John has had an addiction to his chupa (pacifier) since the first time he tried it. We restricted it to just nap time and bed time around his second birthday, if I remember correctly, but he still sneaks it sometimes while he's playing. We've made comments about giving it to someone else, or throwing it in the trash, but he thought those comments were silly. Recently I mentioned that he wouldn't need it anymore when he was three because he'd be sleeping in a big boy bed (we figured it was time to move from the crib/day bed to a regular bed). He mentioned it to me the next night, which shocked me. Later I mentioned that we'd put his chupas in a bear and he could hug the bear and have them with him all the time. Again, he mentioned it to me the next night. We we started talking it up big time. Yesterday Eve spent some time with Grandma while John and I went to Build-a-Bear...and got rid of the chupas. I feel silly saying it, but I was actually a little sad myself on the way to the mall.

There they go! He was so brave, and didn't even think twice about it.He enjoyed cleaning the bear.

Picked out an awesome costume...and named the bear Spiderman, of course.

No tears here!

Ice cream...just in case.

And he's slept fine ever since. He hasn't even asked about it. I'm amazed.

As for new eras beginning, since I had mentioned the big bed, I figured I should follow through. We got a new comforter and spiderman sheets. A little out of laziness, and a little out of wanting them to share a room anyway, we just put the new linens on the guest bed (the bed that was mine growing up). SO, John and Eve are sharing a room now. We've had some trouble getting them to go to sleep, but we'll try it a while, and can always change things if we need to.

Eve's new era, which may or may not be so new, is following simple directions. Maybe she's been able to for a while and I'm just now testing her. Who knows. Anyway, I think she tries to say Bo and ball. I'm not certain if she says Mama. She says "meh meh" a lot whenever she wants something, and I kind of think Mama has been replaced with that. Anyway, I was reading a book with her this week and started trying to get her to point to pictures (where's the ball, etc.). After I showed her a few times with the ball, I tried some other words and found out she could point to them. One of the pages has things we do. There are pictures of kissing and hugging (and jumping, etc.). I asked her if she could give me a kiss and she leaned right in. She didn't purse her lips, but she definitely knows what hugs and kisses are, and will give them when she feels like it if you ask her to. She also understands come here, give that to me, close the cabinet please (hears that one a lot). I suppose it's only a matter of time before she picks up on "Honey, will you please bring me a beer". Only kidding. I'm so proud of them both!