He has such a tender heart...
I laid beside him last night...crammed on the bottom bunk between the little guy, Tebow (his beloved stuffed dog), Mousey (his stuffed mouse that he won in a "The Claw" vending machine at Marco), and Mito, (his stuffed turtle that Dr. Koenig gave him a couple of years ago). It was a tight fit. As I stroked his hair toward the right side of his forehead, I told him stories of how all little children have to pass from babyhood into childhood by giving up their most treasured comfort items: their sucking habits. His parents did it, his sisters did it...and now it was almost time for him to give up his beloved paci.
What I didn't expect was the little chin quiver and tear-filled eyes with each and every story. Each time I explained the scenarios of one of his loved ones giving up their "lovies" and passing into childhood, tears would stream down the little guy's face...not in an audible cry, but in the kind of silent heartbreak that most experience at the movies or church or on their pillows as they cry themselves to sleep.
That was why it was so hard to witness. He was
genuinely sad for the ones before him to have to give up such treasured items. It broke me...it made me want to let him suck on that dang paci for as long as he ever wanted. It made me want to completely ignore societal accommodations on such added "appendages" on our kiddos and just let him set his own time frame of when he wanted to give up the paci.
But it needs to happen. The paci needs to go. As much as I realize that society will probably give the little guy a pass at keeping the attachment longer due to his circumstances, and as much as I LOVE that little plug that is often attached to my littleun's mouth, I have also come to the realization that it needs to go. I have always said that apart from letting him have a paci longer than anticipated, I would treat Nate like a regular kid, despite what he has to deal with on an everyday basis. Well, now it is time to treat him like a regular growing kid without a paci. It makes me sad to say goodbye to it...but like I tell him, he is such a big boy now.
If only he didn't have such a tender heart about it...
I laid beside him last night...crammed on the bottom bunk between the little guy, Tebow (his beloved stuffed dog), Mousey (his stuffed mouse that he won in a "The Claw" vending machine at Marco), and Mito, (his stuffed turtle that Dr. Koenig gave him a couple of years ago). It was a tight fit. As I stroked his hair toward the right side of his forehead, I told him stories of how all little children have to pass from babyhood into childhood by giving up their most treasured comfort items: their sucking habits. His parents did it, his sisters did it...and now it was almost time for him to give up his beloved paci.
What I didn't expect was the little chin quiver and tear-filled eyes with each and every story. Each time I explained the scenarios of one of his loved ones giving up their "lovies" and passing into childhood, tears would stream down the little guy's face...not in an audible cry, but in the kind of silent heartbreak that most experience at the movies or church or on their pillows as they cry themselves to sleep. That was why it was so hard to witness. He was genuinely sad for the ones before him to have to give up such treasured items. It broke me...it made me want to let him suck on that dang paci for as long as he ever wanted. It made me want to completely ignore societal accommodations on such added "appendages" on our kiddos and just let him set his own time frame of when he wanted to give up the paci.
But it needs to happen. The paci needs to go. As much as I realize that society will probably give the little guy a pass at keeping the attachment longer due to his circumstances, and as much as I LOVE that little plug that is often attached to my littleun's mouth, I have also come to the realization that it needs to go. I have always said that apart from letting him have a paci longer than anticipated, I would treat Nate like a regular kid, despite what he has to deal with on an everyday basis. Well, now it is time to treat him like a regular growing kid without a paci. It makes me sad to say goodbye to it...but like I tell him, he is such a big boy now.
If only he didn't have such a tender heart about it...
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7 comments:
Aww, what a precious little sweetheart he is. Good luck to both of you!
Oh my goodness Amber, you're breaking my heart! He is so completely adorable!
Oh, that was heartbreaking (and made me want to send the little man a box full of new pacis!). I do get where you're coming from, though...good luck!
That breaks my heart too, but I know you have to treat him as you would a child that doesn't have anything wrong, he is so adorable!!!
That made tears well up in my eyes too! Trace still has his paci & I don't know how I'm going to bring myself to take it from him. Love your pictures!
But with as little as our tubie kids get to chew and put in their mouths what CAN we give them to satisfy that desire? I've read about Chewelry necklaces but haven't bought one yet .... Our baby loves surf sweets organic jelly beans. ????
So sweet. The washing machine video is so precious. I can picture the chin quiver. Hugs!
Amy B.
So sweet and made tears well up in my eyes just reading about it. It's so hard to grow up! Good luck to both of you!
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