Guess who came to our house on Saturday? The Higgie Fairy. Some of you who have reading for a while know that Punkin was still hooked on her higgie (aka pacifier) at bedtime. We gave it up once before, but it didn't stick. And then she got even more attached to it than ever before.
I'm not sure where I first heard of a fairy that would come and take her higgie. I know several parents have done similar things and so we began telling Punkin that when she turned three the higgie fairy would come and take her higgie and would leave her a present.
Saturday was her real birthday and while I felt slightly guilty about taking away her beloved higgie on her birthday, I didn't want the first higgie-less night to be a school night, completely forgetting that Monday was a holiday.
On Saturday we decided to go to a nearby football game-free town to get some new fish (more on our fish saga later) and to have dinner out to celebrate Punkin's birthday. Before we left, we wrapped her higgie up in a bit of colorful tissue paper and left it in the center of her bed. She gave her higgie a kiss and thanked it for being a good higgie. If I'm being honest there was just the teensiest tear in my eye. She didn't seem all that concerned, but I'm sure she thought higgie would be right there when we got home.
But it wasn't. In it's place was a pretty little pink bag filled with some Bubble gum flavored chap stick, a shiny pink lip gloss, a beautiful pink bracelet, and a totally awesome Groovy Girl. She was thrilled! But then she said "where's higgie?"
"Higgie's gone, sweetie. The higgie fairy took it, remember?"
"Oh. Yeah." She looked around wistfully and my heart broke just a little. "Higgie's gone?"
"Yeah."
I don't know why, but I think this has been harder on me than it has been on her. She fussed a little bit at bedtime that night and she fussed a little last night, but truly it's been much easier than I had anticipated.
He was a good higgie, but now it's time to grow up. And that's why my heart hurts this morning. My little girl, my baby, is growing up. No more diapers. No more crib. No more higgie. Who knew it was possible to feel so proud and so wistful at the same time.
Mixed Bag
12 years ago
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15 comments:
What a great idea. I'm glad it went so well... My boy is five and still sucks his thumb when he's really tired. Do you think the Higgie Fairy can moonlight to steal a thumb?
I'm a'skeered of taking away the bippy. I think only cockroaches could survive that aftermath.
We did a similar thing when it was time to de-bink the boys. Actually, we played the "OH, It's broken!" card by cutting the tiniest hole in the tip of each bink they would use, so it lost the charm of use, and so we made a big production out of having them throw them away. The ease with which they handled it made me wonder why we'd not done it sooner. Then I remembered those screaming car trips where I'd hunt down every Target to go buy 8 binkies while my husband waited with a screaming child because we forgot to grab extras while dashing out of the house, and I was appeased!
We did this too. It worked pretty well.
awwww...but who won the game?!
I know what you mean. Thrilled they're growing up, but wistful for those sweet baby days... Little Brother's passy has been gone for more than 18 months and he still occasionally sighs and says in a sad voice, "Oh, passy is gone, gone."
I feel for you... Four was so attached to her pacifier that when Five came along, we didn't even give him one. The drawback to that plan? Apparently, I'm his pacifier -- not literally, but he can't fall asleep without stroking my face or arm or some other part of me. I'm not complaining, though if this continues when he's off to college I'll have some serious 'splaining to do...
I like that idea. And it seems both of you are coping rather well.
I sucked my thumb. I guess my mom just had to wait for me to outgrow that since she couldn't exactly have the thumb fairy take it away... :)
Have I told you lately what a great mom you are? You are! You're doing the right thing, and I can COMPLETLY appreciate the wisfulness of it. When it was Gracie's turn to give up her paci, I was trying to wean her off of it over two weeks. One night I lost my patience and told her the dog ate them. All five of them. Seriously, the words just blurted out of my mouth, and then I HAD to follow through with it, because really - how could I explain that kind of miracle? The dog threw them back up, here you go? Don't think so. Needless to say, Higgy Fairy is GENIUS in my book. And may have to visit my house when it's Bee Baby's turn!!
It is seriously so hard to see them grow up.....This was a sweet post and I'm sure it was very hard for you, but in the long run it is the right thing.
Now I have to work on mine.
That's the kind of stuff that you can't explain to a non-parent. I'm glad she took it well. Hopefully it gets better for you. :)
Awww! I wish I could get a fairy to do something for Muffin's Thumb! Sadly - it's kinda attached to her body. :)
Congratulations little Punkin! You're a big girl now!
I just realized last week that our 5 year old no longer sucks his thumb. When did that happen? He had been sucking it since the day he was born! And I know I should feel proud of his growing up and happy that we didn't have to tie his hand behind his back to make him stop and that I won't have to lie to the dentist at his next check-up, but still...
It's the end of an era!
I used the binky fairy trick, too, so I'm glad to see it worked for you. But my fairy ran a low cost operation - she gives used binkies to the new babies on the block.
Yeah, 'cuz new parents aren't freaked out enough about germs.
Hope all is well with you. I've been horrible this summer at reading others' blogs, so I look forward to catching up with yours!
We did something similar...bribing Gavin with a toy he could only have at night, "Ni-Ni Thomas". And Ni-Ni Thomas had to stay at home during the day like the binky did, and if he asked for the binky, we'd take Ni-Ni Thomas. Thankfully he was so obsessed with Thomas at the time that he never handed over the silly train. But it was a little sad to see him grow up a little, and watch him look around to see if there were any in his usual hiding places (kid stashed them like a squirrel). I'm glad Punkin got through it relatively painlessly.
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