Bugsy Away Birthday Party

Magnolia told me last week that she wanted to be all done with bugsies on Sunday (which she informs us is her favorite day of the week). I of course said we could certainly do that, and asked her if we could have a party to celebrate her choice. This is where she coined the title for this post, the "Bugsy Away Birthday Party!" On Friday and Saturday she kept asking if it was Sunday and if she could have her party, she seemed excited and pretty motivated! On Saturday evening I asked her what she'd like to do with her bugsies. She stated that she wanted to give them to Baby Brother. I explained to her that although that was very, very thoughtful, they were her's, and brother would use his that were special for little babies. I suggested we plant them to see if they might grow into something beautiful to keep, she told me that this wouldn't work because her bugsies would get dirt on them. She said she wanted to throw them in the garbage. After trying to change her mind, because just throwing them away seemed so harsh to me, she continued to insist that we just throw them in the garbage...

On Sunday morning she anxiously waited for me to run to the store for a few party items (a piece of cake from Rousaurs, some balloons and a few flowers). When I got home she said (excitedly) "I'm going to go get my bugsies now so we can throw them away." After gathering her bugsies we headed downstairs. Zac kept giving me this "look" and he mouthed, "this is SAD!" I thought so too. It was as though it was the last little bit of baby she had, and we were about to watch her dump it in the garbage! At the bottom of the stairs she told us, "My eyes hurt a little bit because I'm going to throw my bugsies away." (INSERT ZAC AND I'S HEARTS BREAKING HERE) I just mentioned that it was probably a hard thing to do since she's used them so long, but it was her choice. As she looked into the basket before dumping them into the trash she noticed the bugsy that she had just recently traded with Sage for a stuffed cat that Sage fell in love with. She quickly pulled that one out, and said "We have to save this one for Baby Cousin." She then dumped them in and said "Let's eat cake now!"

It wasn't until later that afternoon that she got sad about something and then remembered about her bugsies. She asked a few times if she could just borrow that saved one for Sage. I calmly told her that she made a choice, and that sometimes the choices we make are hard, but after awhile it won't be hard any more. (INSERT MY HEART BREAKING SOME MORE HERE)

Then...the dreaded bedtime! She hadn't slept without a pacifier since she was an infant! She started to get sad as we read books, but we just kept reminding her that some things are hard, but once you make a choice you've got to stick with it! She asked if I'd lay with her for awhile, and of course I abliged. She asked a few more times for the "saved bugsy" and then after about an hour she said "You can go out there now Mommy," and she pointed to her bedroom door. (INSERT MY HEART OFFICIALLY BREAKING INTO TWO PIECES HERE). I gave her a BIG kiss and left her room. I checked on her about a minute later and she was fast asleep!

Nothing about the choices around that little plug have been easy. Give it to her, reduce her time using it, take it, let her make the choice to be done, help her follow through...it's all been a bit dramatic. She's a dramatic kid!

I'll keep everyone posted on how things continue to go!