In our house, a wowie is a pacifier. Somehow, that is the name Benji invented for his most favorite thing. He is a boy who needs a pacifier. A lot.
He is such a sophisticated child in so many ways. He can pass as a five-year-old, and continually surprises us with his wisdom, smarts and savvy observations. The only give-away of his still babyness is his cute and earnest lisp, and his love of his wowie. He can find it in his sleep and put it back in his mouth. He can whirl it around in his mouth like a propeller. And he can talk with it--even though we all insist we cannot understand, so he will be forced to talk.
It is already starting to be obscene. Strangers ask him if he is too old to have one. And he knows enough to be embarrassed. When people he knows disapprove of his serious wowie habit are around he always stashes the wowie out of sight. Hiding it in a pocket, or under his seat, or inside his rescue-mobile.
And so, as his fourth birthday rapidly approaches I have told him, when you are four, it is Goodbye, Wowie. You might as well start weanig yourself now because we are getting rid of them ALL they day you turn four. I told him we will tie them to a bunch of balloons and let them sail up into the sky. We will wave until they are out of sight.
But he knows balloons pop eventually. He claims he will run out into the city and catch them when they rain down on the L.A. wherever they are. I say they could land on a highway. Or in the ocean. Theo says he will help Benji hunt them down.
But worse than that, I think I may be making his wowie habit worse. The more I remind him that soon he will have to say good-bye, the more he clings. Now at night he has one in his mouth, and one in each hand. He claims he needs all three to sleep. He travels to our bed in the night with a wowie in his mouth, a wowie in each fist, and his favorite pirate ball.
I know I need to be more strict. I know I just need to take them away.
Gotta go. I'm off to play Sorry with the boys. Benji is waiting--with one wowie in his mouth, two his hands, and his pirate ball by his knee.
Help!
December 10
8 years ago
3 comments:
We made this momentus change last year when S turned 4 and C was 2 (poor babe). We went to the dentist and told them that the dentist insisted he take them so their teeth could grow properly. They survived but they did mention from time to time how sad they were that the pacis went away. So far they don't resent the dentist either. Good luck!
Both my kids, as you may remember, were major pacifier addicts. In our house, they were called BeeBees. When Jordan was 3-1/2, nearly 4, we told him that we weren't going to buy any more of them--that when the last one was lost or broke, that was it. And indeed, that was it. He broke it, and wailed like the world was ending--and then was fine, if a little high strung, within days...courage!
omigosh, paige i totally remember that. and you do not detect any long term damage in jordan? maybe i am worried about myself. what will i do when he cries for his pacifier for those first two weeks and i just have to let him be! i miss you! so good to hear your (cyber) voice.
xo
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