Ok, this happened months ago, but it's so ace I have to share. 

My young lassie was a dummy/pacifier user.  I tried without success to take them off her.  I started off by buying two dummies.  those broke, so I bought another 2...lost one, so bought another 1.  so in total, I had bought 5 dummies, with two going at a time; one for the bag and one for the bed.  She only ever used it at nap or bed time. 

She got down to her last dummy.  I was reluctant to buy another, so she just used the one.  It finally broke.  So, here goes, I decided that was it.  I told her she couldn't have it because it was broken.  She wasn't happy with that at all.  So, I completely removed the teat from her dummy and gave her just the cap.  She looked at it, tried to suck on where the teat should be and looked again.  She looked up at me puzzled.  "but it's broken, I don't want it"  and that was the end of the story.  I kept the broken one for a couple of weeks just to remind her.  She's never looked back since.  This happend around December last year.  She was about 2 1/2. 

TOOT-TOOT

I promised Luke that we'd do something special for him with the next foto friday day..He loves having his face painted.  So this is the photo I took just seconds before the battery died.  I would have loved to get one where he seemed a might happier, but oh well.  Now, he really does love his face painted.  He is sooooo good.  He sits there for seemingly sooooo long(in little boy's time) and gets soooooo sleepy.  I'm just glad this one he didn't dribble.  Oh...he's a robot..oh well, I try

Like funerals and weddings, cameras can bring out the best and worst of people.  Alyssa turns into a defiant and unco-operative minx, and Luke turns into a completely poseable figurine.

Yesterday, Luke was playing on my computer with his favourite game "Jump Start Explorers".  I took the opportunity to try and get a fairy dress on Alyssa and get some snaps.  I bought it for her last year, and have never been able to have it on her for more than 30 seconds.  I have found by telling her that it is Kelly's dress(a playgroup friend) she seizes the moment and wants to wear anything. (wicked)  So, she put on the fairy dress, and I didn't try too hard to make her pose, it's not her thing.  I got some nice shots, and then LUKE REALISED WHAT WE WERE DOING.  I quickly explained that I just wanted to get some girlie fairy like pictures and we'd do something special for him next time.  Luke and cameras....well, he loves them.  He couldn't resist trying.

Ah.....aren't kids just priceless?  The simple things....our new above ground swimming pool has them tickled pink...for now.

My youngest, Alyssa - 27months, has had a dummy from at least 6 months of age; I think.  Anyway, I despised the idea of a dummy.  My eldest, Luke 4 1/2 years of age, never needed one or we never gave him one at least.  So, I have constantly been pondering on the thought of the most suitable time to take the dummy from Aly.  My MCHN didn't seem to care so much, as Aly only had the dummy when she went to bed.  She said it was really a personal thing, like a blankie.  And she said she didn't care if she still had it when she was 15 years old as she would spit out the dummy once she was settled. 

Well, that idea certainly didn't strike a chord with me.  I have only bought 5 dummies over the time....a two pack to begin with, she broke both - another two pack, she lost one, so I bought another single as a spare. 

On Saturday 21st October, she broke her main dummy.  She hasn't used the 'spare' for a while now, so I think she forgot it existed.  I decided to use this as our step 1 to get her off the dummy. 

Saturday night I put her to bed, and as usual, she wants to hold her dummy.  I explained to her that it was broken.  She screamed the house down "dummy!"  Hubby had a marvellous idea.  We comletely removed the teat from the outside part of the dummy and gave her the hard plastic part to hang on to.  "See, dummy is broken"  She looked at it, a little befuzzled. "dummy broken?" she asked.  "Yes, dummy broken."  "Daddy fix it?" she asked.  "No, daddy can't fix it."

 

So she lay down looking at her half-dummy.  Then held it up and said "Don't want it"  So we sang her normal song and after 2 1/2 restless hours, she finally went to sleep.   She slept all night. 

She woke at 6am - oh too early- in the most foul mood.  It has been that way ever since.  Takes hours to go to sleep and wakes up in a foul mood at 5 or 6 am.  And, on top of that...she no longer has her afternoon sleep.  She has quiet time...which I guess is just as important.  Around her normal nap time, she does approach me reminding me "dummy broken".  I think she is doing so well.  The adjustment is still hard for her(and us) but I think it could have been so much worse.

We still have the spare, with contimplations on throwing it out, but I just think "what if?"  Certainly, I know and am definite on not turning back now....just evil comfort for me I guess.

We have since purchased a little gift, that she chose, to reward her for her sacrifice.

1. What's your child's favorite book? New Macdonald's farm....Luke especially likes to say "but where are all the animas?" which is on ever second page.

2. What's your favorite children's book?  Guess How Much I Love You.  An awesome book to read especially on those trying days where the kids just seem to be at it all the time....helps you get all mushy again with them before bed.  Great way to wind them down with smiles on their faces.3. What's your child's favorite thing to eat? For my oldest, it'd be french fries. My youngest would perfer anything chocolate. (I know, you can call me mother-of-the-year)

4. What's your favorite thing to eat? mmmm.......food........food.....I'm a savoury chick.....cheese/crackers and dip

5. What's your child's favorite game? Luke loves hide and seek, Aly likes ring a ring a rosey

6. What's your favorite game? Skip-Bo

So, now I tag....elizabeth, karenal
onge, mcm, TheMent
orMom, rachinbar

I was making dinner tonight, and when Luke asked what was for tea I told him.  "Yummy fish and vegies"  He yelled out "You're the best!"  I couldn't believe it...aww, how sweet.  I repeated..."You're the best, is that what you said?"  He replied "No, YOU'RE the best"  Ok, so he was a little confused.  "I'm the best am I?"  "yes" he clarifed.  As I was revelling in my own "ace-ness" he continued....."You're Lukey, you're the best, you're Lukey"  mmmmm, ok then.  I had to pretend to be Lukey and that is why I was the best....at the time.

Luke loves....loves and I mean absolutely loves his playstation.  The rule is, he can play the playstation when Alyssa goes to bed.  Short of putting her in himself, he constantly reminds me that Alyssa needs her sleep.  Today, he managed to help her get in the cot.  Yesterday he asked Alyssa if she wanted to go to bed.  She replied yes and he promptly told her to go ask mummy.

So, when Alyssa finally goes to bed, he eagerly sets up his playstation and is, oh, so happy......until.....he just can't finish the next task....that challenge...he is so persistent it makes me admire him so much, until he gets to the 20th try.  He says I don't like this game....he cries.....he gets so upset.  I just tell him to take a big breath and not to give up.  Sometimes, he'll rest that level and go to a different area of the game, returning once he's cleared his mind.  Yesterday, he got that upset that he said "Mummy, I think I'll just have to watch a movie" and for the remaining 45 minutes of Alyssa's sleep, he watched a bugs bunny movie. 

When Alyssa woke up, he gave her the biggest hug and said "Alyssa, I just couldn't do the game....I just wasn't working"

Today, the first thing he said was "Can I play Spyro?"  I said not until Alyssa goes to bed.  When she went to bed, he played it and got a little further in the task he struggled with yesterday.  He didn't cry today while playing the game.

The first day of kinder - I remember it like it was yesterday.  Walking into that room with all the different children.  The two teachers asking for bags to be put on hooks.  Activities were chosen, then the words I was dreading to hear "Ok mums and dads, you can all say goodbye and leave.  We will see you all later"  With that I burst into tears.  I was not going to leave my little boy.  He was having fun....but he was just not ready.  I had Luke in kinder for the first term of this year.  Yes, he enjoyed himself.  No, he didn't not have seperation anxiety.  I made up for that.  I pulled him out at the end of the term 1. 

Last week was his first day at pre-kinder.  I am happy to say, I did not shed a single tear on leaving.  He was ready for this step.  He will be off to pre-school next year, and I am more confident that not only will he cope, he will thrive.

Italy, I know I know I know....oh my goodness, oh no!!  Our superstar socceroos were so close.  We'll get 'em next time.  How's the jump up the world ranking ladder though.  Legends!