There's a Fairy for everything these days

At the playground after school today, Julia's friend Brianna told the kids all about her recent visit from the Paci Fairy. Apparently, the Paci Fairy called Brianna last week and told her he thought that she was old enough to give up her paci. Brianna agreed, so she packed up her pacis to leave for him and received a special big girl nightgown in their place. Now babies who really needed her pacis can use them, Brianna explained to Julia and her friends, and she gets to sleep in her special new nightgown.

Brianna's mom said that Julia seemed very thoughtful as she was listening to Brianna's story, so I asked her about it in the car on the way home. She enthusiastically told me all about the Paci Fairy and I told her it all sounded very exciting for Brianna. And then it happened. Julia asked if we could call the Paci Fairy this afternoon. She thinks it's time.

After our last paci withdrawal experience, I'm somewhat less than enthusiastic about giving this another go, particularly since Paul's scheduled to go out of town again next week and I don't want to deal with the detox alone. But common sense tells me that I have no choice but to embrace her interest. So I called Paul at work to let him know he'll need to play the Paci Fairy on the phone this afternoon. "I have bad news," I told him. "Julia thinks she's grown up enough to give up her paci." "Oh, no," he groaned. "Can she be talked out of it?" We're as chicken as they come. If this works, we owe Brianna's parents a big debt of gratitude. And if not, I think I'll be calling them to complain at 3am. Hell, I know they probably won't be sleeping then, either -- Brianna gave up her paci last week.