Yeah, I’m home alone on a Friday night. Hubs & #1 are at the football game (#1 and the other 6th grade band students are sitting with the high school band) and #2 is being a server at a fundraising banquet. #3 is watching a movie of her choosing with no sibling interruption, and Baby Tay is in bed.
The biggest news is about Baby Tay. She’s 2 1/2 and still uses a pacifier, or as she calls it, a mimi. I’ve been planting seeds about giving it up, though. I knew it would be rough. She’s the 3rd of our kids to use a plug – #2 wanted nothing to do with the things, but the other two loved their binkies. I cut off the tips of #1′s mimis, then they just got “lost” when he told me they were weird. We sent #3′s off on a small bouquet of helium balloons, and that worked ok. The cutting and “losing” didn’t work too well, and there’s a nationwide shortage of helium these days, so I had to come up with something else.
My brilliant idea? Outright bribery. I told her that the Mimi Fairy would bring her a toy if she gave up her silicone suckers. I asked what she wanted and without missing a beat, she said, “Rockstar Mickey.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want the Mimi Fairy to bring you?”
“Rock. Star. Mickey.” Her answer never deviated.
I have three words for you – Tickle Me Elmo, people. Rockstar Mickey is Elmo’s more annoying karaoke cousin.
But getting rid of the mimi is worth it.
I looked up Mickey on Amazon, but then went the cheap route and bought one off eBay for less than $20 with shipping. He finally arrived yesterday.
After naptime, Baby Tay and I packed up all the mimis in a pretty little gift bag and then I called the Mimi Fairy for instructions. Over the buzz of the dial tone, she told me to put the bag out on the front porch. #4 followed her instructions, and within 5 minutes the doorbell rang.
With some help from #3, she got the door open and found Rockstar Mickey where the bag of mims had been. Oh, joy!
So last night at bedtime, Baby Tay had a rough time. She cried the tears of grief as she went to sleep without either mimi or Mickey for comfort. Yes, I was a big, giant, meanypants and made the singing mouse stay on her dresser. She wailed. She cried. She yelled. I felt bad, but didn’t relent.
When she got up this morning (after a couple more crying jags in the night), she told me she didn’t sleep well because she didn’t have any mimis.
She took a quickie nap in the car today, sans binky, and was still nice and tired at bedtime. My brilliant idea? Take Mickey’s batteries out and let her have him.
It worked like a charm. I tucked both of them in a little while ago and haven’t heard a peep since.
I am humbled by your genius. Standing O!!!
Necessity is the mother of invention…and I am the mother of these 4 crazies.
That’s how we did it with C, too. Bribery is a wonderful thing.
Nicely done.