No paci, no cry

Gavin no longer uses a pacifier! I think I mentioned in a previous post how he was starting to tell us how he "needed" his paci at different times when he was sad, upset, tired, etc. He really only ever took the green hospital paci's and I used to put 6 in his crib so he could always find one in the middle of the night (and to save me from having to get up to search for it in the middle of the night). Then one by one the paci's were getting "loved" to pieces. Literally. I would go in to get him and there would be a paci with the tip missing. Hello choking hazard! So we began to whittle down the number of paci's - as he would bite through one, it would not get replaced. He finally got down to one last paci. A blue one that I had bought at target (it looked just like the green, but was for older children I guess). He really didn't like the blue paci (I don't think it was as flexible) but since it was his "last" paci, he would accept it as a substitute. Then he began to bite that one and we would warn him "Gavin, don't bite the paci. That's your last one. Once that paci is gone, you won't have a paci anymore." So a week or so ago, I was putting Gavin to bed and I realized that his blue paci had a whole in it. I was panicked because I was tired and I really wasn't in the mood to have a tough night of no sleeping. I ALMOST went and got a green paci, but I stuck to my guns. I explained to Gavin that the blue paci was his last one and he had bitten through it and put a whole in it so he couldn't use it anymore. I really expected crying and begging and pleading, but the champ just shrugged and went to sleep. Really? Is it that easy?

Well, it is and it isn't. His naps have been shorter and the past 2 nights he has been up at 3:30am - awake. I think when he used to wake up, he would find his paci and comfort himself back to sleep. I think we have lost our self comforting tool. It was time to give it up, but there are times when I wish I could give him one to calm him down (or keep him quiet) - it would be a lot easier. But I guess it's best that he gave it up on his own terms.

I really haven't taken a lot of pictures since his first day of school, so there aren't many to post. It had been so HOT here for so long that we really didn't do a lot outside and who wants to see pictures of the 3 of us playing with the train table. Again.

Gavin seems to like school, but this week he was a little clingy. He cried on Tuesday when I left him and today was heading that way, but luckily Mrs. Nemkovich distracted him quickly and we didn't get to tears. He made us all laugh today as Mrs. Nemkovich asked if he wanted to do stickers with the other kids. I told Gavin to show Mrs. N his sticker on his shirt of an ice cream cone. She asked him if he liked ice cream and when he agreed that he did, she said:

"What flavor ice cream do you like, Gavin?"

Gavin replied "Umm, hmm, chocolate caramel crunch".

Mrs. N looked to me and I repeated "chocolate caramel crunch" and asked Gavin where we get it from.

He replied "Oberweis" (our local dairy).

I sheepishly admitted that we do indeed get ice cream from Oberweis and Gavin always chooses Chocolate caramel crunch. Yup, that's my kid.

I've finally nailed down what makes Gavin so challenging at times. The kid is RELENTLESS! He does not give up on ANYTHING. The other day I was trying to get dinner ready and he asked for some grapes. I told him that he could have grapes with dinner, just give me a minute. He then asked for grapes. I told him that I was getting them ready and was putting them on his plate. It would just be a minute. He then asked for some grapes. Gavin, yes you may have some grapes, get in your chair and I'll bring them to you in just a minute. To which he said, I really want some grapes. I know Gavin, I have them, one more minute. Mom, I want some grapes. GAVIN.I.KNOW.YOU.CAN.HAVE.GRAPES.I.AM.GETTING.YOUR.PLATE.READY.

Mom, I want some grapes. AUGHHHHHHHHH.

Tonight he was fighting going to sleep and kept asking for things. I went up once and he wanted me to sing. So I told him I would sing one song and he asked for two. I sang one song, told him goodnight and left his room. He cried for 20 minutes straight saying something like "a little bit". We finally couldn't stand it anymore and went up there and he said "shut the door a little bit". I had closed it almost completely and he wanted it cracked. So I shut the door leaving a 3 inch crack and he has been quiet ever since. Relentless.

Riley got a new bed - I think she likes it!

Now that it's not 110 degrees, we have been to a few parks to play. Last weekend, Ally and Abby met us at the park to play! Abby was helping by pushing the car.

I was waiting at the bottom of this slide and Gavin would come crashing down and I could never understand why. Now I know why he came crashing down. He actually has a welt on one arm from crashing one too many times!

Gavin LOVES to swing! He can swing for hours and hours. We went to a new park and they had this big chair slide, which he loved of course.

Did you notice the ticker/counter to the right side of the blog? We are only 8 days away from the big 3!! Can you believe it? It's sad, because I think the counter only goes to 3, so I'll have to find something else to put in the corner.

Have a fun Labor Day!