Bye Bye Pacifier!

So let's see what have we been up to?? Last week Maddox developed a cold...the first one she has had since the middle of January...which is a TRUE record! Unfortunately, unlike the last one, this one developed into an ear infection (her last ear infection was december of 2010 so that is a good run too). So Eric and I had Maddox to the Dr. on Saturday AM after an EXTREMELY long and unpleasant Friday night for all three of us. But, she is always quick to respond to the antibiotics and generally speaking she was doing better by Sunday. Eric and I decided we needed to get to business on getting rid of the pacifier before Baby Kies arrives. Maddox has become literally OBSESSED with the thing. And basically both Eric and I really have nobody to blame but ourselves for creating the behavior of 'whine until Mom and Dad can't stand it and they'll hand over the pacifier!!' Somewhere between like 16 and 18 months she started absolutely loving that thing and really wanting it all the time. ALTHOUGH, interestingly enough, NEVER using it at Kim's. Kim quit using the pacifier back in January...not even for nap time. So both Eric and I knew it was definintely a behavior we had created, so of course we have to be the ones to break it :) So yesterday after her afternoon nap we left the pacifier up on her pillow, which is it's new home, when she is not sleeping. I am ok with her having it while she is sleeping but this business of seeing it sitting up on the counter or standing at the 'pacifier' drawer stomping her feet and throwing a tantrum until we go get it for her during the day, has got to go!! So far it is definintley a life changing event for her, HOWEVER I will say she is MUCH more willing to go down for naps and took a 3 hour one this AM and she is going on now almost 2 hours for the afternoon one. She is probably up there suckin' the life out of that thing before she wakes herself up :) I did put her on the potty chair today too. She is really getting good at pointing to her diaper ( front and back depending on the duty being performed) so I thought I'd try it. She indicated to me this AM she was going to poop so we hurried into the bathroom and I got her all undressed and set her on the potty chair and I seriously thought she was going to do it....!! But, then she got bored got up and started running around the house naked. Of course I was quick to get her clothed again and like 1 minute later she pooped! So we'll give that some more time and practice. Changing too much in her life in one week will probably backfire anyhow. I have been having lots of contractions lately so my doctor and I decided I shouldn't see patients for the next couple of weeks. reducing my risk for going into labor early. I'm still working out with human resources if I can go in to the office and do paperwork/chart audits. But, for now I'm just home for the next 2 weeks. Planning to go back AFTER I get closer to full term. We had a nice relaxing Mother's Day yesterday...happy mom's day to all you moms..... Eric ran the Quad City 1/2 marathon and Maddox and I went over to cheer him on. He took almost 20 minutes off of his St. Louis time.....who hoo!! Go Daddy. I took a nap while Maddox napped in the AM and then we grilled kabobs for dinner. It was a very relaxing day. Enjoy the close up shots....take care. She's got her new summer PJs on in one of the pictures...it was SO HOT here today and even HOTTER tomorrow. They are a little big but definitely cooler than the footed kind.