Nuk Bear

 No more nuks!  I had to make some returns at Easton and, on a whim, I got Mairin excited about stopping into Build a Bear to sew her nuk into the bear and stop sleeping with it.  The dentist had told us it was time, we made the other big transitions (big girl bed and potty training) so this was the last straw.  She was excited and I was hopeful so we went for it.  She was happy and a great sport the entire time.  She picked out her bear, gave her nuk one last suck and tucked it into the bear for the woman to close up.  There weren't any tears and I thought, "this is going to be a piece of cake..."

...flash forward to that evening.  She struggled to fall asleep without her nuk but eventually fell asleep and slept through the night.  It was a big struggle to get to sleep for a few days but she has since gotten the hang of it.  However, naps are another story.  They actually cease to exist since the birth of Nuk Bear and Mairin also has a really hard time getting herself back to sleep if she wakes up early in the morning.  She won't even sit in her room long enough to read books and play for quiet time.  It is extremely challenging and I'm ready to pull my hair out as I need at least an hour of quiet to myself each day.  I ordered a different "okay to wake" clock that I'm hoping might help.  If it doesn't, I'm not sure what to do but check myself into the looney bin.

Case in point.  This is a picture she drew at kid zone after a particularly rough morning.  She told the teacher it is a picture of her mom and dad, mad in bed because she won't sleep.

The last picture taken on my phone of her with her nuk.  I now affectionately refer to these as the good old days when she was easy.  I'm trying to give her some grace but, man, do I miss the nuk too!