Growing Up

It was time.
Past time, really.
The "nukkie" had to go.
Lucy'd been sleeping with a soothie since birth.
Ah, such pacifying bed-time bliss!

True, like most paranoid parents, we'd worried about dental development and independent sleep skills, but it pretty much came down to laziness.
How could we just up and toss that blessed, tear-stopping, sleep-inducing device??!

But excuses can only last so long, eh?
With baby brother on the horizon, I knew that waiting "a little longer" meant waiting indefinitely.

So Sunday, we took the plunge.
We told Lucy that the Leprechauns were coming in the middle of the night to trade her nukkies for a special surprise.

Yes, Leprechauns.
Never mind that it's not St. Patrick's day.
Never mind.
Every good parent needs a scapegoat.

Lucy was totally enthused.
She drew a picture for the anticipated green visitors.

And then she gathered her "nukkies," lovingly kissed each one of them (not kidding), placed them in a bowel, and hollered "Goodbye nukkies!" over and over until bedtime.

And she did, indeed, have a hard time falling asleep. She didn't cry and she wasn't cross. She was just...confused. Didn't know how to fall asleep. Wes and I couldn't help exchanging "poor little thing" glances every time she'd peek her head out of the door or call for one of us in a timid voice.

She eventually dozed, only to wake up multiple times throughout the night. At about 5:30 she was up for good. I laid by her until about 7, but the hour and a half was really just a restless struggle.

I finally whispered that it was time to see if the Leprechauns had come.

And they had!And she was thrilled.

And each subsequent night has been easier.

She's learning fast.

And growing up fast.

And I readily admit that it's breaking my heart and making me smile, simultaneously.

And I suppose I'm growing up too, as yesterday was my twenty-seventh birthday.
But I think you could make the argument that I'm growing OUT more than I'm growing UP.

It might be because of the ripe baby in my belly.
Or it might be because of the "birthday cake" we three Trumans shared last night.

But fresh, seasonal peaches are my favorite!


FAVORITE.

And Wes must have known that, cause he served them atop my birthday breakfast yesterday too - making for the best french toast I've ever had in my life. Hands down. But it might have tasted extra sweet because I sat sleepily on the couch watching it be prepared by a darling Wes and Lucy pair, both clad only in their underwear. (And I do, actually, have a picture of that...but because I value my life, I'll post this later-in-the-day one instead...)

And speaking of my sweet Wesley, look at him all grown up and turned grad-student!

He survived orientation last week only to come home pretty exhausted tonight after his first official day of classes. I told him, don't worry dear. We'll only be more tired when baby brother comes. (Wives should be encouraging like that, don't you think?)

Glad that all of this growing up also means growing together!

Not sure it'd be worth it any other way!