Puhta, Puhta

So statistics show it takes 21 days to form a habit, right? Well, yesterday it was 21 days since Belle has had her binkie. Or Puhta Puhta as it was lovingly called around here for the last year and a half. Can you tell I'll a little nostalgic over it? It was her last baby thing left. Potty trained--check, no more binkie--check, talks to me like she's 13--check,etc, etc.


At the same time I was also very grateful for the perfect opportunity that presented itself to get rid of the thing. I had no idea how I would forcefully take it away from her, being the strong willed girl that she is. I knew the only way would be to convince her she didn't want it anymore. I had been praying for something to naturally happen to signal the end...just like in the potty training--she decide.

The Puhta got a hole in it the night before Thanksgiving, and she didn't want it. On vacation, I know, perfect timing, right? I had only taken the one with us on vacation, and decided rather than dash to the store, to give it a try without it. It turned out that the vacation timing helped, I think. Exhausted enough to get to sleep without it, and enough extra people around to help with Keith whileI gave her the extra attention she needed. I think the worst side affect was probably a couple of two-yr-old breakdowns at really bad times over the weekend (right as people are gathering for Thanksgiving dinner, the most exciting part of the Wild Animal Park the next day, and for 40 minutes when we left the beach which included me getting pulled over in the rental car with Belle crying in the back. Good times.)


I was worried about coming home because she had asked to go home and get her pink one. She knew there was another one at home. She did ask for it a few times, and still does occasionally, but is easily distracted and takes the explanation that she doesn't have it anymore. The one at home happened to be "lost". So explained I wasn't going to buy her anymore puhtas, since one was broken and the other lost then she didn't have them anymore. Then it was finally a permanent thing in her mind. Only once has she asked to buy a new one, and yesterday she found an old baby one and played with it for awhile but didn't care when it was gone.



If I'd have known it was going to be that easy to get rid of it I
1--wouldn't have stressed over it so much the last six months and
2--would have pushed Keith more to take one. Then maybe he would nap for more than 20 minutes in a day and not be completely inconsolable tired by 5 pm. I guess we live and learn.

It was always cute to hear Belle ask for her "puhta", and everyone around knew what it was called. I guess my girl is growing up.