Goodbye sweet taggy

My sweet girl LOVES HER TAGGY. That is what she calls her blanket - that has a tag on it that she likes to rub on her face when she sleeps. She also has a small part that she sucks on. This blanket is no where NEAR as gross as Monkey's blanket that we all named "Stinky". Because really - it stunk.  

I would wash Stinky, and it would still be crunchy. He would stick that thing in his mouth and sleep. SO all night long he drooled on it. It was disgusting and no one, I repeat NO ONE would touch that thing except for him. 

When he was about 5ish, I just cold turkey took it from him and told him it was over. He couldn't sleep with it. Ever. Again.  He was fine with it...not like when he was younger and I had to wash it...

(that picture is so sad and pathetic...poor Monkey)

He now has a large blanket he sleeps with, but doesn't put it in his mouth.

We've been threatening the same thing with Mini P for 2 years. Since she only sucked on the tag, we were less adamant about it.

However, for her 7th birthday, I started warning discussing it with her for about 2 weeks prior. I would tell her that she was a big girl and that she had a choice - she could get a new blanket or just cut off the tag. Her statement back to us was always "Don't you want me to sleep at night???". Manipulation at its finest.

After many tears and discussions, she decided that she would just get a new blanket. We found an old one we had packed away here and she got a new super soft one for her birthday. 

Taggy got put up high on the shelf in her closet, and things went well for about 2 weeks.

Then I found this on the floor in her closet:

Do not turn over...but look what's on the back...LOL!

She started telling me how sad she was without her Taggy. How much she missed her...it was sad.  The note remained on the floor in her closet because I was too chicken to admit I read it. Admitting it meant that she might try to talk me into getting it down.

But alas...it came down.

I gave her the option of cutting off the tag, but she couldn't have it with the tag on. It is about $5k for braces these days and it would be great if ONE of the kids could avoid that.

So...we cut it off...

She was sad and teary and emotional. But she did it. 7 years old, I know, but this is a girl who LOVES her sleep and she LOVES her sleep friends. Anyone who values sleeping kids understands you do what it takes to keep kids in their beds at night without locking them in :).  Since she cut it off, she has slept with it, and is fine without the tag. She is happy to have her old friend back in her bed....and is likely sleeping better :)