I'm a BIG BOY now!

This past weekend Ethan had a BIG weekend and proved to mom and dad that, yes, he IS a BIG BOY now! I think he might have known all along and it was Brad and I dragging our feet on the reality of how grown up Ethan really is. I have been fretting for months about 2 things:
1. Giving up "bubbas" aka pacifer that he uses at night time and nap time
2. Transitioning into a BIG BOY bed
So, being I had an extra long weekend I thought we could work on one of them- the bubbas.
 I have prepped Ethan for weeks.
Me: pretty soon we have to get rid of your bubbas.
 I had the following responses:
-Crying
-No mom bubbas mine

I cut the tip off like someone suggested. Response:
-Ethan just stuck his thumb through the whole and would suck his thumb.

I would try- Let's pack them and ship them to baby Kelby
response:
-Nooo, Kelby needs orange ones not my blue bubbas.
I would try- "Let's give it to the garbage man." Response:
-Then I go shop and get new ones?

So, since my little guy was trying to outsmart me, I had given up for the time being. I was going to cut him off cold turkey, until this happened on Thursday.  We were driving home from the mall and Ethan spotted the garbage truck in our neighborhood. He said, "mom hurry, garbage man get bubbas." Surprised, I DID hurry and run in and grab his bubbas.  Here was the result!

 Running to meet the garbage man

 The official hand off

Smiling afterwards!

I couldn't believe he did it! The best part is that he hasn't asked for it ONCE since!! We are now BUBBAS free! The cute part EVERYONE we saw this weekend heard Ethan say, "I'm a big boy. I throw my bubbas to garbage man." Yes, strangers at the grocery store, women sitting behind us at church, anyone who called us this weekend, and he still talks about! He is proud- pretty cute! 

I guess his sense of pride got him really thinking about being a big boy because one day for nap I asked him if he wanted to try to take a nap in his BIG BOY bed. (Yes, I have one of the guest rooms transitioned into Ethan's "new room." I have had it painted since August and my type-A personality has me waitng to move him in there until the WHOLE thing is done, new dresser to match our queen bed he will use, curtains, wall decor, clothes in his closet, and other things.)

To my surprise Ethan agreed to take a nap in there. Then at night time dad said, "wanna sleep in your big boy bed or you baby crib." That was all we wrote- he wanted NOTHING to do with his crib, must have been the word baby that got to him. So, Friday night he slept in his BIG BOY bed the WHOLE night without bubbas, WITHOUT us laying there to get him to sleep,WITHOUT crawling out to get us!! I was SHOCKED. I figured half way through the night he would be crying wanted us or wanting his other bed. NOPE- I guess he wants to be a big boy! We are now on night 5 of sleeping through the night in his big boy bed! So, worry number 2- GONE! 

The Big Boy Bed.

I do refuse to post pictures of his "new room" until it is completely finished. I can win that battle! 

Now if only he listened to directions at daycare like a BIG BOY! Man, he is really struggling with that one! Wipe out 2 worries I had, just to find out I need to add another one to the list- 

-A defiant child at daycare?

Deep breath. I have a feeling that is what the rest of my life will entail- fixing one worry and creating and adding a new one. I guess that is what you call parenthood?