So Brave

Tonight he really gave up.

We got into bed, and he told me, "I'm giving up after 10."

He sucked on his "fire" while he counted to 10, then put it down. We read books and sang our songs all without it, and he said, "I'll give up after 10," and for 10 more seconds he had his fire in his mouth. Then I went and got him a sip of milk, put all his animals in his bed and set his fire right next to his pillow.

He laid down, snuggled in, saw his fire...AND HANDED IT TO ME. "I'm giving up," he said. I put it on his dresser with the other 10 backups we have there and...

he went to sleep without it!!!!

My husband and I have both been in tears, because he's soo brave to to do it. He's had it for soooo long--from before he was even supposed to be born to four years later. It's such a huge, huge step, and he did it. even for just one night is such a monumental step for him...especially amidst all of the chaos in our life. I know I'm his mother and completely biased, but I swear his soul is that of a complete and utter fighter. From the time he was born at less than two pounds, he's been fighting and not only surviving, but thriving.

Part of me is soo proud of him, but part of me is soo sad because it's yet another sign of how quickly he's growing up. And of how soon he will abandon the best response in the world to the question of who are you: "I'm mommy's snuggle bug!"