The first night he was born, his mom was holding him and he wouldn’t stop crying. He was hot and flushed with fever. The poor cheeks on his face were wet with tears. Pitiful boy, apparently he was just miserable that night. They took him to the NICU for blood work and that is where we met for the first time. He was crying until the moment we met. When the night nurse gave me to him, he stopped crying almost instantly.
I could feel his little body relax. All his muscles loosened as he went into a deeper relaxed state. His eyes began to close. I knew we had a special bond. I’ll never leave you, I’ll always stay with you, I thought.
The baby and I are inseparable. I’m in every photo with him, letting the world know I’m with this boy forever. Sometimes she tries to take me out for a photo and say, “Let me see your beautiful smile!” but the water works begin and I come back to his rescue. I calm him down every time. I have the power!
His first birthday flies by, 18 months comes and goes, and soon enough I see his birthday cake with a number 2. I’m with him every step of the way! I travel everywhere with him, and if I’m ever misplaced, Mom finds me quickly.
The strangest thing is happening though… people are looking at us weird. They look at me now, as if I don’t belong with him. How dare they! Sometimes I hear his speech therapist say, “You know, THAT will need to go soon.”
THAT?! I’m not a THAT! I have a name: Avent Pacifier, and I’m very important!
He’s almost 3 now; one more month until his birthday! I can’t wait to be in all the photos with him for another year. Together forever!
One day, I heard his mother say to him, “You know, if you give up the pacifier then the Paci Fairy will bring you a new bike and take the old pacifiers away.”
How dare she contemplate getting rid of me!
A few days later, I’m left behind in the kitchen, and the little boy and mom come in rolling a bike through the door. He quickly rides out the front door on his new, shiny red, Radio Flyer bike, leaving me long behind on the counter.
Don’t leave me! You need me!
He doesn’t even look back.
Night falls. I’m still sitting here. The counter is getting cold, it’s dark, and I’m feeling alone. In the other room, I hear them talking, “No more pacis! The Paci Fairy is coming tonight to take them away.” I suppose the Paci Fairy will take me where I’m needed now, since he has betrayed me and left me.
Mom is approaching me. I feel myself lift into her hand. She must be taking me to the Paci Fairy now. Except, I smell something… like bad food and dirty diapers. Darkness is encroaching.
No! No! How dare they throw me away!
“Bye bye pacifiers, he’s a big boy now,” she says, and drops me into the trashcan.
Lies! Lies!
[By MLH Weber]
(c) 2010 MLH Weber
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