{good-bye old friend}

she's loved *him* four long years.
we call him {taggie}.
he's purple and soft.
i don't know why i refer to him in the masculine sense but he is a big part of our life.
taggie was a gift from mimi when eisley was just weeks old.

embroidered with her name and the following:
"sugar and spice and everything nice"
taggie has traveled far and wide with this little family.

we never leave home without it.
i mean like never....ever...ever.
we make sure it is in a secure location at all times.
i feel like the secret service protecting him, keeping my eye on him at all times, my mind always concerned with his well-being.

it's not {taggie} that is the problem.
it's the habit this little treasure triggers.
two fingers, turned upside down, backwards...sucking.
she has done it as far back as i can remember.
and now...well now she is four years old and because we do not want her to have crooked teeth or battle this habit in school, taggie must go.

we have talked about it for months.
"when you turn four taggie will go far away because big kids do not suck their fingers."
she's been on board.
she tells those that she encounters the same thing.
"when i'm four i'm not going to suck my fingers any more."

the dreaded night arrived.
before bed she gave taggie a sweet hug and told him good-bye.
she was so brave.
she went to bed with no tears.
then she realized how hard it was going to be.
four years with the same nighttime companion...that's a tough thing to give up cold turkey.

i held her while she cried and said "it's too hard mommy!"
i assured her that even though it is incredibly hard...she can do it.

she did it.
she pushed through.
i knew she would.
my brave sweet girl has just taught mommy another lesson i did not know i needed.