Soother Removal Attempt #1

Ok, so I tried it. I tried telling Bethany that her soother was gone and then put her into bed. She repeated "gone" after me and looked inside the basket a few times where I usually keep it and seemed ok, but then when I put her into her bed she hugged her bear and cried and cried. She cried for 10 minutes and then I went in and gave her a cuddle and read her a book and then tried to put her into bed again for her nap, but she resisted. I finally put her in her bed and left her and she cried again for another 10 minutes. There were tears streaming down her cheeks and she was almost hiccuping and I couldn't take it. I felt so bad and guilty. It made me feel like crying (there's the pregnancy hormones going) to see her so upset. She doesn't cry very often and she never cries like she did today so I decided to give her the soother (I pretended that I found it). I decided something today. I decided that it is just not worth it to have her get so, so upset just because I want her to not have a soother anymore. She is still little and the soother gives her comfort when she is sleeping - I mean this is the only time that she uses it - and she is obviously not ready to give it up. So what if she still uses it? Why do I need to worry about this? She isn't going to have it forever. So I'll let her keep using it and wait until she is older and then see if she is ready to give it up....maybe when she knows more words and understands more things we can talk about it. But for now, I will leave it. I will let my child feel safe and secure and happy and at peace. I will not compare myself to other mothers who kids gave up the soother ages ago or who are already toilet trained or eat all of their veggies or whatever. I will do what is best for my child and continue listening to her and observing her. To me, this is what being a mother is all about.