Pacifier Drama

Hello everyone!!  I'm sure I have some new pictures to post, but my camera is downstairs, and I only have about 10 minutes before I need to leave for my walk.  I just wanted to record the fun things we're doing this summer and air my recent parenting failure out to the online world!
Summer is off to a great start!  We are semi-scheduled, meaning I have several things in my head that we are working on each day, but I do not stress about doing *all* of them every single day.  In general, I am trying to get the kids outside more to play, do more crafts, work on Christa's reading skills and other educational activities, and spend more time playing with all 3 of the girls.  So far, we're off to a good start!  We also have a couple of Vacation Bible Schools, some swimming lessons, and a Dance Camp to look forward to, as well, so it should be a fun and productive summer!
Recently, a Facebook friend of mine asked 300 of her closest online friends for suggestions on how to get rid of the pacifier.  I was a little surprised to see that most parents took away their kids' pacifiers between 18 months and 2 and 1/2 (or so I thought).  I actually had Abby Kate off of the pacifier around 8 months.  She never seemed too attached to it, so I just didn't give it to her one day, and she didn't even seem to notice.  When Elizabeth came along, however, Abby Kate decided that she needed pacifiers, too.  Wanting to foster a positive sibling relationship, I pulled out some old pacifiers for Abby Kate (who was 18 months old at the time), and we continued to adjust well as a family of 5.  Over the next few months, Abby Kate became increasingly attached to her pacifiers.  Around Christmas time, I took away the pacifiers except at bedtime, which was a relatively smooth transition.
As I have a tendency to do, I felt a little behind when I read how early other kids were getting rid of their pacifiers (according to the wisdom of Facebook).  I saw a suggestion on there that I really liked, so I decided to try it.  We took the pacifiers to Wal-Mart and traded them for a toy that Abby Kate got to pick out.  There were tears when we left the pacifiers, and tears that night, but I expected a period of difficulty and figured it would pass in a couple of days.  After all, Abby Kate had said she wanted to do this when I asked her about it.  After the first night (which was about a week ago), there really weren't any more meltdowns.  But Abby Kate no longer willingly went down for a nap or at night.  Putting her to bed had previously been a very easy process, and now she was clearly expressing a lack of desire to go to bed.  Again, I expected this, so I snuggled with her and rocked  her and reminded her about her new toy and all of her stuffed animal friends that she could still sleep with.  She woke up wimpering several times a night and took very short naps.   On day 3, she jumped out of her crib during her "nap" for the first time ever.  I mentally debated how to handle this situation, as I consoled her and rocked her.   ("Do I give the pacifier back and make her sleep in her big girl bed?  Do I give the pacifier crib and put her back in her crib, assuming she won't try to get out again, if she has her paci?  Do I stay the course and see what happens over the next few days??")  As I was deciding what to do, Christa came into the room and took care of it for me.  She said, "Abby Kate, do you want to sleep in your big girl bed now?"  Surprisingly, Abby Kate said, "yes."  (I'd previously offered this weeks ago only to have the idea turned down).  So, I put her in her bed, and she went to sleep - sans pacifier.
Last night, about a week after I started these transitions, Abby Kate woke up after sleeping only a couple of hours.  I snuggled with her, and she went back to sleep.  When she woke up again 2 hours later, I asked Cline to check on her.  I'd been up with her 2-3 times every night for the last week, and really wanted a small break.  He groggily got out of bed and went upstairs.  I rolled over and heard Abby Kate's cries get louder and louder until I finally went up there myself.  Cline said he'd tried everything, but she wouldn't be consoled and was asking for her paci.  I took one look at my miserable little girl, and went to the car to retrieve one.  (I'd swiped them from Wal-Mart when she wasn't looking.)  When I got upstairs, she immediately popped it in her mouth and was asleep before she could even get her head on Cline's shoulder.  He laid her down in her big girl bed, and she slept soundly until 8:30 am!
In retrospect, I just don't think she was ready to do without her pacifier at night.  I've since talked to several moms whose kids still take a pacifier at bedtime at ages 4 and 5.  Abby Kate was never manipulative or inappropriate about the whole thing at all.  She simply mourned the loss of her pacifier, and it truly disrupted her sleep so much that I am so glad we gave it back to her last night.   Anyway, live and learn, I guess!  Next time we try this, I think we'll try the old "cut the tip down until there's nothing left to suck on" method!