Breaking the "Ba Ba" Habit

I nursed Princess D until she was 18 months old. She never took to the bottle. When she was 3 months old I had to return to work full time so we had to teach her how to drink from a straw.



Then my mom got her the Nuby Easy Grip No Spill Cup when she was about a year old. At first Princess D didn't like it, but after a week she became attached.



She calls it her "ba ba". She used to only drink out of it, but once she turned 2 her school didn't allow her to have it. Now, she only drinks milk out of it when she is not in school. Additionally, she has to have her beloved blankee when she is drinking her "milk ba ba".

This weekend when we went to my parents I forgot to pack her "ba ba". I figured it would be alright since my parents always have an extra at their house. I was wrong. The weekend before we happened to go home with the spare. The Princess came back from the lake with my dad ready for a nap. When we couldn't find her a "milk ba ba" she had a MAJOR melt down. I rushed to the local store to pick one up, but they are no longer carrying them. I let her pick out an insulated Dora straw cup, but she whimpered and was moody the rest of the day every time she wanted milk.



I don't mind the blankee so much, but it is time for her to give up the "ba ba". She constantly says that she is a BIG girl now. She will only eat on a BIG plate with a BIG spoon or BIG fork. She starts out in her toddler bed at night, but around 5am she moves into my BIG bed because she is BIG like me. She has to do everything on her own and help with everything (especially cooking).

A friend of mine suggested that I introduce a special "fairy" who takes "ba bas" to babies who need them and leaves a little something as a thank you. I have started mentioning this idea to Princess D hoping that she would fall for it. At first she did, but then decided against it saying that she doesn't want to give up her "ba ba". So tonight we made a compromise ... she would give the "ba ba fairy" her blue and yellow "ba bas" since she no longer likes those colors in exchange for a train set! What happened to getting a shiny quarter? What will the "fairy" have to give her in exchange for the red and pink "ba bas"? *sigh*

Do any of you parents have any other suggestions which won't make me blow my budget?