How long does it take till pacifier extinction for two toddlers?

The "pacifier fairy" came to our house today. Two very large, pink, very overpriced, stuffed pigs and two small gray hippos were left in place of the beloved pacifiers in hopes that Zeb and Zane would attach to something new. I wasn't sure how to handle bedtme with 2 over tired, pacifier-addicted (going on 3 years on the sauce) toddlers with pacifier addicted parents. I thought - well maybe since they are pretty upset (taking turns crying for the pacifiers - big crocodile tears, red faces from being so tired and upset) we should each lay down with one and read books in their beds (typically this is done duing our "going to bed" routine as a family) and well I guess prolonging the inevitable. What seemed to be like good idea was really a questionable decision because an hour and a half later a pacifier replacement of crackers and cereal were left with two very tired little people alone in their beds and mom and dad left as normal (minus the teeth brushing-sorry dentist-swear it doesn't happen very often) saying good night, winding the headless wind-up music box and propping the door shut on the doorstop, all without any tears at all like normal resulting in two fast asleep toddlers without pacifiers in 15 minutes from time of departure. hmmmmm - I wondering how it will go tomorrow! 21 days to break (or make, for that matter) a habit, right? I'll start counting down the days or nights now.

I'm secretly a little sad that the pacifiers are gone and a little nervous - are they going to be the same little people as they were before the great pacifier fairy lie or would they change? I know deep down the above is CRAZY and that I should know that the pacifiers only helped soothe them and they will find other healthy ways to soothe themselves (in fact this will be a healthy thing for them) and that I need to embrace the future and the now and not hold onto the past just love it for what it was and remember how great everyday is because it truly is.