WOW-- it always seems like this question gets the most strong responses on this board. First off Mom---STOP feeling guilty for "creating a mess". Those Mom who dole out the guilt about pacifiers tick me off--- you did what was right for your child and you have no reason to be beating yourself up. Every kid is different in his/her need for oral comfort. Our older daughter literally threw her paci away herself at 7 months (and would pull other kids out of their mouth if they had one). Whereas our younger kid was, and still is at age 6, a very oral child. She needed that pacifier and her blankie to comfort herself. She actually would put the paci in her mouth and wrap a little piece of her blankie between the paci and her nose. We started slowly helping her to wean herself probably about age 3. It was a LONG process. The losing paci didn't work nor did the "paci fairy". We started with just allowing it during movie night at home, at naps, nighttime, and during car rides. Eventually we got rid of the movie night, then car ride allowance. (BTW-- we didn't have her use it in public from about 2 or 2 1/2 unless she seemed really tired, upset or seemed to really need it) What finally did it was a trip to the dentist at age 3 1/2 or 4 where he told her she had to stop. She ended that night---funny she was mostly concerned that without the paci she couldn't figure out how to keep her blankie next to her nose. (BTW-- her teeth moved into a perfect smile in about 6 months completely on their own).
I suggest you enlist the help of the daycare in talking to her. Tell her in the big kid room she can't have it because they do so much fun stuff it gets in the way---also try the old "you are so busy it might get lost" line. Promise her she can have it on the way to and from daycare. If they let her have it during naps make sure she knows that, but explain she has to get up when nap time is over. Ask the daycare for suggestions---this isn't the first time they've had this problem. It helped us to have her teacher with us so she could explain their policy and promise her the will help her. Also, don't encourage the thumb---that's an even harder thing to break and you can't take it away. Whatever you do, please use compassion--this is a really tough transition for your child. Just imagine how hard it would be for you if someone took away something that you use for comfort or rely on everyday to get you through the day...and she's just a little kid. If your kid is truly an oral kid keep an eye on her---ours would and still does jam stuff in her mouth. We've had to force her to spit out Polly Pocket doll heads, caps off of markers, tape, her shirt--- you name it.
Good luck Mom---stop knocking yourself and consider this major milestone for you and your daughter.