The Binky Fairy!

When all of the parenting resources advise you to rid your baby of the binky at 6 months, you think they are crazy. You desire sleep and the binky helps satisfy that need for your baby, so you let them keep it for awhile longer. Then you start to pick a date in your mind of when you will take it away and that day is dreaded in your mind, but its far off, so you don't think about it much until it gets closer and closer. My goal was 18 months, then we were moving across country and I couldn't take a comfort away from Caleb so we had to extend it. Goal 2: By his second birthday there will be no binky. Luckily Caleb is only a binky sleeper, so I figured this process might be easy, but you don't realize how much of a routine something becomes. When he goes down, he always asks for binky and lamby. Routine. I also thought having lamby to lean on once the binky was gone might be enough but Kerry said they were a team.

I researched the best ways to rid your child of their binky. I could just trim the top off, that way the sucking is not satisfied. I could tie it to some balloons and let him release it goodbye into the sky. I could have him mail it to a baby in need, have him throw it away cold turkey or have the binky fairy pay a visit. The binky fairy seemed most logical to me for his age so I began to search for his big boy present. What could symbolize being a big boy? My first thought was a tricycle since he sees so many kids on bikes and wants to be like them. I started to look online, not realizing that tricycles cost a million dollars. Really? I had no idea. Then I found the Roadmaster tricycle on amazon for $38 and it had received good reviews, plus I had $30 in amazon gift certificates so that was a winner! I ordered it prior to leaving for Chicago and was hoping the Binky Fairy could drop in on Labor Day to do the deed. When we got home, it was here. 1 more day. I was nervous, but deep down I was hoping he would surprise me with the transition. I told him that the Binky Fairy called and said she was coming to take his binky in the night and give it to a baby in need, but she would leave him a big boy prize in exchange. His face lit up, "Big boy prize!". I don't think he understood the concept, but I was hopeful it may work.

Tuesday morning he woke up asking for his binky. Oh no. I told him the Binky Fairy came and she brought him a big boy prize and wheeled it into his room. He was ecstatic! "A bike! A bike! I want to ride the bike!" The thought of binky had quickly faded now that he had a bike. Up until nap time came around. This is where thoughts of, "Did I make the right decision? Am I a horrible mother?" came into play. He cried and cried not for his binky at first, just for me. So I went in his room and laid down on the floor hoping it would help calm him down and go to sleep. No chance. He kept talking and talking and bouncing around so I had to leave and let him cry it out. Nearly 2 hours into his nap time he fell asleep. I felt awful. He woke from his nap an hour later crying and screaming wanting nothing to do with me. I tried to lift him out of his crib and he wouldn't let me. "No. No." he screams. I walked away to give him some time. Still cries. Then I hear him screaming, "That is my binky momma. That is my binky momma." My heart is breaking. What have I done? I have done the best for my child. A part of me regrets letting it go on for so long, but he was just a binky sleeper so I didn't think the transition would be terrifying! My dentist told me that thumb sucking causes problems with their teeth, not binkys. Another dentist says the binky will mess up their teeth. Who is right? Because I don't know for sure, I had to do it now to possibly prevent expensive dental bills down the road. Just ask my Dad how much my mouth is worth. Only people who can afford top of the line tricycles can afford dental work! My goodness!

The afternoon was a rough detox. I know now what drug addicts must go through. I was fearful of bedtime, but planned on being up half the night. I wasn't. Caleb went to bed quietly with no request for that binky. He woke up normally and asked for his bike. One day. I will take that.