Binky

When Lucas was a newborn baby he was a terrible napper. The only time he would nap was when I held him. Once I put him down in the bassinet or crib he would wake up soon after. At a certain point it became clear he was a binky boy. He napped and slept like a champ if he had his binky. There was a rough patch of time when the binky would fall out of his mouth at night and he wasn't able to locate it and stick it back in his mouth.

Fast forward two years later I considered weaning Lucas off of the binky but was scared off after hearing from another mom who did the same with her 2 year old and he quickly gave up his nap. I felt Lucas would've done the same and I was not mentally ready to have two non napping kids in the house. I justified my decision by telling myself that he only uses for sleep so it couldn't be that bad.

I knew it was time for Lucas to be weaned. I put a stake in the ground and said it had to happen when he turned 3. We prepped him for months telling him that he's a big boy and big boys don't use binkies (they also use the potty and don't get carried all the time). I told him about the binky bear store aka Build-A-Bear Workshop where we would go put his binky in a bear. We happened to be in a mall in LA where there was a Build-A-Bear Store and I pointed it out to him.

Reality set in the day after his birthday. Before his nap I told him that when he woke up we would go to the binky bear store and so this would be the last time he would use his binky. Immediately upon waking up from his nap he started to cry and said he didn't want to go to the binky bear store and that he wanted his binky. I consoled him and then when that didn't quite work I promised him ice cream after we went to the store. That got him moving.

When we arrived he was all smiles and happily picked out a bear quickly. The woman at the store who guided us through the process was super nice and familiar with the idea of placing a binky in the bear. Lucas had the option of placing it in the bear's tummy or in a paw. We chose the tummy. Caleb also came with us but luckily I didn't have to buy him a bear too. He was happy enough to help stuff the bear. The woman also gave Caleb a job of "bathing" one of the display bears. Caleb tried to convince Lucas to get his bear some shoes and a whole outfit. I managed to talk them down into just a Giants t-shirt. We got to the birth certificate station and Lucas couldn't think up of a name so I just suggested Binky and he agreed.

choosing the bear

helping to stuff

kissing the heart

bye bye binky!

"Bathing" the bear

A GIANT binky bear

Strawberry ice cream with M&M's

So the moment of truth came and it was everything I expected it to be. They are usually in bed by 8:00pm. Here's the rundown of each time I had to go back into his room after the initial tuck in.

1. decided he doesn't like his bed and wants to sleep on the floor of C's room
2. decided he doesn't like Binky bear and threw him across the room 
3. he doesn't like Binky so he put him in the playroom
4. wants to now sleep in his bed 
5. left his room and declared he can't sleep
6. left his room again because he can't sleep 
7. gave me his band aid to put in the garbage
8. complained he couldn't sleep so I asked if he wanted Binky bear. Even had him squeeze the bear so he knew it was there. Still didn't want the bear. "I don't want Binky bear, I want binky" 
9. when I walked into his room he was still upset and was trying to get the words out. What did he finally end up saying? "I don't like Raider". I gave him one last hug and kiss and told him I was not coming back in his room. I then went upstairs to watch the tv with the volume way up.

He was crying so loud but I was determined not to return to his room. I heard him leave his room and was crying in the hallway. After it quieted down I went to check on him and he was sound asleep on the bed in the playroom.

The second night of no binky went WAAAY better. He protested once, I offered the bear, he said no, I said good night and gave him one last hug and kiss. That was it. And just like he turned into a kid.