The End of an Era: A Binkie Story

 

I knew this moment would come. I had actually feared it from the second I popped that binkie in Annie's mouth when she was 5 days old and silence ensued. I think we were addicted just as much as she. I heard stories of Binkie Fairies and cold turkey and I would start to sweat and shake and visions of sleepless nights and hollering toddlers raced through my head.

 

 

When Annie's first birthday approached, we discussed ditching the binkie, but then almost immediately reversed our decision because she was still a baby. Plus, she was such a good sleeper and I was still so obsessed with getting a full night's sleep that I used the "she's a baby" excuse to plop that thing in her mouth day after day. And lest those of you that have never been through this feel the urge to judge, imagine someone telling you that a task will result in you getting minimal sleep and enormous headaches for probably a week. You'd probably put off the process a bit as well.

 

 

But then the second birthday approached, and we started noticing that we would ask her to take the binkie out so we could understand her. And though she's our baby, she's much less of a baby and it just started to feel like it was time.



 

I am actually shocked I had this picture. Apparently we weren't as good as we thought about keeping the binkie to the bed. Though I seem to recall this was a special circumstance where we were trying anything to get her to sit still.

Eventually we were down to two infant binkies: one blue and one orange. All other binkies had evaporated to where ever binkies, chapsticks, and socks disappear to.

And then this happened and I figured this was a sign from God that the party was over.

 

No, the binkie was no longer being used for its original purpose. It was now a choking hazard disguised as a chew toy. I snipped off the rough edges and left basically enough so she could grasp it with her teeth, but that was it.

 

It was a rough few nights starting last Sunday (6/2, for recordkeeping purposes). It took her about an hour to fall asleep, but since the integrity of the binks had been  compromised for some time, I think she couldn't quite pinpoint the source of her issues. There have been a few missed naps, a few meltdowns, but I watched her fall asleep the other day without it and I think we have officially turned a corner.

 

 

 

Today on the way to Jen's this morning she asked for it and I reminded her that it's broken. She said "I hold it". And she held it in her hand all the way to Jen's. So she's not really ready to give it away just yet, and since I started crying typing that, it seems I am not either. Baby steps, people.