No More Binky

Today marks the first day of "No Binky". I discovered this morning that the one Kaine has been using was seriously deteriorating. It was the last one we had (or at least I think it is!). So, I asked him, this morning, if he wanted to throw it away and get a "present". He cried about letting it go. I convinced him to throw it away with Dum-Dum and telling him he was going to get a present if he did. (We felt it was important for him to be the one to throw it away.) He threw it away. I then told Matt to go and get it and "put it somewhere neither I or Kaine could find it". I, of course, being the weaker person in this equation. I would totally give in when the tears struck!

He was allowed to go and get a toy at Walmart. He got a new Thomas track fold-up and a new Emily with a coal tender. He even got a new Thomas video. It was a good day for him. (I really felt like we needed to make a big deal about getting him something good. I wanted the trade off to be worth it. Not to mention, I wanted him to have something new to take him mind off his loss.)

Nap time rolled around and I thought we were going to have an all-out tantrum about the binky. To my surprise (I was told this later by Matt who was on nap duty) that he asked for it once, Matt told him no, Kaine whined for a minute and then didn't ask for it again. He fell asleep and slept for a good while. He was not in a good mood when he woke up, however. He really went through a point of missing it. He was really whinny and needed some extra comforting from Mom, which I was happy to give. He then asked for me to "Go get it!" I told him it was in the trash and he led me to it and said, "Find it!" I told him it was "all gone". He wasn't okay with that but quickly got over it.

At bedtime, again I was waiting for a fight. It wasn't as easy as nap. (This is what I was expecting). Matt initially laid him down with a story and his blanket. He, of course, didn't stay in bed. I then went to him to see if I could offer some comfort. He asked for his binky and started to point around the edge of the mattress and even lifted his pillow and told me to, "Find it!" He knew that was where it usually is found when it falls out of his mouth after he goes to sleep at night (which is one of the indicators of why we thought it was time to get rid of it!). I told him it was in the trash and he started to cry. I offered milk and he accepted. Then I laid down with him (to comfort him and let him feel less alone in his sadness) but he couldn't get comfortable (mostly because he couldn't get over the feeling of wanting his binky). I felt it would be easier for me to just leave. A few minutes later he was at his door, ready for something else. Matt took over and Kaine was down for the count. (I don't know how Matt does it. Kaine seems to fall asleep faster if he is there. With me, he tries all sort of things and it takes me forever to get him to go to sleep. (I call this the "extension of the breastfeeding relationship", even though we didn't really have one, I was still his main source of food and comfort as a non-mobile baby). 

I am hoping not and worrying that the worst is yet to come. I have heard that the third day is the worst day. I cannot remember where I heard this or even if I am making it up. However, I hope that is not true and he does better and better and it is soon all forgotten. The next one, WILL NOT have one of those things!! (Even if that means the dear has to be latched to me 24/7!)