Breaking Binky

So there are a couple things I would like to accomplish before the baby comes in April. I talked them over with Noah's pediatrician yesterday while there for an appointment and he gave me some tips and advice on how to smoothly transition. I told him I wanted to break the binky addiction, move him to a toddler bed (he is trying to climb out of his crib now. He gets his leg on the top railing, but doesn't have enough umph to get over the edge yet), and work on potty training. I don't want to focus on that one until after Christmas though.

He told me that with the potty training, to watch for his cues that he is ready. He said that if we try to push it too soon then he will rebel and not do it. He uses his little potty every once in awhile now, but when we ask him if he wants to use it and he says "no" we never push it. So we'll really just keep doing the same until he says "yes."

With going from the crib to toddler bed, he just said to make sure that we keep the door shut tight or locked so that he can realize that just because he has this new freedom with a big boy bed and being able to get in and out of it whenever he wants, it does not give him the freedom to walk around the house whenever he wants. He said he'll probably test the barrier (the door) for a few nights, realize it's not budging, and then fall asleep quicker at night.

Then there was the binky topic. He said it's definitely time to get rid of it. Right now Noah only uses it during nap and bedtimes, or in times of total crisis. He suggested, and I had read this in a magazine last week, going to a toy store and letting him pick out a toy (preferably a stuffed animal or something he can sleep with) and then having him "pay" for it with his binky.

So we put the plan into action last night, expecting a rough bedtime and no sleep during the night. We went to Toys-R-Us and Target and there were lots of things he liked and wanted, but not enough to give up his binky for. I also think it was a bit overwhelming because there are SO many toys that he was easily distracted. Finally on the way home Tim said, "We're stopping at Hage's and you're going to run in and see if they have a Bob or Larry stuffed animal." I ran in and all they had was a 2 1/2 foot tall Larry Boy. I ran out to the van and told Tim he can look at it and be the one to decide. A few minutes later he came out with a giant bag disguising the Larry Boy inside.

Once home, we took it out and watched Noah's reaction. He was excited about it.

"Do you like Larry Boy?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to keep Larry Boy and sleep with him in your crib?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to give up binky."

"No." He turned and walked down the hall.

Then he stopped, ran back and started pointing out Larry's eyes and his plunger ears.

"Do you want to give me binky and you can have Larry?" I held out my hand expecting the usual reaction.

He spit binky out into my hand, grabbed Larry and carried him off into his room. Tim and I stared at each other in shock.

"Quick," Tim said. "We need to get him to bed before he realizes what he's done."

A short amount of time later, we closed his bedroom door as he quietly said, "Binky. Binky, please. I want binky please."

I went into our bedroom and cried, feeling like a mom who had just taken away her child's best friend. Actually, I sobbed. It's quite pathetic but I will blame it on pregnancy hormones. Tim just sat next to me and laughed. We listened to Noah talk to himself, talk to Larry, talk to his dinosaur, and sing the VeggieTales theme song for about a half hour. I cried for about 5 minutes during that time. Tim said it was harder to deal with me than with Noah.

After a half hour, there was quiet. After 10 minutes of quiet I checked on him. He was completely asleep with Dinosaur at his feet and Larry Boy at his side. We were shocked he never cried yet prepared ourselves for a rough night ahead, figuring he would wake up and find the absence of binky.

He never woke up once.

I checked on him three times to make sure he was alive.

He asked for it once when he woke up this morning, but when Tim reminded him he traded it for Larry Boy, he didn't mention it again.

Success.

We'll see how naptime and tonight's bedtime go.