All Good Things Must Come To An End

The end to Gabi's binky addiction is nearing.

At present, I don't mind Gabi having a binky for night night time, or in the car, or when she's sick. Or even when we go on vacation. I think it's a fine form of comfort for a little child, and our dentist has assured me that her teeth will adjust back to normal after the binky is gone.

But I get so weary of having to find that one particular binky that is her favorite for that day before she's willing to go to bed. The red one with stars isn't going to cut it for you tonight? You need the blue one with moons? I want to yell, "Tough luck, kid!" But I know it's in our best interest to just get down on my hands and knees and do the binky search.

The binkies are usually kept in a drawer upstairs that is too heavy for Gabi to open. I don't know how she does it, but I'll come around a corner and she'll have one in her mouth. She immediately jumps up with her hands over her mouth and runs away to hide it somewhere. I guess there are times when you've just got to have a quick fix. I find them tucked into random corners or stuffed into shirt sleeves. I tend to let it go, and just put them back in the drawer. Lots of kids are attached to things, like blankies or a favorite stuffed animal. Gabi just happens to love her binkies.

But last weekend she started naming them. Yeah, so, I think it's time for them to go.

We have already introduced Gabi to the Binky Fairy and talked about how she will come to our house on her fourth birthday to whisk away her binkies and spread them out among the children of the world. We try to put a positive spin on it, with smiles and clapping, but she doesn't like the idea so much. Hearing this story is actually quite distressing for her. She cries and asks why the Binky Fairy has to come to HER house, and says that other children should buy their OWN.

So much for easing her into it. I think we'll have to go cold turkey. And I imagine there will be a few sleepless nights. It breaks my heart to think that we'll be taking away something that is so precious to her, but I think it will be worth it. Her teeth will return to normal (thought they're really not that bad), and I won't have to crawl around the house looking for that one missing binky that Gabi just can't do without.

Get ready, Binky Fairy, your time to visit our house is almost upon us.