Bye Bye "Binnie"

As of November 26, 2011 Luke is pacifier-free!!  Yippee!  Hooray!  Yes, it's probably two years too late...but better late than never. :)

Always a binky nearby....

....in the car...

 Since day one (well, actually day two...after a sleepless night one) Luke has loved his binky.  For the first year and a half of his life, his binky was never far...often it was attached to him with a binky clip.  Then we limited it to only nap time and night time.

...during playtime...

...at the pool....

At Luke's two-year check up his pediatrician recommended that we take away his binky after the holidays.  Well, we didn't have the heart to...and then a few months later Brady was born and we didn't want too many changes in Luke's life at once.

...weddings...

...in the wagon...

So finally we started prepping him to get rid of his binkies by his 3rd birthday.  We have been talking to him for about a month about how he will be a big boy when he turns three, and big boys don't need binkies.  We told him that the new babies at the hospitals need them.  At first Luke argued with us, saying that he didn't want to give away his binkies.  But after a couple weeks he warmed up to the idea.  And as his birthday got closer, when we'd ask "what happens on your birthday?", he would reply "we get rid of my binnies".

...while playing basketball...

...and baseball...

 I was not sure how it would actually all go down on his birthday.  I was sure there would be a fight and we'd be consoling him all night!  Luke had only one night without a binky and it was not a fun night.  He found so much comfort in his binkies...the second he popped one in his mouth he was calm and relaxed and ready to sleep.

...sleeping...

 Jump ahead to the day of Luke's birthday party.  Everyone had arrived but Amanda and JR.  Luke was patiently waiting for them to arrive so he could finally open his presents.  Once they go here, I told Luke that he should go sit on the potty before he opens presents (he's pretty much potty trained!).  To my surprise he said "Yeah!  And we have to throw away my binnies!".  So he ran into our room and found his binky, then he ran to the kitchen trash and threw it way.  Simple as that...no tears....no fighting...I was shocked!

...on the beach....

After everyone had left for the night and it was time for bed, Luke said "I'm going night night without my binnies".  AND HE DID!  He didn't ask for his binky at all.  He woke a couple times and never asked for it.  We were so surprised.  The next day before naptime he whined for it a little, but then a few minutes later he said he doesn't need his binky because he's a big boy.  

At daycare on Monday he even told Joy that he was going to throw out his binkies, and threw them away.  

....and the boat.

It makes me realize how much of a "big" boy he really is.  He's so smart and understands that he no longer needs that binky.  I think it may have been harder for me to give up the binky in a sense...letting go of that last bit of "baby" Luke.   We are so proud of him!