Binky for Buzz

I have never seen any kid so attached to his binky (pacifier) as Dylan.  Dylan has loved his binky since he was born.  He talks about Binky or Bink as he calls it as if it is one of his friends.  He looks forward to nap time and night time because he has missed Bink and Pillow.  David and I have tried to break the binky addiction several times and it has been a miserable failure.  Dylan finds such comfort in his binky and we believe it's been a large reason that we have been able to avoid many of the sleep issues with him that most parents deal with in toddlers.  Dylan has always been a great sleeper and we have had little issues with getting him to go to sleep.  But at almost 4 years of age, we do feel like it's time to kick the binky habit and ensure it doesn't interfere with teeth and speech development.  We just haven't been able to come up with a workable game plan.

After seeing Toy Story 3, Dylan keeps asking for a Buzz Lightyear.  So this week I told him that Buzz is a big boy toy and if he was ready to be a big boy and give up Binky then he could get a Buzz.  Well Dylan immediately was ready to hand over all of his binkys in return for a buzz.  So Wednesday morning before VBS at our church, Dylan gathered up all of his binkys and we placed them in an envelope to send them all off to a baby in need.  Dylan decided that he wanted to send his binkies to Baby Aidan (my friend Meg's youngest son).  So we placed the envelope in the mail box and took off for VBS.  While Dylan and William were in VBS, Meg and I along with Aidan and Zoe headed to the mall to hit the Disney Store in search of a Buzz Lightyear.  Our trip was successful! 

Once we were home from VBS, we ate lunch and it was time for nap.  The terms of the Binky for Buzz negotiation was that Dylan had to make it through nap time and sleep without a binky.  Then he'd earn his Buzz.  As long as Dylan sleeps without binky, then he can keep his Buzz.  If Dylan has to have binky back then he has to give up Buzz.  After Dylan went down from nap, I waited about 10 minutes and went into his room.  He had a binky!  I don't know where it was, but he had a stash.  He willingly handed over that binky.  I didn't go back in and check on him because I didn't want to wake him.  He successfully took a nap of about an hour and then came downstairs with a binky in hand.  Like I said, he must have had a hidden stash.  He proudly gave it to me and said "Mommy we need to send this binky to Baby Aidan."  I asked if he slept with that binky during nap and he said "Well, just a little.  But I'm ready to give up binky and get Buzz.  Can I have Buzz now?"  After a consult on the phone with Daddy, we gave Dylan his Buzz.  I have never seen Dylan so excited about a toy in his life.  Buzz has had to go everywhere Dylan goes.  We had to go to Bop and Nana's house yesterday just to show off Buzz.  Dylan has been sleeping with Buzz and no binky!

After two nights and two nap days without Bink, we're doing pretty well.  Dylan definitely is having a little trouble going to sleep.  He isn't asking for Binky, but it's taking him about 2-3 hours to finally go to sleep at night.  He's also waking up about an hour earlier.  This lack of sleep is really taking a toll on him and has definitely effected his behavior in a negative way.  But we have decided to stay on course.  I'm very proud of my big boy, Dylan, and I know he is strong enough and brave enough to go without binky.  There is a small part of me that is sad to see this chapter end with binky though.  Binky has been such a huge part of Dylan's infant and toddler years.  It's just one more indication that my baby boy is growing up and it is happening way too fast.  I am trying to treasure and hold on to each day as best as I can and I look forward to the next chapters in our lives together.

Dylan opening his Buzz Lightyear

Dylan with Buzz and Zoe - Everyone is so proud of Dylan!