Binkies. Baby Jaguar- 4, Jubilee- 0

Right now, sitting in my mailbox, is an envelope addressed to Baby Jaguar, care of Diego in The Rainforest, with four beloved binkies inside. "Rawr-rawr!"

Ever since Jubilee came out of her drug-induced sedated state in the NICU, she has had a binkie. She lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvves her some binkies. I knew all along I would have to break this habit, and Im not sure why Ive let it go on so long. I even hate seeing other kids over 2 years old with binkies in their mouths at the store! But Jubilee only has hers at night and when she's sick... Plus I felt like I could justify the binkie-usage knowing she let go of other vices so early and easily. She weaned from the bottle at 11 months, she slept through the night in her own bed early, she potty trained early, ....she doesnt even use sippy cups anymore. So whats a little binkie now and then, right? Well, I think three years old is my limit. However, knowing how attached she is to her binkies, (usually going to bed with one in her mouth and one in her hand), I came up with an idea to make getting rid of the binkies more....acceptable. I want her to not have to rely on a binkie, but I dont want to be the big mean mommy monster that took them away!

Dylan and I talked at length about Operation Binkie. We came up with a plan that seemed fun and would let her feel like a "big girl" at the same time. Jubilee digs getting the mail from the mailbox. She also digs Diego. He's an animal rescuer. So "Diego", (Dyl and Mak), wrote Jubilee a letter from the Rainforest:

"Dear Jubilee,
Hi, this is Diego! We need your help! Baby Jaguar lost all of his binkies. He doesnt have ANY! Can you help him and send him all of your binkies?? Youre a big girl now and you dont need your binkies anymore.

Love,
Diego"

Since we were all assembled at Mom and Dad Botts's house for a BBQ today, we let Jubilee retrieve her letter from Meema's mailbox. (I know its sunday and usually no mail is delivered today...but it was from THE Rainforest...it was special delivery.) Jubilee's face lit up in that HUGE surprised way with her mouth in a gigantic "O". She ran back to the house and brought me the letter. As I read the letter to her, I dont think she understood the total consequence of saying YES. I re-read the letter to her and explained that if she sent her binkies to Baby Jaguar, that she wouldnt have them anymore. She nodded and said she would give all her binkies to Baby Jaguar. She gathered up her one binkie she kept at Meema's house, ( and you better not have any in hiding Mom!!), and put it in the envelope to send to Baby Jaguar. Nap time would be the test.

When it was time for her nap and as I was taking off her shoes, she said, "I need my binkie." I said, "Remember? You said it was ok for Baby Jaguar to have your binkies. He's still a baby and needs a binkie. Youre a big girl who's three years old!" She thought about it for a minute and said, "Ok." I layed her down expecting some tears, but instead she sang herself to sleep with a couple of loud renditions of "A Whole New World".

When we returned home from the BBQ we went through the house letting her put her binkies in the envelope to Baby Jaguar. She kept saying, ...as if to convince herself, "Im a big girl and I dont need a binkie! Baby Jaguar has all my binkies. He's still a baby." We colored on the outside of the envelope, taped it shut and we walked together to the mailbox to send off the binkies. As she shut the mailbox door she said, "Bye Bye Binkies!"

Tonight is Binkieless Night Number 1.