Good for something dog

This is our dog Bailey. Isn't he cute? Well, it's a good thing he's so cute, because he really is a pain in the ass. He barks. He jumps. He chews. He eats too fast and vomits. He is constantly trying to find food, and will often steal it right out of your hand if you are toddler height, or if you forget to push your chair in at the table. Seriously, if he weren't so damn cute, I might have given him away years ago. I typically see very little good in him. But lately, he's been coming around and showing that he really is good for something. He still barks and jumps and chews and vomits and steals food, but he's also done something for us that was proving to be too difficult for us to do ourselves. Something we've been dreading for the last two and a half years. Getting rid of Jackson's binky! I was determined to have the binky gone by his third birthday in June, and I had a very elaborate scheme for how we were going to do it. My plan consisted of a home made book about Jackson and his binky, a binky box that he voluntarily puts his binky in, and a binky fairy that comes when he's sleeping, takes the binky, and leaves him with a big boy gift. Now, I understand that such an elaborate plan isn't necessary for every child, but not every child is as attached to his binky like Jackson is. Jackson only had one binky left and was so attached to it. He had never, EVER slept a night or a nap without it, and we rarely even left the house without it. It was an old newborn size one that was green with dragon flies on it. He also had his bear that always ALWAYS accompanied the binky. In fact, the dynamic duo was lovingly referred to as binkybear. One word. So, just as I was getting pictures together and formulating the words to this magical book, Eric, Jackson and I came downstairs after getting ready to go to Olive Garden for dinner and found Bailey chewing on something. It was binky! OMG! BAILEY ATE BINKY!!!! Like, all that was left was a few chewed up pieces of green plastic! The next few moments were kind of a blur, but I remember Eric yelling and putting the dogs outside and me yelling at Eric to get all of the pieces picked up before Jackson figured out what was going on. It was too late though. Jackson ran over and saw the sad remains of beloved binky laying on the floor. "My binky?!" I had to think quick, and I didn't want Jackson hating Bailey forever so I responded with "Yes, your binky broke!" "Bailey ate it?" Damn. "Yes, honey. Bailey ate your binky." His eyes filled with tears (and mine did too a little), but surprisingly, he kept it together and didn't really cry. I told Eric that we would just stop at Walgreens on the way to Olive Garden and replace it, which I did. While we were at dinner though, Eric and I started talking in code and spelling, so Jackson couldn't understand, that maybe this was the perfect opportunity to lose the binky forever. So, we decided that after dinner, we'd go to the store and get Jackson a big boy present. We'd tell him that if he made it all night without his binky, there would be a big boy present waiting for him in the morning. We did exactly that, actually getting him two presents, a leap frog letter writing gadget and a hot wheels color changer car wash. At bed time that night, we told him again that if he made it all night without binky he'd get a present that only a big boy can have in the morning. We also told him that he still has bear, and if he gets sad, he can cuddle his bear. His only response was "but binky's broken". As if he had NO CHOICE but to go all night without it. (He didn't know that we bought new ones) He went to sleep, no problem. He woke up the next morning and hadn't even remembered about his big boy surprises, even though I had wrapped them and put them right outside his bedroom door. He walked right by them. We opened them up together and he had a great time playing with them that morning. The next hurdle was nap time. He had a moment where we had to remind him that his binky was broken, but he did eventually go down. This was several weeks ago, and he hasn't had a binky in his mouth ever since. He's actually rather unscathed by the whole incident. Even if he sees someone else with a binky, he just says "my binky's broken".

I don't know why, but I'm a little bit heart broken that he doesn't have it anymore. I want him to grow up. Really. But I guess that was the very last thing that was babyish about him. No more bottles, or cribs, or diapers, or binkies. Just my big boy, about to be three and a big brother.

So, thanks Bailey. I guess.

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