Well, that was unexpected!
Setting: Bedtime. Past bedtime, really.
4 and ~6 year olds: Asleep.
Baby: Crying.
Toddler: In his crib, talking to himself.
Binkies: Almost all M.I.A. Only one — you read that right, ONE — located.
One binky. Two binky-lovers. Most nights the 2y.o. thinks he needs twoof them to get to sleep, actually, as ALL binkies are HIS binkies, but lately he’s been willing to nap with just one.
Great.
Binky: with the toddler.
Baby: still crying, presumably from binky-withdrawals.
So, it is down to me...
What to do, what to do. Time for a man-to-man with the toddler.
And you know what Eagle did?! He immediately took his beloved binky out and held it up to me.
Wow, that’s love.
“Thank you, Eagle. I’ll go give it to him. What a good brother you are!”
<Then it was Eagle’s turn to look concerned. You could tell he didn’t like being left empty handed.>
“Hm, what should we get to replace it?…”
<looked around, didn’t see anything (other than pillow cases, a half-dozen stray socks, a few books, a ball, a bag of baby blankets still waiting to find homes… Yep, nothing at all…)>
”I’ll go give Freedom the binky and come back with something for you.”
“Okay,” he says. (Okay?! Okay from the binky addict? You have got to be kidding me.)
I found this on the floor in my bedroom after binkifying the baby.
25 years old
Totally vintage. Totally special. And new to Eagle, which was the important part. Maybe it’ll work.
Holding it concealed in my hand, I went back to his crib.
“Guess what, Eagle. I found something for you!”
<a little grin began to replace the frowny eyebrows>
“This is a special little dude, just for you.”
<bigger grin>
And he spent the next hour snuggling and talking to the little sprite while I tried to convince a very unwilling baby that it was bedtime.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wish I could report that the baby was pacified by the pacifier given to him at such great cost and that the two-year-old felt confident and satisfied with his sacrifice as he fell asleep with his new “spesha doo” …. but….
The baby is stillnot out for the night and the toddler is up there asking/crying for me and wanting to get out. He is not thrilled with the lack of a binky.
Sigh.
It was a noble deed, though, truly. “That was a very brave thing you did, Piglet…”
Alas, old habits die hard. I don’t think he’s ready for this.
Fortunately for us all, I found no less than 3 binkies hiding in the clutter on the island in my kitchen. You know, children, if you would SLEEP I could take care of that mess and then we wouldn’t loose our binkies in baskets full of junk on counters full of stuff! ! ! GAHHHH!!!!
PS: Baby asleep now. 3 down, 1 tired toddler to go. I’m still holding out that the new Speshadoo and the late hour is going to win him over. We’re starting to hear longer quiet stretches… Here’s hopin’!
PPS: IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People who know him are not going to believe this. The Bishop (John, for those of you new here) is not going to believe this. Heck, I don’t believe it! Holy Guano, Batman, what a miracle.
And, hey, it’s only -cough, cough- 10pm. I might even get a shower today!
Sending happy thoughts your way!
I remember those days very well. It seemed like they would never end, but they did and are now a distant memory. I could use a binky about now…
Wow! What a week of breakthroughs for the Smithfam!
What a sweet little boy you have! I know what it’s like to have little ones not sleeping-I haven’t slept a full night for…it’ll be 3 years in July. Though I did sleep six whole hours one night a few months ago. I have a feeling you’re in the same boat. Here’s hoping we both get a chance to take a shower soon =)
BTW, I do blog designs for other people too. If you’re looking for a hook up let me know =)
Also-I want to subscribe to your blog but I can’t figure out how =(
Below Mrs. Smith’s blogroll there’s RSS feeds for posts & comments. The URLs are http://mrs.smith.smithfam.us/feed/ and http://mrs.smith.smithfam.us/comments/feed/.
You need cuter picture of little angel E. He is so precious!
Compassionate children in a somewhat messy house is something to celebrate. You may not be perfect (yet), but you are doing much good.
Remember the story of Sinbad and the famed elephant graveyard? Whoever discovered the elephant graveyard would be wealthy beyond their wildest imagination because of all the ivory they would find there. I have always believed that somewhere in my house there must be a similar place with hundreds of binkys, dozens of scissors, the extra set of keys, my good nail clippers, and the Phillips screwdriver!! I have never actually found this place, although I keep looking. I did have a friend who once found 17 baby bottles under her couch, though. (no joke.)
I’m impressed that your Rainbow Brite Sprite is in such good shape. And now I know that even though I’m older than you are, we are still ‘of an age.’
Eagle rubbed the mouth off Twink this week.
Hmph.
This is me pretending I’m just glad “speshadoo” is getting some loving after so much time in a “Special Box.”