No-Binky Blues

Ilkan was officially 18 months old on Tuesday and that was the date I set for taking away his binky. It's been a rough couple of days at night time and nap time with him crying for it, but at least when he does finally give in and go to sleep he hasn't woken up crying in the middle of the night or his nap. I decided that I would just take it cold turkey as if it had disappeared rather than cutting the tip and trying the broken thing. He's cried for it and looked for it as well by holding up the bumper on the back of his crib and pointing between the crib and the wall where it used to fall, but I just tell him that it's gone because he is a big boy and doesn't need it anymore. This afternoon was really hard again to listen to him cry, but tonight he went down without a peep (Masallah and knock on wood). I think he finally accepted it's not coming back. I'm so glad that I only let him use it at sleep times rather than the whole day (I was making him throw it back in the crib with his blankies when I got him out). I can't imagine how hard it would be to take if he was used to it all the time. I've had to remind myself that the doctors all say it can negatively effect their teeth if they use it past the age of 2, it would only be harder the longer he used it, and if the baby was here using one that Ilkan could take or see would be impossible. Ok, that is my week. Here is a picture I caught last Thursday of Ilkan sitting in his wagon. He is so silly!