True Lub

When Big was a new baby he couldn't figure out how to suck on a binky.  I really wanted him to become a binky kid, for many reasons --his pediatrician said that binkies are now recommended to help prevent SIDS, Big was a terrible sleeper, and to top it all off he was trying to suck his thumb.  For those of you who don't know, you can't just take away a thumb when they turn 3.  

So, I decided to teach Big how to suck on a binky.  We started having "binky school" several times a day to work on his suck (I had high hopes it would work-- I mean, Ginger held "walking school", "running school" and "jumping school" for Bud with great success).  

After a lot of "binky schooling" Big figured it out. Hooray!  Now he loves his binky!  The only problem he has now is with the fact that I only allow binkies in bed. This is great when it is time to get in bed because Big is so excited to see it (in fact, often when I put him in his crib and hand him his binky he will hug or kiss it and say "I lub", or "Lub it"), but it often makes him reluctant to get out of bed because he doesn't want to leave his beloved binky behind. Such was the case when I took these pictures on Friday.

He kept holding his binky out toward the door while he was mumbling something. I could tell he was begging me to let him take it out with him. I mean look at those eyes (pleease?):

 

Here Big is giving the binky a kiss and saying "Lub!":

Looking back at me imploringly after looking at the open doorway (again, pleease?):

Taking a break to look out the window:

When Big decides that he is finally ready to be parted from his true lub, he will either take out the binky himself and hand it to me or lean his face forward so that I can remove it for him.  Sometimes he changes his mind and grabs it back for one last suck, but eventually says his goodbyes.  I will have to come up with some grand send off idea for when he turns 3 and has to give the binky up for good.

With Pen, her binkies were sent to the Binky Re-distribution Factory.  We boxed them up and sent them off (to my parents address) to be refurbished and then sent to some child that really needed them.  Someone told me that it was lame, too practical and boring for a kid, etc., so Ginger's binkies were spirited away by the Binky Fairy.  We left the Binky Fairy a treat with the binkies and she left a nice note in return.  What should I do with Big?  I know it's a long ways off, but does anyone have any grand plans?  I think it will have to be a doozie to cut the ties of true lub!