This is my favorite view in my house. For the past 3 years (almost) we've had 2 complete nurseries right next door to each other. When I was pregnant with Jayci I knew Jack wasn't going to be ready to transition out of his crib before she was born so I acquired the crib that I slept in when I was a baby and it became Jayci's, leaving Jack's for him. Well, I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that this picture was taken just a week ago. Jack is four and was still sleeping in his crib. In my defense, he was perfectly content in it. He knew it was his bed, could climb in and out safely as he pleased, and still fit (barely).
For his third birthday Jack received a mattress and bed frame from Grandma and Grandpa Elies, and then a few weeks later a neighbor called and said they had a twin bed sitting outside their garage that was up-for-grabs. We jumped on that and had it in our garage a few hours later. I was excited because it was in great shape and very solid, sturdy, and best of all, FREE! It was in need of new finish work though, so then began the long, tedious re-finishing process. That was almost a year ago (I think). It sat in our garage all sanded and ready to be painted for months and finally I decided that for Jack's fourth birthday I would finish it. Choosing paint is always brutal, which is part of the reason it sat so long unfinished. I had just read "The Last Lecture" which inspired me to just let Jack choose what color he wanted his bed to be. I knew the answer before I even asked (this boy is OBSESSED with blue!!!) which is why I was hesitant. A blue bed? I wasn't sure we could pull it off.
Well....................................................................................................
Here is Jack sleeping his first night in his new blue bed! I think it turned out beautifully. I love it! Jack loves it even more! (even though he got it two months later than his birthday:) I have to admit, it does make me a little bit sad that I don't have my view of my cute nurseries anymore, but Jack's excitement makes up for it.
*I have to give a HUGE thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law Kristy! She volunteered to come over with her handy paint sprayer so "we" could paint the bed. She pretty much ended up doing the painting herself. Thanks for coming in the blazing hot July sun and applying four perfect coats! Too bad it took me two more months to finish it.
The next overdue change is one we have not yet implemented but need to. While it won't be as physically challenging as re-finishing a bed (actually, it might be!) it will be equally difficult for me to carry out. It's another sign that my kids just keep growing up, much to my dismay. I think saying good bye to the binky is long overdue! But by looking at the pictures you can see just how attached Jayci is to them. "Attached" doesn't quite do justice for how much Jayci loves these!. She literally dreams about them. Often I ask my kids what they dreampt about in the mornings and often Jayci's simple answer is "binkies". Seriously.
You can be sure there are several stashed away in her purses.
Doesn't really care if they are cardboard.
Always has to have at least one in her mouth, one in each hand, plus several sprinkled around her head.
I'm always finding them in random places.
Her partner in crime.
Sometimes she had no choice!
Don't take it away.......
.....she get's mad!
She's loved it since day 1.Can you see how heart-wrenching this is going to be for us? As soon as she hits the pillow she's reaching around her to fill her hands. I've watched her do this unconsciously in her sleep. It's what comforts and soothes her. I feel so mean just thinking about what needs to be done! It's going to be SO HARD but I know it needs to happen. We have ruled it down to only allowing binkies in bed but she's a sneaky little thing and somehow always seems to have some hidden somewhere because she always randomly appears with one. It drives me crazy to hear her talk with them in her mouth and she wakes up with the nastiest breath because of them. I saw a boy at Target who was bigger than Jack and he had a binky in his mouth! Sick! That's where we are headed!
Any brilliant ideas on how to make this transition?
12 comments:
I'm totally laughing about the crib and the binkies!
I love the bed. I would love a bed to refinish for Jaden. It lookes great...I totally need to invest in a paint sprayer.
Regarding binkies, I took Jaden away at 5 months because I was terrified of an addiction but Landon still has his. I only allow Landon to have his at bedtime, naptime, or if he's had to miss a nap. I too am getting terrified to take it away. I might slowly take it away at nap time & then bed time but it will make me sad because it too is a comfort, like Jayci's. If you find something that works please post.
What I did find with the binkie is taking the bottle aways was eary where as with Jaden is was a struggle. Can't have it both ways I guess:)
Love the blue bed!!
Neither of my kids would ever take a Binky, despite how much I tried. But, luckily I never ran into the problem of having to take them away.
A friend of mine had a "Bye-bye Binky" party. They had balloons, cupcakes, and then when it was time they tied the binkies to the balloons and let them go. That way her kids got a chance to say "goodbye" to their binky, and got to do it in a fun way!
Good luck!! My battle will be the bottle with Hallie.
The blue bed turned out SO CUTE. I love it and the bedding with it looks great. I'm glad Jack loves it too. That is fun.
Good luck with the binkies... My mom had a hard time getting me off of them when I was little too. I hope it goes smoothly! :)
Hmmm....Who helped feed her addiction? Just Kidding :) We've never had quite that problem, so I don't have any suggestions. But I'm sure it is NOT going to be fun. Good luck with that. I'm going to potty train Macy next week, so if you are doing it then, feel free to call and commiserate. A year with binkies has been my limit, and I find myself dropping them earlier and earlier with each kid. Kate got rid of hers at 6 months I think. Blessing and a curse those binkies :)
Im in the same place! Austin is still very much attatched and he is 3 months older than Jayci. He has just as many and does the exact same things with them as she does...he has a canister of them that he took to bed with him last night. Sick.(in fact, he has one right now...and its pink.) Anyways, he doesnt have one all of the time and I guess what has worked is just out of sight, out of mind. They are at the age where they want to do stuff and for Austin, I tell him he cant play outside or whatever until he gives me his binky. It is a struggle, and that is as far as I have gotten! Good luck!
My sister had the "Binkie Fairy" come and they tied the binkies to a tree outside at night and in the morning presents were tied to the tree where her binkies had been. They had to prepare for it for a while, though. I think my niece was 3ish.
The bed turned out SO cute! We did the same thing to Hallie's bed.
Good luck with the binkies. Hallie was SO attached to her binkies too. I was so nervous to get rid of them but it went alot better than I expected. I talked to her about how binkies were for babies and that she was a really big girl now. I made her throw them in the garbage and then we went to the store and I let her pick out a new "big girl toy." She picked a baby and she was able to sleep with that instead of her binkies. She asked for her binkies occasionally but I just kept reminding her that she was a big girl. There's some books you can read her that talk about getting rid of them too. Check the library.
One of my friends helped her little girl write a letter to the "binky fairy" asking her to send the binkies to all those babies that needed them, etc. Then they went and mailed the letter with all the binkies inside. And then the binkie fairy sent her a present back telling her thanks.
GOOD LUCK! For me, I just had to make sure I got them all out of the house altogether or I knew I'd buckle :).
CUTE, CUTE , CUTE!! THE BED TURNED OUT GREAT! MOM IS A LIFESAVER!JESS LOVED HIS BINKI TOO WHEN WE WERE KIDS HE THREW IT IN THE RIVER AND SAID BYE BINKI :( GOOD LUCK! THANKS FOR LETTING US TAKE THE KIDS THE OTHER NIGHT! WE HAD FUN!
JILL! Im totally on the same page with the binkie thing. I knew i would take away Masons binkie at age two. Well two came and he still needs his binkie. I dont know how im going to get rid of it so if you have ideas of what you will do with Jayci. please..PASS IT ON!!! Tose pictures were so cute and funny! I love it! And i LOVE Jacks bed. Awsome job!
Maybe tell her that the binky fairy is coming on a certain day. The night before have her put ALL her binkies in a box or wicker basket. Tell her that when the binky fairy comes she takes the binkies to other babies who need them but because Jayci is a big girl, the binky fairy will leave her a present for being a big girl and giving up her binkies.
It is hard to admit that they are getting bigger. You want to keep them your little babies. Guess you'll just have to have another baby. :)
As for the binky thing, rather than taking them away from our kids and having to be the mean guys, we just snipped a little piece off of the top of each one. That way they couldn't get that sucking sensation from it. It worked like a charm. Good luck!
Your kids are so cute. Easton had his binkie until he was a little over two. I thought it was going to be hard cause he had his ALL the time too. But one day my dad grabbed it from him and just cut the nipple and said opps your binkie is broken. It may have been hard at nap time and bed time for a couple of days but I don't remember it being to bad. Now for Gracie the bottle is going to be the challenge. Good luck :)
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