For the first few hours everything was fine. He did not ask for it, look for it or seem to really notice that they were not laying around the house. The addiction was so bad that Charlie would sometimes have two "binks" in his mouth at the same time.
We hoped that the excitement of opening presents and new toys would distract him from the need for his "fix". Everything was going great until nap time rolled around. Jamie took Charlie up to her parents bed to lay down with him for a while. It did not take long for him to realize that something was missing. Charlie laid back and relaxed, but he would not go to sleep.
Jamie and Charlie came back down after a few minutes of resting and we continued with the days events. The thrashing of wrapping paper and the new "choo choos" worked as planned. The real test would be bed time.
We loaded up the car and headed home. Charlie was out like a light before we backed out of the driveway. We arrived at our house and I carried him inside. I laid him in his bed and he immediately woke up. I tried to comfort him and get him to lay down, but he clung to me like a baby monkey. Jamie took him to our bed and he fell back to sleep.
I stayed awake for a while to make sure that Santa got into the house with no problems. After Santa came and dropped the gifts I made my way to our room. I found Charlie sprawled out across our bed like a giant spider in a web. My pillow was covered in his drool and he was snoring like a grown man. Jamie whispered "You might want to sleep downstairs." Apparently Charlie was flopping around like a fish out of water.
I made my way back downstairs to sleep on the couch. I like sleeping on the couch so it was not a big deal for me. I had a pillow that let my head sink right into the middle of it and a blanket that was too short for my body. I had to rotate keeping my feet warm and keeping my torso warm. Luckily it was just a one night ordeal. Four nights later....
Jamie and I have stood with our decision and we have not given the pacifier to Charlie. He looks for it on occasion and mentions the word "bink", but we have only had one serious meltdown over it. The meltdown was not from Charlie, it was Jamie.
I was downstairs watching television after Jamie and Charlie had gone to bed. I heard some rustling above me, but I did not pay attention to it. I then heard footsteps. "Boom, Boom, Boom". Jamie whisper yelled from the top of the stairs "Get me a bink! I can not take it anymore!"
I thought to myself "She needs a Valium not a pacifier." I said "No way!" We have made it through four days there was no way that I was giving Charlie his "bink" back. Charlie, in his light sleep, must have been woken by the whisper yell and he showed up at the top of the steps too. He caught a glimpse of me and started reaching. I went up and laid with him. He snuggled his head against mine and wiped his snot on my shirt. Who could ask for a more precious moment.
I felt bad watching him flop around and puckering his lips as if the pacifier was still in his mouth. I rubbed his back and tried to sneak out of the bed. I underestimated how light his sleep is without the pacifier. He had his arm trap set and I had triggered it. (He keeps his hand on my arm to sense any move that I make while he is sleeping) I saw a little set of drowsy eyes peering at me from behind long eyelashes.
I had no choice, but to return my head to the slobbery pillow. It took me five tries to get away.
I hope that another full day or so will lessen the craving for the "bink". We all need some sleep. What an anxious event this has been.
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