The Binky Battle

Evelyn must have known I was singing her praises for sleeping through the night... last night she did a 180 on me.  It's been a while since we've had a bad night, but last night ranked up there with "all night colic spell" & "reflux to the point of projectile regurgitation"... if I had to give last night a name, let it be "Binky Battle"...

Binky Battle

A game that Evelyn loves to hate... and that I just hate...

Evelyn loves her binky.  Must have her binky to sleep! Of course, I created this monster... instead of just letting her cry herself to sleep in the early days, I plugged her up with the binky.  Of course, it silenced her like a charm and even settled her enough to fall asleep quicker and easier.  

The drawback? Now, she MUST have the binky... 

"But, that isn't a problem... just give her the binky", you say!! 

 Oh if it were only that simple! 

You see, Evelyn doesn't have the dexterity to take a fallen binky and simply place it in her mouth... and her sucking reflex seizes when she falls asleep.  So, inevitably when she falls asleep she loses her binky, wakes up to an empty mouth, gets upset, can't put it back in on her own, gets MORE upset... you can see where this is going!!!  

-Usually when she loses her pacifier, she's in a deep enough sleep that she just doesn't notice and goes without it the rest of the night... 

last night was an exception!

So, 'Baby Wise' says that as long as you know the baby has a dry diaper, is not within 30 minutes of a feeding, and is not ill, letting the baby cry themselves to sleep will NOT hurt the baby.  and I quote:

"There may be a brief period of fussing or crying 

when you put the baby down...

Your baby will not lose brain cells, experience a drop in IQ, 

or have feelings of rejection that will leave her manic-depressive at age thirty...

ON THE OTHER HAND: 
if you want a fussy baby, never let her cry, 

and hold, rock, and feed her as soon as she starts to fuss.  

We guarantee that you will achieve your goal!!!!"

I'm not sure that 'Baby Wise' took into consideration the baby who's tenacity is undying!! Evelyn cried, wait... let me restate:  Evelyn SCREAMED for 30 minutes.  I knew that her diaper was dry, she was not ill, and she had just finished 7 oz. of milk & cereal... that child could NOT have been hungry.  


I went in & she had lost her binky... it was laying only inches from her face and she had tears pouring out of her precious eyes and was screaming at the pacifier... as if to will it back into her mouth.  I replaced the pacifier, rubbed her back for a minute until she settled. Minutes later she was asleep again... only to awaken for round 2 of the binky battle!!


This went on all night long!!  45 minutes wouldn't go before another 30-minute screaming session began... therefore, I probably got five or six 30-minute increments of sleep... I was a complete zombie this morning!! 


I usually take Evelyn to work with me... she always requires atleast 50% of my concentration.  Today I didn't even have 50% of concentration to offer... therefore, I turned to my mother, best friend, and more times than not, life saver! 


I talked to her at 7:00 am and asked her to come to Norman to keep Evelyn for the day so that I could somewhat focus at work.  I no more than completed my sentence, and mom was on her way here... So, Evelyn got to spend the day with her Sittie... and I was somewhat productive at work!   

Last night was exhausting! I just hope tonight is peaceful!!! 

On a sweeter note: