Update

We have embarked on Operation Binky Ban for Daffodil. I've been putting this off for waaaaay too long and am thoroughly embarrassed that the girl is three years old and firmly attached to the pacifier. We've never had a child so entrenched. Eden was attached to binkies too but self-weaned when I refused to replace the so-used-they're-gummy props. Soren never really took a pacifier and Anna likewise doesn't take one. But Daffodil always did and how. She has "sucking binkies" for her mouth and "broken binkies" to stink her thumbs and fingers in--both are required. Monday we bit the bullet and said "no more". I started at nap time and laid down with her. I made the mistake of letting her hold the binkies though and she kept wanting to use them (who would give a druggie a favorite fix and ask them to just hold it and not use it?). After a while she asked to go to her own bed instead and I let her, knowing full well that she would put the binky to use. It seemed like an easy out--she got to use the binky without me actually telling her she could. And that's exactly what happened. At bedtime I didn't give her the binkies and it took a while for her to go to sleep but wasn't as bad as I feared. It was the same yesterday at bedtime. Every time she asked me to tell her the story of Goldilocks and then the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker (don't you think it would get old?). Nap time today was a different story. We started out with the same stories, etc., but she wouldn't settle down. She ended up weeping and wailing for over two hours and never did sleep. I was super frustrated with her by the end of it (not least because I didn't get the nap I was hoping for) and the poor girl was fried all afternoon. But the binkies have not resurfaced and honestly I think it could have been worse.

Naps have become more regular for me to accommodate my new schedule of rising at 5:15 or earlier (not to mention getting up sometimes multiple times during the night). I'm getting up early these days to shake my booty (or otherwise stumble over myself) at a step class or in the weight room. I would not be successful at this if it weren't for the neighbors that arrive every morning to pick me up. I can't tell you how glad I am to have someone to ride with; I wouldn't make it otherwise and my days go so much better that it's well worth it.

Exercise helps mitigate the effects of another recurring habit: dumpster diving, emotional dumpster diving that is. Unfortunately, I've been dallying in this lately too; I'll spare you the icky details but, as you know, it is not a clean occupation. And I don't even have any treasures to show for it, not a bit of insight for dredging around in the muck.



Other time is spent deliberating about occupations and trying to see down the various roads currently confronting us.
Thank you for all the helpful advice/ideas and listening ears. I'm not sure which way we'll go yet but offers are pending so we could be packing our bags soon.