Binkie, where are you?

So if you know Tanner even a little, you know that he truly loves to be comforted.  When he was a baby and we'd put him in his crib it would be Baba (Bottle), Kiki (Binkie), Blankie, Night night.  Without one of those ingredients we'd be in for a very long, unhappy night.  Well, when he turned 2 the baba became the sippy with not too much effort.  As for the binkie, I kept putting it off because that boy SERIOUSLY loved his bink.  For the past few months, we've been plagued with ear infections, running noses and the other typical childhood illnesses with not just Tanner but everyone.  I got to thinking that maybe the binkie was helping spread germs and causing him to get sick.  Now, I'm certainly no expert, but frankly I needed an excuse to justify to myself that his bink really did need to go. I asked for advise from friends, I got many suggestions from Binkie Fairies to tying them to balloons and letting them go, to having Tanner gather them up and walk them out to the dumpster, etc.  I also prayed for a solution, as well as comfort for Tanner so he'd be able to handle the transition time, and that I'd be patient enough to handle him during the transition time :).  Anyhow, we started off Monday morning with a bink in his mouth. It came to me that I should cut them, so I distracted him, took it from him and cut the top off, then proceeded to find all the other binks, (I thought) and cut the top off those too.  He quickly started asking for them and I showed him and told him they were broken.  He looked at them, tried to put them in his mouth and realized that would not be possible.  I made sure to be available for lots of loves and comfort time.  I went to go do something down the hall and when I got back, I found the last errant bink in his mouth.  I have no idea where he found it, so yet again I distracted him and cut the top off that one.  All day I kept the broken bink's in my pocket so I could show him every time he wanted one.  The last few days have been beautiful so we've been playing outside a lot partially because we are so sun-deprived and partially to keep Tan distracted.  Well, it's worked!! YAY!! It's now Thursday morning and although we still get occasional requests for it, he easily moves on to other things. So now it's Sippy, Blankie, night night, so much easier than searching like a mad woman for the binkie to avoid crying and sadness.  Oh, and in the beginning I was worried he'd try to steal Grant's, but I made sure when he was born his binkie brand was different and we've made sure never to share, and to my surprise Tanner has not touched any of them, although they've been all around tempting him.  I'm so proud of my sweet BIG BOY.  I have noticed that now that the Bink is not attached, I've been admiring his handsome face and have noticed many more smiles, as well as no more runny nose, which had been constant up to this point. I truly believe that the prayers we've said, along with McKay praying for Tanner that he would be comforted without the binkie are what have truly made this experience easier.  I'm grateful that Heavenly Father cares for us, even with something so small and insignificant as a 2 year olds Binkie.  He truly wants to help us with our struggles and I'm so grateful for the comfort he freely gives.