"No Binki", 4th, Uplifted, and Parting ways

Very long

Well I feel like we have gotten so much done lately and things just seem to be moving forward. I have to first say that last Wednesday after Paiglee's two year appointment I finally bit the bullet and decided it was time to wean Paiglee from the binky. While she was down for a nap I cut the tip of her binky off. When she woke up I just laid it out casually and she sucked on it for a little. Then I noticed as the day progressed times where she would normally be sucking on it she wasn't so I thought "oh my gosh this is working". And come bed time we put her down without it and she cried for a good thirty minutes before we decided we would give her the binky for nap and bedtime and no day time. Things have been going really well considering how attached she was and also considering I am not losing my mind. We have had a few rough times, the 4th, and when we went to lunch with some friends we brought it and gave it to her(this is the only time since we started weaning that she has been given the binky during the day). The first days she was very whiny and very emotional so we had extra patience for her. The days have gone by and she has done better each day. She asks for the binky but when we say "no binky" she says "oh okay". She even made it through church without it yesterday and that is saying something cause that was a way for us to keep her silent as much as possible. So with this all said we have made great strides and hopefully it keeps going smoothly. But we had agreed no matter what the binky is not allowed during the day. Once this is under control we will do nap then night time.

The 4th of July was nothing too special for us this year. We had plans to go to 'Freedom Has a Birthday' festivities in Washington Park but it was cut very short due to the weaning of the binky. We got all ready and planned on staying there until her nap time. Paiglee was so excited but then we let her out to walk and she followed directions well until she got her wild hair and thought no I think I will do what I want. I held her hand pretty much dragged her to the other side of the park to go jump on the blow up stuff. She loved it when she saw what we were doing and she waited in line so well considering her age and then once in she just sat there and bounced around from other kids bouncing her. She never got on her feet, but she did enjoy it. Then she wanted to go on bigger ones that were not for her age and that was another melt down. By this time I am sweaty sticky and have had enough of everyone staring and it was not enjoyable at all. So we called it a day, Paiglee cried all the way home and she got a good long timeout. She sat in timeout for seriously 30-40 minutes. So all together she was crying for over a good hour. We knew the melt down was probably due to her binky and not having her way. But the timeout was given because she gets violent when mad, and hits and screams a horrible scream, that is a one way ticket to time out. And we have cracked down with timeout, she has to stop crying and then do her time (which is her age) and then she can be done. Well after about 30 minutes of the crying we had to get her out and calm her down, because we really wanted her to calm herself without the binky. That was her way of calming and comforting herself before. She made it through like a champ and she brought her emotions in and calmed herself down. So although it was painful it was so worth it. We are very excited about all this. We also helped someone move that day and then we just hung out like it was any other day. We didn't see the fireworks because we didn't want a melt down due to the binky especially since it would be way past bedtime. So we called it good and that is our, oh so exciting 4th.

Now I know I mentioned this once before, but we went to the other ward again this Sunday and well how can I put this? We loved it. Sacrament went well; we made it with no binky. Then Paiglee literally walked herself to nursery. After sacrament we were talking and Paiglee took off I went to find her and she walked herself to the nursery room and was already playing. She didn't even notice me in there. I can't tell you how weird it was for me to have her be okay with staying there. It is a huge weight lifted off both Daryl and I and we have really enjoyed this free time to ourselves. Although I still feel weird not being there with her, and I have to check in on her. I was able to go to Relief Society and really enjoy it, I left feeling spiritually uplifted and just in a good mood. Then to find out that Paiglee had bumped her nose somehow in nursery and that I didn't hear her screaming or that she wasn't bothered by it was just amazing. I know that if that happened in Spring Creek I would have heard her from the room and it would have ruined the day and she would be a fussy little girl. I am so glad that we are able to enjoy the last few Sundays here in Laramie. Instead of toughing them out and Sundays just making us want to move that much more cause we want to move bad enough as it is. I hope our new ward will be even a smidge as great as this one. Turns out it might, some friends of ours that are working in Rock Springs for the summer went to our ward and said they were so nice and it was a good mix of older and young people. I will wait to see before I get my hopes up. But yay if so! To top off Sunday Paiglee and I made cookies for Daryl. This was her first time helping me with something like this and it was a great time for both Paiglee and me. She did so well and I could tell she just felt a part of it and so big and important. I plan on doing more of this with her especially now that she does so well with helping and following directions she hasn’t been told before. I had a feeling that this stuff would be up her ally because she is always willing to help if I ask her and she is a girly girl with a rough edge.

Sifting Flour

can you see the bump on her nose from church? No clue as to what happened

We have also begun to pack our things. I really couldn’t feel so relieved and as if weight has been lifted. I have been dying to start. Thanks to the Bade’s they gave us all their boxes from their move and now we have boxes galore. We have taken down all our home décor that can fit in a box and our books. I also accomplished the big task of sorting through my clothes of what I am keeping and putting in the garage sale this weekend. I actually got rid of more than I thought I could bear. I finally came to some terms and realized I won’t probably ever fit into pants I wore in high school. Dang it! So I am going to try and sell them for a pretty penny. ; ) This was so hard for me, I am a very sentimental person and am attached to this stuff (some may call this a pack rat) it has some good memories with it. I took a picture with some of my favorite jeans ever. They are not fancy to say the least they have been stitched many times by my wonderful grandma’s fragile hands. They have helped me make extra cash, and I just loved they way they looked and how comfortable they were. They had holes in them so when I wore them to work and turned around to get some young lad his ice-cream he might think a little harder about leaving a little extra in our tip jar. I know shame on me! I was totally young and stupid but they totally worked! I have parted with them and it is a good thing they were just taking up too much room in the closet. I think I will make it through without them, I will be okay.
We are just going to continue to pack things as we go a little here and there and we hope to be done and organized by the 28th. Only three and a half more weeks, it seems far away but I know it is creeping on us. I have never packed for a move such as this. We didn’t pack like this when we moved to our different apartments it was quick and not very many boxes were involved. Most dread moving but this is too exciting for me and I really couldn’t be happier to pack up. Plus to know a better and bigger place is awaiting me couldn’t be more enticing, I think.

My tattered pants, get one last shot with me, tear!