A blog about a binky

I got home a little early today.  I knew I was going to be on a long conference call, and if I didn't take it in the car, I wouldn't get home until super late.  When I got home, the house was empty and silent.  It was nice to come home to the peace, even if I'd normally prefer all the hugs that I get when I get home.  The 5 girls were at Caroline's swim practice, and it was going to be after 6 before they got home.  Ultimately, it was good that I was here because the groceries were getting delivered, and this allowed me to be here to receive them.  I wanted to make sure to put all the groceries away, and I even contemplated cleaning the house a bit.  Not surprisingly, the house was already pretty clean.  Outside of a few toys in the playroom, you couldn't tell anyone had been here all day.  I then thought maybe I could just order what we were going to have for dinner so that it could be delivered before the girls got back.  That way Brooke wouldn't have to worry about cooking dinner after swim practice.  Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time.  With nothing else to do, I just sort of sat there in the kitchen and turned on some good music. Hey, it's the thought that counts, right?  As I was decompressing from the day, I looked up and saw the above picture.

Let me explain what you're looking at.  This bench is nothing short of an antique.  We got it from some very wealthy friends in Louisville who were going to throw it out.  It has followed us from Louisville, to Lexington, to Chicago, through three different houses.  It really has been a great addition to our house.  They couldn't even remember how old it was in 2003 when they gave it to us.  It's a great place to sit and talk about the day.  It is a great place to put on your shoes before you go out to tackle the day.  It's even a great place to snuggle with one of your little girls.  However, due to its current placement in our kitchen, and due to its perfect height, it has become a table for Hadley Blaine.  Normally throughout the day Hadley puts anything she wants to come back to on this bench.  Most of the time its her drink, maybe a toy, or even some food.  Today when I got home, after everything settled down, and I was relishing the basic silence (minus my good music), I saw this binky on the bench.  This isn't just A binky, it is THE binky.  For some reason this is Hadley's favorite binky.  Make no mistake about it, she has close to 20 binkies strategically placed all over the house.  Regardless, this is her favorite.  Seeing this binky brought a flood of emotions over me.  Three of the four girls have used binkies.  You scroll back through Facebook and can see each of them in pictures seemingly hiding behind binkies.  If not for their dimples, you probably wouldn't know they were smiling.  To me it brings a comforting feeling because I know how each of the girls would settle down any time they got their binky.  That's all you want as a parent, for your kids to feel safe.  When they are young, all it takes is their binky.  I guess we wish it was always that easy.  It also brought a hint of sadness.  It won't be long before the "binky fairy" makes her visit.  When the binky fairy comes, she takes the binkies for other kids who need them around the world.  In return, she always leaves a few gifts for the girl who sacrificed her binkies.  It is pretty much a cold turkey quit.  In full disclosure, it is normally harder on me than the particular girl.  I never think they are ready.  I always believe it is too soon.  As a result, I fear they will end up being a stripper.  I can see her now on the pole..."its because you took my binky away too soon, Daddy."  I know that this day (the visit from the binky fairy, not the stripper part) isn't too far off.  It means she is growing up and getting bigger.  But mostly, it brought me happiness.  I can see Hadley babbling about something as she walks around the kitchen.  I see her looking up and noticing that the girls were getting their shoes on to leave.  In a hurry, I see her placing the binky right on her bench knowing that it would be there for her as soon as she returns.  That makes me feel good, for a lot of reasons.

Sometimes, something so simple, can mean so much more.