Dummy

Over in the UK, they refer to pacifiers as dummys...when I think about it, both names make sense...those little silicone wonders pacify a crying baby and really are a fake (aka: dummy) version of a nipple.

That being said, I have always been a fan of the pacifier. I know parents who refuse to give them to their children because it was a bad habit. I decided before Connor was born, I would much prefer him to suck on a pacifier than on his thumb. My logic was, I can eventually take the pacifier away, but I can't take his thumb away! From the day Connor got home from the hospital (I forgot to bring a pacifier with me to the hospital and they don't give out baby supplies at the hospital over here) he took a pacifier. He seemed to love it. I never had to force it on him and would just put it in his mouth when he was crying. Oddly enough, we never dealt with the issues of Connor waking up at night crying for his pacifier.

A couple weeks ago, Connor started throwing his pacifier for us to fetch. I decided I was not down with that game, so stopped fetching it and he stopped using a pacifier. Just like that. Apparently the kid wasn't emotionally attached to the thing...even though I would have to pry it out of his mouth to get him to smile at people. It was weird.

Now, I am sort of wishing Connor would take a pacifier once again. Ever since we went camping, Connor is no longer sleeping thru the night. And the only way we can get him back to sleep is by me nursing him...mind you, this isn't how he goes to sleep at night. We just put him in his crib and he goes to sleep. Why he needs my boob in the middle of the night, I will never know. Last night, I pulled out a pacifier and tried to give it to him, he went crazy on me. The kid isn't stupid and he knows what he wants. He wants his mom's boob and will settle for nothing less...and this mom is sitting here wishing her son, like so many babies before him, would become addicted to a pacifier!

And for those of you who wish your children weren't addicted to the wonder referred to as a pacifier, the grass is always greener, right?