Pacifiers and Excuses

Brooklyn still has a pacifier.  She loves her pacifier.  We love that she loves her pacifier.  She turned 2 in Feb., which means she is already overdue to be off the pacifier. But you see, I have such good excuses.  The thing of it is, they make really cute girl pacifiers.  You know, they match the outfit and are shiny and pretty.  The mam website itself says "Over 50 different colors and prints to choose from make it fun to coordinate MAM pacifiers with babies’ outfits, wardrobe or daily mood. (Daily mood,seriously?) And it makes it so easy to put her to sleep, quiet her in church, or stop a fit instantly.  If you had eight kids and two babies 15 months apart, would you be anxious to take away the one thing that can accomplish all of that?   I was actually getting ready to take her off of the pacifier as soon as I was done teaching my class last summer, and before the new baby was born. But then the accident happened, and she needed it. She really did. My poor little girl got a new baby brother and a broken mommy at the same time, and my angel needed something to comfort her. Well, the new baby brother came with a pacifier too. And so it came to pass that Brooklyn realized she had access to pacifiers any time she darn well pleased. We have actually watched her walk in to Colton's room and pluck it out of his peaceful, pouty, sleeping mouth.  (She also steals his blanket in the same manner.) We realized that taking her off a pacifier would mean taking it away from the baby, and he was just little.  But now she talks.  And he is almost one.  And it is a little annoying to listen to a toddler talk through a pacifier.  And she wants it allthe time.  She will pitifully cry out "Pa--ci--fi--er" in the middle of a tantrum.  The kicker was when I was at my moms on Sunday night.  I mentioned something about taking the pacifier away from her and my sister in law asked if it was pushing her teeth out.  I of course said "No".  I mean really, what kind of mother would let her baby have a pacifier to the point of deforming her teeth?  "Her teeth came in with a really wide arch" I hear myself saying.  It is true, but I know I sounded pretty lame.  Amy looked in her mouth and said, "Oh, they are out a little".  And then in an even more feeble attempt I say, "They've always been like that".  Even as the words come out of my mouth I realize I have a problem.  I am in denial.  And to Amy's credit, she didn't utter a single word, didn't even smirk.  So Monday morning I looked in her mouth, and sure enough, her two front teeth are being pushed forward a little. And so it begins.  Taking her off the pacifier.  Right now we only use paci's for nighttime.  So far so good.  I'll let you know how STAKE CONFERENCE (read as two whole hours) goes without a paci.  We'll bring a lot of fruit snacks and hope for the best!!