My child's pacifier addiction and the lengths she goes to get her fix

I know that I am not the first parent to have a child who is addicted to their pacifier. I was fortunate that Miss H never liked her paci, except that now she is a thumb sucker but that's a post for another day. Lil' B is another story. I have blogged about her need for the pacifier to get to sleep before, but now it is reaching the addiction stage.

Since her first birthday, we have strictly been enforcing the paci at nap/bedtime only rule. Every once in awhile when she is sick or teething, I will let her have it for a day or two, but I am always careful to get back to our old routine.

A couple of months ago I started giving her the pacifier during particularly messy diaper changes as a way to keep her hands and attention occupied. Now, instead of being an occasional treat, she has come to expect it with every diaper change. She runs to her room and excitedly stands next to her crib (that's where paci lives). She giggles and sort of jumps around saying, "Paci, paci, paci!" When I finally cave and let her have it, she puts it in her mouth and makes this little "mmm, mmm, mmm" sound, like she is so happy to be getting her "fix."

Now, she is getting tricky about it. Lil' B has always been good about letting me know when she needs a diaper change. One day last week she came up to me and said, "Poo-poos" and did the sign for diaper change. So, we went through the canipleasehavemypacimommyplease routine and I gave in.

Up on the changing table I undressed her to find that her diaper was dry. Completely dry. I looked at that little girl and said, "Lil' B......"

And she just laughed. Sucker.