First tooth! First pacifier!

He did it! He cut his first tooth! Like Alice did, Robert tends to get awfully snotty the couple days before the tooth pops out. We thought he was getting sick...again...then the tooth came through and all the snot disappeared instantly. The second tooth won't be far behind.

This has also been an interesting week with the pacifier. Baby Bob has never really liked them. We tried really hard at first to get him attached to them, but he just gagged and cried harder every time. Well, with the teething and the off-and-on sickness, he started to use me as his pacifier. No go, bub! I pulled out the pacifiers again and gave it another go. Success! It didn't take him long to get the hang of it this time.

But now I have mixed feelings. The pacifier has made bedtime, ouchies, and the "witching hour" much, much more pleasant for all of us. At the same time, I know I will be taking it away from him eventually. And I kinda miss all his random babbling noise. You can't see his smiles as well, either, from behind the pacifier. Was this a short-term gain for a long-term loss? Hmmmm.

Alice had unlimited pacifier use until age one, then it was restricted to the bed. When she started asking for it by name ("deet-do") at age two, I felt it was time to get rid of it altogether. Her relationship with the pacifier evolved naturally and none of these transitions was terribly traumatic. Each parent has his/her own philosophy about this issue, I know. And there are great parents on both sides of the issue that I deeply respect. I understand both sides. So, I have mixed feelings. My impulse is to allow pacifier use as long as it continues to make our lives and relationships better/easier. If it becomes "absolutely critical" to the boy's happiness, out it goes.

Let's see how this goes.