"You've got to use your left thumb, Mommy. It tastes better than your right thumb. And you've got to tug on your ear with your other hand. Try it - it will make you feel better!"
Amelia is also insistent that all of her dolls have either a thumb or pacifier to suck when she swaddles them at night. Sometimes, this is easy. Certain baby dolls even come with their mouths open and thumbs extended, including one doll who makes sucking noises. This doll also cries when she can't find her pacifier. She is very loud and was one of Santa's worst ideas.
Some dolls, however, have what might be called a poor sucking reflex. Several times, Amelia has expressed concern because her favorite doll, Baby Sister, has a closed mouth and can't take a binkie. Usually, she worries about this at bedtime. Since Amelia can't settle down until Baby Sister does, it's made for a few long nights.
Last week, I finally found a way for Baby Sister, Amelia, and all of us to get a good night's sleep. On a trip to Target, I purchased a package of pacifiers and a package of adhesive putty. I cut the rubber part off of the binikies and attached a chewing-gum sized piece of adhesive putty. Then, I used the adhesive putty to adhere the pacifier to Baby Sister's mouth.
Because adhesive putty is removable, Baby Sister could suck her binkie at night and put it aside during the day. Amelia was thrilled. In fact, a couple of nights later, she announced that Baby Sister was ready to move from her little bed and sleep on the toy box with the other dolls. She said that she was proud of Baby Sister, but also a little sad.
As for Amelia, it seems that similar progress is being made. She now has two loose teeth, which has made thumb sucking difficult. Yesterday, I noticed that she fell asleep with both hands - and thumbs - folded on her belly. I'm very proud, but I'm also a little sad.
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