As we traverse the suburban jungle, I have noticed that most babies like pacifiers. Every place we go, babies lie calmly in their car seats or strollers, happily sucking on silicone. I suppose that's why they're called 'pacifiers.'

Anneli does not like pacifiers. It wholly fails to pacify when she is hungry, tired, or in need of a new diaper. Her face contorts with a look of disgust and pop! it falls out. She has rejected pacifiers since she was a wee one. The only thing that calms her in her times of discomfort is a blanket, and it must be one of hers. (How she knows is beyond me. It must be the smell, clean or otherwise.) She immediately pulls it to her mouth, licking and sucking like there's no tomorrow. I've tried to put a pacifier in her mouth by quickly swapping it in, but nooo, mommy is evil. When her face is buried in the blanket, do not disturb baby.

Anyway, it's a rather fortunate thing that she hates pacifiers. We all see toddlers with them glued to their mouths who refuse to give them up. I enjoy her distate for pacifiers, as I don't need to keep track of them or spend lots of money of replacing old ones. We have lots of blankets, whose only upkeep is a wash here and there. Of course, I suppose I can look forward to an emotional attachment to blankets, as opposed to pacifiers. Sheets of cotton, or rubber nipples? Choice is simple.