Having trouble weaning your kid off her pacifier?

Take her to the dentist!

Raeven had her first dental visit today. Her full account (as told by her mommy, of course) is here.

And boy, was it worth every penny.

Although it was just a routine check every American kid her age goes through, and all they did was brush and count her teeth, today, the 29th of March 2006, was definitely a milestone - and the end of an era.

The era of Raeven's Shooshoot aka her pacifier aka a binky, as the Americans call it.

We've been trying to wean Raeven off it and her addiction to her best friend had been reduced to just bedtime (she used to want it everytime she needed comforting, and that was like a LOT).

Today, at three years and nine months old, Raeven gave her habit up because "Dr Stephanie said I have to say goodbye to my shooshoot because the shooshoot fairy needs it and she'll leave me a penny."

It was THAT simple.

And to think of all the cajoling and threatening and bribing we did. With the simple wave of the pediatric dentist's magic wand (not to mention her YEARS of practice with little kids), Raeven slept peacefully tonight, shooshootless. No fuss. No muss.

Now why didn't we do this sooner?

Something cute she said at about 20 mins after lights out.

"Mommy?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"The shooshoot fairy is taking too long." (stern look)

Sigh. My baby is SO grown up.