WFMW: Weaning from the Binky

I haven't joined the Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival in a long time, but I'm back! I have a great suggestion for weaning a baby/toddler from a pacifier!

I read this advice somewhere on the internet when Wendy was a toddler, and gave it a try. Within a week, she was completely Binky-free, with zero tears. Now that David is that age (our pediatrician recommends weaning from the pacifier by 18 months), I've done it again. And guess what?

It worked even better. He is Binky-free after only a few days.

How did I do it? It's easy!

When your baby/toddler isn't watching, cut about 1/4" off of the tip of the pacifier. That's it! That's all! Let your baby have the pacifier at all the usual times, without any restriction. In two days, if baby is still wanting the pacifier, cut another 1/4" off. Repeat as needed until baby decides that the pacifier isn't necessary.

My favorite thing about this method weaning from the Binky is that I am not the Mean Mommy. The decision to give up the pacifier came from the baby, and I didn't have to fight any battles over it.

Two additional points:
*Make sure that your cut is smooth. You don't want baby's mouth to get irritated if he decides to keep sucking on the pacifier.
*Make sure to keep the pacifier clean. Once the bulb is cut, it can trap all kinds of dirt and germs.

Good luck! For more tips and advice, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

I have always loved pictures. When I got my first digital camera, I took zillions of pictures...and they all stayed on the computer, never to be printed out and enjoyed. When I discovered Shutterfly, that all changed - I could print out whatever I wanted, from 1 picture to 100 pictures, in any size, and have them mailed right to my door.

Now that I have kids and I send pictures of them to family and friends for the holidays, I am loving their Christmas cards! They're simple to create, and the finished product is always impressive. They have over 700 designs, so even the pickiest person is bound to find something they like!

One feature I especially appreciate this year is the ability to sort the card choices by color. I have the kids' outfits already picked out for their Christmas picture, so I can go ahead and narrow down my selection. And eventually, when I get the picture taken & edited, I'll be able to choose & order cards & have them delivered in no time! Right now, I think this one is my favorite:



The kids' outfits are red and black with a touch of plaid here and there, so I think this design will look great! (Provided I can get them to be still long enough to get a good picture, anyway!)

Not in the market for Christmas cards? Here are some other great ideas:

Birthday invitations

Calendars (great for Christmas gifts!)

Thank You cards (I made beautiful TY cards for Wendy's birthday!)

If you are a blogger, you can get 50 free cards from Shutterfly! Click here to find out more!