Thumb Sucker No More

Well, she's done it: Leah no longer sucks her thumb. Hurray! Breaking the habit was no easy feat for Leah or us, but she has been free of the habit for almost a month now thanks to some persistence on our end (well, mostly Scott's).

Scott has been lamenting Leah's bad habit for some time now (as in, ever since she was an infant). Knowing how some babies become dependent on the pacifier (which isn't always handy -- no pun intended-- or in reach), I never minded her sucking her thumb. (Read: I didn't want to constantly run into her room at night to replace the pacifier every time it fell out.) I figured she'd break herself of the habit eventually, I just never knew it would take us to do so.

Just before Hunter was born, we began the monumental task of breaking the thumb-sucking habit. First we tried the stuff you apply to the thumb (so cleverly named "Thumb-Suck Stop"). Yeah, that didn't work too well. We'd apply it; Leah would stick her thumb in her mouth and pull it back out. Then she'd try again, and leave it there (the stuff never lasted). 

Before investing some serious money in a solution, we tried wrapping her thumbs in tape and band-aids. Neither worked. She'd just pull and pull until they came off. Guess this was going to be a bit more difficult than I had thought.

The next tactic? Gloves, but not just any gloves. These were special gloves that Scott found on-line (did I mention that he's the one who really wanted her to stop?). Leah's princess gloves (as we called them) are fingerless except for the thumb, and button around the wrist to preclude their removal. They worked initially, but then Leah managed to pull the thumbs off. (Talk about persistent!)

Scott was determined to break Leah of the habit; he even considered ordering a $75 plastic glove contraption! But before doing so, he had one more trick up his sleeve: an attack on multiple fronts. So, that first week in September (remember all the rain?), we hit Leah's thumbs with a triple threat: thumb-suck stop, gloves, and Gorilla tape around the thumbs. Oh, the tears that ensued! The first couple of nights, Leah cried and cried, unable to console herself since her source of comfort was hidden under three layers. Scott or I would lay with her until she fell asleep. Trying to help her settle her mind one night, I told her to listen to the rain. What a blessing that we had it that week! Listening to the rain helped; the following week, Leah even told me that she wanted to listen to it (too bad I couldn't help her out). Of course, I'm making it sound as if Leah was "cured" overnight, which is hardly the case. It took her several nights to fall asleep without the tears or our company. Plus, she'd wake up crying several times during the night, prompting a comforting hug and snuggle from me or Scott. Even now, she still wakes up once during the night (and she's not wearing the gloves anymore). 

So, thanks to some persistence, lots of praying, and a reward from Grandma and Papa, Leah has officially broken the habit. We're so proud of her, and we tell her daily. (How could we not when she tells us each morning, "I didn't suck my thumb!"?)  Guess this is just one more sign that my baby girl is growing up.

Cozying Up

Today is dreary, dismal, gray, rainy... and absolutely perfect for curling up with a cup of tea and a book. So please excuse the brevity of this post; I have other things to take care (that is, if the kids will let me).

Vacation

The kids and I took a much needed vacation back in August. Notice I didn't include the husband. While Leah, Hunter, and I were playing with my in-laws, Scott was competing in a hockey tournament in NYC. (For those who might be wondering, no, his team didn't make the play-offs, but Scott did have a good time, despite the exorbitant cost of EVERYTHING in the city.)

My mother-in-law (Mel) picked up me and the kids the Saturday that Irene hit VA. Thankfully, we made it home (to NY) ahead of the storm. Aside from being without power Sunday morning until Monday morning (thank goodness for access to a generator Sunday night!), the trip was fun and uneventful. Below is a recap of the week:

*Monday: A chance to relax at Mel & Roger's. Great Grandma was there, too. Leah entertained us with her mad dancing skills. (See video; my apologies for the side view.)

*Tuesday: The Syracuse Zoo. We met up with my sister-in-law and nieces, but since they arrived earlier, we only saw part of the zoo together. We spent all day there, though we hadn't planned on it initially. Despite not having a nap, Leah did remarkably well. (She crashed on the way home.) If you were to ask Leah what her favorite animal was, she'd tell you the colorful horse. No, it wasn't an actual animal; rather, it was a statue outside of the farm animal exhibit. 
  That night, we cooked hot dogs and s'mores over the fire pit. Leah helped me roast a hot dog for all of about 10 seconds before she running off and joining her cousins as they played in the yard. As for the s'more, well, she wasn't that interested in it as a whole. Apparently (for I didn't witness this; Roger filled me in), Leah separated the s'more, ate the chocolate (that's my girl!), sampled the graham cracker, and then pulled off the marshmellow. She wasn't sure what to make of the sticky mess (she's used to eating them straight out of the bag), and after pulling it apart, tried rolling it between her fingers to get it off. 


*Wednesday: Frog Pond. This is basically a farmer's market that also has some farm animals on site (pigs, goats, calves, chickens, ducks, bunnies). Prior to our trip (to NY), Leah had been talking about seeing "piggies and cows" at Grandma and Papa's house, so Mel thought a trip to Frog Pond might satisfy Leah's desire. While there, she had a chance to play in the corn box (similar to a sandbox), as well as pet the pigs, goats, and calves. The chicks gave her a fright; Leah stuck her hands on the coop before I could warn her about them, and I think one might have pecked her fingers. 

*Thursday: The Discovery Center. This was so cool! I only wish there were something like it here. Basically, there are different exhibits set-up to resemble real-life locations/ centers (i.e. fire station, grocery store, restaurant, etc.). My sister-in-law and nieces joined us, and Leah loved running around with Kate and Mila. Talk about a place where a kid's imagination can run wild! Thanks to a busy morning there, and a late lunch, Leah took a good nap upon returning to Mel's. 


*Friday: A chance to relax at home. Mel and Leah made sugar cookies. Leah helped cut them out, and later, helped decorate them, too.  Of course, the best part about making cookies with Grandma was eating them, which Leah was more than willing to do. Friday night, Scott arrived. Scott, Leah, Hunter, and I had a chance to relax and reconnect as a family since Mel & Roger had a wedding to attend. The four of us spent some time outside; Scott held Hunter, while Leah and I ran around the yard (or at least between the rocks and the flowerbeds). We then enjoyed a dinner of hot dogs and s'mores cooked over the fire pit (though, again, Leah didn't help with the roasting, nor did she eat a roasted marshmellow). 


Time flew while we were there; before we knew it, Sunday had arrived and it was time to head home. Our week was so busy yet relaxing, that it was hard to leave. But I guess leaving home always is.

 Watching a music video... over and over and over again.

 Papa and Hunter get some much needed cuddle time.

 Ms. Teresa bundled Hunter up so that he wouldn't get too cold. Notice the sweater sleeves. 

 Grandma, Leah, & Hunter enjoying lunch at the zoo.

 Leah enjoyed watching the penguins.

 An authentic tiger roar (blaring from hidden speakers) accompanied this statue, and was loud enough to frighten Leah. She wasn't too sure about getting on the tiger's back.

 Milking the cows at the zoo.

Future baker and pastry chef.

 "Mommy, take a picture of me on the phone."

 Leah & Mila in the fire truck at the Discovery Center.

Enjoying a cookout in Grandma & Papa's backyard.

Two Months Plus

My handsome little man deserves another post devoted to him, and seeing as he's now almost 11 weeks old, an update on his progress seemed appropriate.

*Stats: 11 lbs., 6.2 oz; 23 1/4" long

*Sleep: Typically will sleep from 9 PM to 3 AM, though he did sleep 7 hours a few nights (not consecutively or consistently). We're working on sleep training now, but that'll be difficult to do for his morning nap, especially since that's when Leah and I run errands or spend time with friends.

*Disposition: So happy! He loves interacting with Leah, me, his daddy, or just about anyone else who wants to love on him. This social little boy definitely prefers being in on the action. (During dinner, he joins us; he sits on the bouncy seat which we set on the table.) 

*Physically: Hunter's a champ at holding up his head and shoulders during tummy time, even if he doesn't enjoy the exercise. (Maybe that's because he'd much rather cuddle and snuggle.) He can also roll from belly to back, and sometimes does so to avoid tummy time.

 

 Showing off his tummy time skills.

 Let's ride!

 My two handsome fellas. Notice Scott's chops.

The official two month photo (August 24).

Hunter's Turn

Hunter heard that I've been posting videos of his big sis lately, and he wanted to get in on the action. For his movie debut, he decided on something a bit more ambitious than the typical baby "tricks"; instead of rolling over or holding his head up, he took his car out for a spin. Enjoy!

A Better Me

Lately, I can't help but think of Jay Gatsby. Toward the end of the novel (The Great Gatsby), Nick Calloway (the narrator) discovers Gatsby's self-improvement list. On it he included various items to make him more appealing to the love of his life (Daisy). Recently, I have been thinking about (self) improvements that I should make (though I'm not doing so to impress my husband).

Since adjusting to Hunter's presence and being the mom of two, I have managed to implement one change: I'm actually getting dressed each day. (Pretty sure I wrote an earlier post on this topic, but in case I didn't, here's a short recap.) Okay, so I get dressed every day anyway, but my usual outfit of choice constitutes workout shorts and a t-shirt. As for hair and make-up? Well, those were definitely neglected... until recently. Now I actually get up in time to make myself look decent, presentable. My motive for doing so was to set a good example for Leah, though I now realize that I feel better when I do so, too. So, check one for this item on my list.

The next item on my list? Being a better friend. Once again, I've had an epiphany: I could be a better friend. I realize that I say "no" quite a bit when friends ask me to do something (in the evening, or out of Woodbridge). During one of my envious moments (probably when I was checking FB), I realized that I need to make more of an effort to say "yes" or to initiate get-togethers (either singly or with the hubs, though I'd probably be more successful singly). Granted, I enjoy my family time, and with Scott playing hockey, we have fewer evenings together. But hockey is coming to an end soon (hooray!), and I still need to strike a balance between time with him and the kids, and time with my girlfriends... just the girls. A recent sermon intro also reiterated the importance of spending time with my girls. The pastor asked people to identify what they're fans of; I looked at my girlfriend sitting next to me, and, sadly, admitted that I'm not a fan of anything. I mean, there are some things that I enjoy (reading, Sudoku, scrapbooking), but I don't feel like I'm passionate about anything. How depressing! Maybe by reconnecting with friends, I'll also rediscover my interests in the process. So girls, here's to me (trying) to get out of the house once or twice a month (again... I have to strike a balance).

A third item? Getting outside, just a little, each day. You'd think this would be easy with a toddler and living in a house with a yard, yet, I have a hard time doing so. This might be because we tend to take it slow in the morning, when really that's the best time to get out, especially if Hunter is napping. There have been some days when I haven't ventured out of the house at all; ugh. I hate that feeling/ realization at the end of the day. It makes me feel like such a slug. Plus, how can I teach Leah (and Hunter) good habits about being active (outside) if I don't do so myself? So, somehow, I hope to get out for just a bit on a daily basis (and no, running errands doesn't count).  

So there you have it; a list of improvements. I know that ultimately I'm the one responsible for making these changes, but maybe by sharing them, I can hold myself accountable to my friends. Feel free to ask how I'm doing with this, or to call me out if I'm slacking.

Encore

Thought I'd include another video of Leah singing. This time she accompanied the CD in our car. (The song is "Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho", in case you can't quite make out the lyrics.) I apologize for the angle; the video was shot using the digital camera, and I'm not sure how (or if) I can rotate it for viewing.

And because this post features my Leah, I thought I'd include two quick snippets/ stories. Oh how I love this little girl!

*Last week, Nicole, my former student, had stopped by for a visit bearing gifts for Leah and Hunter. Once Leah warmed up to her, she loved having her around, especially since Nicole would wrap Leah up in the blanket that she had given her. A couple days later, while Leah and I were eating dinner, the phone rang. As I looked at the number, Leah said, “That's my friend Nicole.”(It wasn't; it was a telemarketer, but still, you see the impression Nicole made on Leah.)

*Leah is still ever so loving and kind, and it troubles her whenever someone ISN'T happy. I saw a news story that made me cry. Leah came over and said, “Mommy happy.”

“No, Mommy's sad. Mommy saw a story that made her sad,” I replied.

Leah came over, gave me a hug and kiss, and then, reassured, said, “Mommy happy now.”