Thumb Suckers Anonymous

Zachary has two bad habits.

(Or maybe more, but why dwell on it?)

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

The Diaper-Digging is easy enough to control. Feety pajamas are always an easy deterrent. Also, using a onesie as the foundation for EVERY outfit has worked pretty well. And on days when even that won't stop him, we put a pair of tights UNDER the onesie and that keeps him out fo' sho'!

Now let's address the Thumb-Sucking.

Today, after being told by Zach's grandpa that Zach is officially becoming Buck-Toothed, I decided it was finally time to begin discouraging the habit.

But how do you keep him from putting his thumb in his mouth?

Hot sauce?

Maybe.

Gloves?

He'd pull them off in a flash!

Those bad-tasting medicines you paint on?

Are those even okay for a 20-month-old?

So...

I find myself faced with a dilemma:

How do you get an addict to stop sucking his thumb?

Suggestions are welcome.

*me, circa 1982

P.S. He gets it from me...(or maybe Grandpa P?)

I stopped sucking (that phrase has double meaning. lol.) after my parents bribed me with a CareBear, but I don't think Zach will be so easy to reason with.

Prayer

I read this quote today and it spoke to me:

"Prayer is your personal key to heaven.
The lock is on your side of the veil."

-Boyd K. Packer

A-Okay

Last night my mom called my cell.

I was in the middle of Chorale rehearsal and we're not supposed to have our ringers on, but that night I didn't bother with it. I always forget to turn it back on and I miss about a dozen calls before I remember.

So...

The phone sang out loudly. Then once again when she left a message. I faked innocence and hoped everyone would assume it had been left behind by one of the tenors working sectionals in the other room.

After I got home I called her back. The beginning of our conversation went something like this:

Me: "What's up mom?"

Mom: "Nothing. It's just that...you haven't blogged in a while. I just want to make sure everything's okay."

Me: (after I finished laughing) "Okay!? Of course! I'm fine. Don't send out the search parties just yet!"

So mom, here are some pictures of your grandbabies to tide you over.

We're alive. Seriously.

Love you!

Dana

Rainy Day Riddles

This morning Zachary sat at the table eating yogurt, his favorite new food. He insists on feeding himself and making a glorious mess of everything, but that's another story.

Katelyn wandered over with an easter egg in her hands. She sat in the seat next to him and proceeded with a riddle:

Zach, inside this egg I have a surprise for you. Can you guess what it is?

(No response.)

Here are some clues:

It is brown.

It is curious.

It has a dad.

It's dad wears a yellow suit.

And brown shoes.

Its dad is not curious.

Do you know what it is, Zachy?

(Zach continued eating his yogurt, saying nothing.)

Okay. It is an animal.

What is it, Zach?

(Still nothing.)

It's....

It's....

It's...


I CAN'T TELL YOU!!

And then she ran off.

Curious, I thought.

Did you guess?

That's My Boy!

Hi Mom!

Hmmm. What's this on the floor?

A toothbrush?

Yoink!

(that's the sound of his hand finally coming out of his diaper)

Let's have a closer look.