***MAJOR*** Milesone here!!!!!!!

Gavin started sucking his thumb at 3 months old. One week ago Saturday marked the last day* he sucked his thumb at almost 3.5 years old!!!

<----- We used this "medicine" to help us accomplish our task. You paint it on the thumbnail and the bitter taste (trust me, it's NASTY!!) is supposed to deter the child from sucking his thumb. We've actually tried it once before a couple months ago, but it didn't seem to phase Gavin much. He'd just suck it off!! But for some reason, I tried it again last Saturday and voilà!! It worked this time!!! We told him his thumb was yucky now and he didn't even try to suck it again. We reapplied last Sunday night and didn't do it again since. It was funny because it took awhile to break the habit of him putting his thumb to his mouth in certain situations, such as when he'd lay down for nighttime or nap or curled up on the couch watching a movie. You could see his thumb in "ready position," wanting to make it's way to his mouth, but he remembered that it was yucky now and didn't do it!

I'm so proud of him for making it this far!! And I'm kinda glad that we got this behind us before he was 5 and heading off to kindergarten still sucking his thumb,

BUT

My sweet little Gavin is nowhere to be found. :(

He wakes up at 5:40am.

Naps are all but over, but he's not ready to stop napping. He NEEDS his nap!! Outrageous tantrums and crying ensues all throughout the afternoon. I'm hanging on to a glimmer of hope that he'll still take one occasionally.

We put the kids to bed by 8pm (summer hours). Gavin is up until 10pm, sneaking into things. He's stealth, I tell ya!

You see? All this makes for one VERY CRANKY GAVIN!!! And one very cranky Mommy! I'm hoping this will all blow over ASAP and we can have our nice Gavin back. :::crossingfingers:::

This is the very last picture I have of Gavin sucking his thumb. The end of an era. *sniff, sniff*
We've thoroughly enjoyed the comfort his thumb has provided for the past 3+ years. I'm a firm believer that the thumb is the reason Gavin has been such a great sleeper and easy going baby-turned-kid. It was awkward, cradling Gavin in my arms in the opposite way that feels natural to me. He sucked his right thumb so I'd have to have his head on my right side and the weight of his body in my left arm. It's a bittersweet time for me. Just one more thing telling me Gavin is growing up; he's not a baby anymore. No more instant consolation by sticking his thumb in his mouth when he's upset. On the other hand, no more worrying about the things Gavin's touched outdoors or on indoor playgrounds or on the toilet and then popping his thumb right into his mouth before hand sanitizing or watching. I shudder at the thought!!! Amazingly, he's been a pretty healthy kid considering!

A trip down memory lane, if you will. A look over the past 3 years with Gav & his beloved thumb....

The first time I ever found him sucking his thumb - April 10, 2006 ~ almost 3 months old6 months old9 months old13 months old18 months old2 years old3 years old

* I have to make a footnote here. I originally started this blog four days ago and it took me this long to finish it. Since then, I was successful at getting Gavin to take a nap on Thursday and today, Sunday. Thursday, I had to put him down at 10:30am because he was one big, hysterical, crying mess. He slept for 2 hours and woke up like a completely different person!!!! Today, Matt laid down on the floor next to his bed and when I went in to check on Gavin, he was asleep, but had his THUMB IN HIS MOUTH!!!!!! For a moment, my heart fluttered, thinking how cute it was seeing him curled up, sucking his thumb. Then I quickly chastised myself for those thoughts when we're trying to kick the habit for good!!! I questioned him about it after his nap and he said, "It's not yucky anymore!" I then told him that if I saw his thumb in his mouth again, we'd have to put more medicine on it again. He was good the rest of the day.

We'll miss you. Farewell our dear friend!