Please have a chocolate dipped ice cream bar this weekend and I certainly hope you’ll enjoy yours as much as he enjoyed his.
I’ve mentioned before that we accomplished a major feat earlier this year: we overcame THUMB SUCKING. As I went through the archives of my computer I couldn’t believe how much Morgan’s teeth have moved in 4 very short months without the help of orthodontics. I mean this is as good if not better than any of my house “before and afters”.
Before:
After:
Be encouraged if you have a thumb sucker, there is hope!! We put bandaids on her thumbs {both} for 30+ days and did a lot of praying. The first week was hard, I won’t lie. But after that it was much easier. We made a calendar and she got a sticker everyday and a BIG PRIZE at the end… which was a swingset, which we’re hoping to get soon! Now, I just need to get up the nerve to get rid of Raiger’s pacis.
The very easy recipe for the popsicle {pictured with Morgan above} is featured on Wiregrass Christian Family this month. I will be contributing different recipes and craft ideas over there and I’ll be sure to point you in that direction when the site is updated. We had the pleasure to meet with and get to know the editor, Laurel Griffith, a few months ago. Look around their site… you might just see some people you know! 🙂
Mott
August 9, 2009 at 12:13 amDarby, I enjoy your blog so much. I am Tara Roney's step-mom. I found your blog through hers and have really had a wonderful time following you and your little family around on your wild adventures! Keep up the good work!
PS I'm not usually up this late, but we went to LaGrange for a grandson's birthday party and I am having a hard time unwinding so that I can go to sleep!
susanv
August 9, 2009 at 4:44 amPrecious pics! My 15 month old BOY equally enjoys all cold sweet treats and is equally a ROVER. I love reading about your sweet family! I love your girls' haircuts too. What a big difference in the before/after thumb sucking pics. I want to cut my daughter's hair in same cute little crop, but I am afraid I would have to "style" it everyday. Are these cuts very high maintenance?
Love Being a Nonny
August 9, 2009 at 5:13 amThanks for the recipe. I'm going to try it! Cannot BELIEVE the before and after thumb sucking teeth pictures! Amazing. Cut either way though. Thanks for sharing….as always!
Elizabeth
August 9, 2009 at 5:24 amcute chair that JM is sitting in.
i can't believe how much her teeth have moved. amazing.
Anne
August 9, 2009 at 5:27 amMorgan's teeth look great! What a beautiful girl she is. Of course her sister and brother are cutie pies too!
Amanda @ Serenity Now
August 9, 2009 at 6:13 amCute, cute, cute! What a difference a few months makes. 🙂 Her hair cut is adorable too…makes her look a little more grown-up. I'd love to get my 3 year old's done like that, but I worry about the maintenance…hmmmm….
Melissa
August 9, 2009 at 6:14 amWow! Amazing difference in Morgan's teeth! I know you are so relieved!
Kendall Boggs
August 9, 2009 at 6:52 amthose are the cutest kids I've ever seen. I still have Rover picked out for Evers (Evelyn). Darbs, read the comments on my blog. I want you to do a post that asks people what they are blessed with. OMG. I can barely read them because I'm crying so much. They are wonderful, inspirational, and humbling. Actually you may have done this before so forgive me if you have. Loves and hugs for a wonderfully, happy day!!!
kendall
J
August 9, 2009 at 7:08 amI am so encouraged to see Morgan's teeth! Little man is an ardent thumb sucker and I'm already seeing $$$ signs when I look at his teeth.
Tara
August 9, 2009 at 7:12 amI have the same chair JM is sitting in…well, my mom still has it at her house. Mine is painted differently, but it's the same one. My daughter is still too young to sit in it, but my niece loves sitting in it when she visits…it's the perfect toddler size.
Dianne
August 9, 2009 at 8:27 amThe prettiest faces in blogland!!!!
Katie and Matt
August 9, 2009 at 8:31 amtwo things…
is it weird that i want morgan's haircut?? i mean, she looks adorable. for some reason, i don't think i'd have quite the same results.
mary thomas is doing the whole thumb sucking thing. i've tried taking out her thumb and inserting a paci, to no avail. do you think i should continue to get her to stop now or fight the battle when she's older?? what would you have done differently with morgan?
The 5 Bickies
August 9, 2009 at 8:37 amThe teeth transformation is a amazing! And all for the price of bandaids and a swing set. Sure beats the orthodontics!
You will soon be ready to tackle the pacis. You will know when the time is right, for you all!
Take care!
Jennifer
August 9, 2009 at 9:27 amHi there,
I was surprised when my dentist (a woman) told me that she was hoping her 4 month old would be a thumb sucker! She explained that as long as the child gives it up by age 5, the teeth will naturally go back to their correct position. Thought this might encourage some of you mamas with thumb suckers who are dreading the orthodontic bills!
Laura
August 9, 2009 at 10:24 amI love the pictures. I have to say the change in her teeth is remarkable. I noticed it really helped my son (though he was almost 5)his teeth still went back (though they were never noticeable to anyone but me.
I have to say other than the teeth it made me fall in love with your girls hair cuts! I always loved them but the before and after really made me love it even more!
Christina
August 9, 2009 at 12:46 pmLove the pics & recipies. I just wanted to add a big "way to go" to Morgan for quitting the thumb sucking! I sucked my thumb much longer…until I was 11 & know how hard it is to quit. I lucked out too–My permanent teeth moved right back into position w/ in a month or 2 once I quit. I never needed braces & have perfectly straight teeth to this day. I hope the same holds true for your kids. I am praying for my kids to have my teeth, I'd love to forgo braces.
Sedona @ MyDivineDelights
August 9, 2009 at 1:35 pmHi! This is my first time commenting, but I have been reading! I must say that your children are gorgeous!
Morgans teeth are just amazing to me! I can't believe the difference.
When my oldest turned 2, 19 years ago, I started plotting the end of paci's. We got rid of all of them but one and told him he could only have it at nap time and bed time. It had to live in his bed. He adjusted to that no problem, that's when I knew that he really didn't need it anymore. So on Christmas morning while he was playing with all of his new things I went into his room and took the paci. It was such a busy day that he didn't get a nap. He didn't notice it was gone until bedtime when he couldn't find it. I helped him search high and low. We looked everywhere and he couldn't find it. He finally looked at me and said that Santa Claus must have taken it by accident. I agreed that it could have happened that way. He looked a little sad, went to bed, and never asked for it again. That's my paci story! Good luck with it in your home when you feel that it's time.
Jesse
August 9, 2009 at 2:02 pmRight now our treat for not sucking thumb is painted finger nails, works some days not so good others. Glad to see she was able to break the habit.
LeAnne
August 9, 2009 at 3:21 pmHey Darby. My mother-in-law sent me the blog where you bought JM the high chair. (sooo funny by the way!) I have been enjoying your photography and cute posts since then. Usually it's the photography that attracts me to a blog and the interesting posts that keep me there!
Danielle
August 9, 2009 at 4:58 pmI will be making these popcicles soon…easy peasy!! Question…where did you get the polka dot outfit that is on John Martin and the green shirt you are wearing? (the picture of you guys on the website)
danleecopeland@gmail.com
Thanks! 🙂
Joy
August 9, 2009 at 5:38 pmI too love your pics. But today it hit me what I love most about your blog is that you also share your FAITH. God has truly blessed you and I thank you for sharing that!
Adriene
August 9, 2009 at 6:32 pmWhat wonderful encouragement!!!! I have a 3 year old FINGERS sucker and she is trying, but it is a relentless habit. I have wondered about bandaids…gonna start tomorrow..woohoooooo!!!
MyLittleHappyPlace
August 9, 2009 at 6:36 pmI've just been studying many of your photos, and am now in a serious funk – no, not having anything to do with your kiddos – they're the most precious trio! I'm blue because I can't figure out just how you get such crystal-clear, sharp-as-a-tack photos!!!!
My images are never, NEVER that beautiful, even with the new, amazing Tamron lens. I've been trying to make friends with my D40 for over a year and a half, and I just want images like yours (i.e. perfect)
Hopefully…Marla can shed some light {sigh}
Ashley
August 9, 2009 at 7:09 pmwow the difference in her teeth is amazing! Love the pictures! 🙂
Rachel
August 9, 2009 at 7:16 pmMorgan is so cute (along with Paige and JM too)! I can't believe the difference the no thumb sucking has made!
I was in the dr. office the other day, picked up the Wiregrass Christian Family magazine, and saw some precious pictures of your family. It was a lovely article! Thanks for sharing so much with your readers.
Sherree
August 9, 2009 at 8:16 pmThe before and after pictures are amazing. My son is almost 13 months old and is a thumb sucker. I am dreading getting him to quit.
JBH or Mom
August 9, 2009 at 8:37 pmMy daughter was the queen of pacifiers. Since it was going on a little too long, I decided to snip a small x into the nipple of it (during the day when she wasn't looking). Later when she went to suck on it she found that it wasn't doing anything for her. she then started to cry. Proceeded to tell me "it's broken" and threw it into the trash herself. She found the next one (where I had done the same thing to it) and put that one in the trash too.
She never had it again after that experience.
Because we attempted this at night, and I knew that I needed to keep my sanity too, I did keep one other good one hidden in a cupboard. Luckily we didn't need it!
Good luck.
Rachel
August 10, 2009 at 5:48 amI love your blog! I enjoy looking at all the precious pictures of your children. You are very talented- keep up the blogging 🙂
The Howe Family
August 10, 2009 at 7:22 amHer teeth look great…and I love her haircut! 🙂 Our oldest keeps a short bob too, and it is so easy and cute. 🙂
BTW, I laughed histerically when I got an email saying you were following me on Twitter! I had signed up earlier this summer to follow one of my little sisters on her mission trip. I don't ever tweet anything (did I even use the word "tweet" correctly…I don't know)! If I did tweet {right now I would have to write that my kids have been fighting all morning}, I would love it that YOU would click to follow me. 😉
Christie
August 10, 2009 at 8:31 amMorgan's teeth look great! What a difference since she stopped sucking her thumb! That has given me renewed motivation to get my Sanders to stop sucking her thumb — and now her brother, who is about to turn two and just decided to take up the habit!
Allison
August 10, 2009 at 5:58 pmApron, precious. Twitter, agree. Morgan, adorable and encouraging:) My little girl, Lawson, loves her thumb. And to be quite honest, I love that she loves her thumb. She cried for the first 3 months of her life until she found it again(she sucked it in my tummy.)
I was just talking to my friend about this thumbsucking thing today. It is going to be so hard for both of us. She has these silky blankets and she hearts them. It is going to break my heart to have to take them away.
I am amazed at the difference in Morgan's teeth! That is awesome and so encouraging to me;)
amie simpson
August 10, 2009 at 6:41 pmEven though my husband is an orthodontist, I have no clue about teeth~i would say her teeth look much better! Sweet girl! She is doing soo good!!!
love, love, love your blog!