You might remember when we reached the big milestone of no more paci this spring! It was a big day for Tula and a big day for mama.... one thing to check off the list to get Tula ready to be a big sister. Well, that is all good and well except that Tula is queen of "outsmarting" the grown ups.... and about a week into no paci she did it again!
She found comfort elsewhere..... and started thumb lovin'.
I refused to blog about this or even take pictures of her sucking her thumb
just certain that it was a phase that would pass quickly. The first week or two of her sucking her thumb I said NOTHING about it. I thought, I am going to pretend she isn't doing it and without attention she will stop. I tried to play Tula's games just right, but in the end almost 4 months later we are still finding comfort in the thumb and I would call her an official thumb sucker.
In June, I finally decided to talk about it. I put limits on the thumb and said it was for in the car or going to sleep. She follows that most of the time along with some thumb sucking post waking up and when she is super sleepy. It's had its perks- on car trips, finding comfort as lots is changing around her, and when she is just needing some quiet Tula time (she truly talks non-stop when the thumb isn't in her mouth).
I know (hope) that she won't suck her thumb forever. I just pray that for now it helps her to ease into big sisterhood with one less thing to be jealous over- the paci.
I am worried about my little Tula and how her world might be rocked. She is a child of highs and lows- she loves so hard and she gets so mad- she craves cuddle time with Mommy and Daddy and even Ivy at times- she still loves to be carried and babied but then at the next moment is telling you how big she is. I am not sure what adding a baby will do but I know that I will have to be so intentional for special time with her since she will be my middle girl. I have to trust that my love will be multiplied to loving another little one just as it did when Tula was born. I feel like giving the gift of siblings is such a special one but days before it feels scary to let go of how things already are.... the rhythm of our family of 4. For now, we will hold onto the comfort of each other and Tula will hold onto loving her thumb as we jump into life as a family of 5.
