Today was the first official day of what may turn out to be a long process.  Many of you know that Avery has been an avid thumb-sucker since she was first born.  She came out of the womb sucking her thumb and has not let go of it since then.  She also carries around various blankets and rubs them against her nose when she sucks her thumb.  As part of the weening process, blanket is the first to go.  Today we had a new rule - blanket does not leave the house.  I made a little chart for her to track how good she is doing, and then there are rewards, if earned, at the end of each day.  She received two stickers on her chart (we left the house twice today) and got her first reward - one Starburst candy.  She was very proud of herself.  And so the journey begins. 

We are going to try not letting blanket out of the house as the first step.  Then only allow blanket during nap/night time.  Then no blanket at all.  Then only thumb-sucking when sleeping and go for the big one of no thumb-sucking at all.  I am hoping that as blanket goes away so will some of the thumb-sucking since they seem to be related, but who knows.  I am not sure how this will go because she is not completely on-board all the time.  Sometimes she says she wants to stop and the next second she says she doesn't.  It should be interesting.  

As a recovering thumb-sucker myself, my parents used this nasty tasting goo on my thumb.  I learned how to lick it off little by little and even wash it off in tricky ways (like when my dad would have me get him a glass of water).  But in the end my desire for Glow-in-the-Dark Barbie won over my heart and I stopped sucking my thumb.  I am hoping I that I can find that special something for Avery.  And if not, there is the goo.  I even found a few interesting Internet items last night (yes, I am an Internet research junkie).  There is one apparatus that goes over the thumb like a mini cast.  And then there is a shirt that has closed fabric over the hands.  Ha!  I don't think I will try these forms of embarrassment unless she starts nearing her 16th birthday  Thumb-sucking apparatus or driver's license... 

Anyway, I am sure many of you have been though this.  And I am sure, like potty-training, it will have its ups and downs.  Pray for little Avery - this is going to be a big challenge for her.  Here are some of my favorite thumb-sucking pictures (along with the one at top, which is her sucking her thumb only minutes old):