When I am Seven

Tony was so lucky to have an amazing summer. He started off by spending about 5 weeks with his Nonnie and PawPaw camping in Colorado and New Mexico. Then we spent July 4th in Arlington with Richard's family and friends. We were there for the weekend, but Tony stayed the entire week. MawMaw and Poppy kept him so busy and he loved every minute of it. Tony and MawMaw have the best conversations but this stuck with us and went like this:

MawMaw (M) - Tony, when are you going to stop sucking your thumb.
Tony (T) - When I'm Seven!
M - what about ride your bike without your training wheels. Your daddy tried to help you but you wouldn't let him help you.
T - When I'm Seven!
M - you need to do something before you are seven. What about tie your shoes?
T- When I'm Seven!

At least Tony has a goal - seven!

As you have read, Richard and I spent the last weekend of July in Austin. When we returned on Monday, Pawpaw brought him home. Tony asked to ride his bike. His training wheel was bent up. Mad, Tony kicked it and told his daddy to take it off. Richard did and Tony hoped on and took off like he knew nothing else other than riding a bike without training wheels. No help from us at all.

His MawMaw was surprised when she came and he could ride his bike - he was 6 yrs 3 months.

I have tried to no avail to get Tony to tie his shoes. Usually we are so busy in the morning trying to get myself out the door and 4 kids out the door all dressed, groomed and fed that I will put Tony's shoes on and don't think twice to just tie the shoes for him. It's quick! Recently Richard was helping Tony get ready for a shower. Tony says to Richard, "Daddy, look what I can do." Tony bends over and ties his shoe. He showed me the next morning. I asked for 2 days how he had learned to tie his shoe because he never paid attention to me teaching him. I asked him if his teacher taught him, named every friend I knew, after school teacher - someone???? He finally had enough of my questions and says to me, "I learned how myself. I watch you do it two times EVERYDAY!" Really, ya think?!?!? Left shoe, Right Shoe - 2 times everyday!

His MawMaw was so surprised when she came and he could tie his shoes - he was 6 yrs 6 months.

Well, 2 of 3 down. One to go. We really thought we had ran out of choices on this last goal. I was tempted to buy a gadget online that cost $75 that blocked him from sucking his thumb. I had to try something else before dropping that much money on something that all he had to do was cut it off when he got near scissors. Also, it would only be used while at home, so would that be enough to reshape the roof of his mouth to stop the comfort of the thumb sucking? I went to CVS and asked about a nail polish that kept people from biting their fingernails and they had it (only $5). Dylan tried it out first, then Richard. It was BAD, but was going to do the job and not hurt my son. Tony fell asleep that evening and I painted his thumb nail. He woke up asking for water around midnight (after sucking his thumb briefly). Around 4am, he was in our bed, asking for more water. At 5am, he was on the couch while Richard was getting ready for work. He told Richard, "Something is wrong with this house. Everywhere I go I get nasty stuff on my thumb. Do you think I sucked all good out of it?" The following night, Tony fell asleep on his own without the comfort of his thumb. Just to make sure, I repainted the nail (actually both since I forgot which thumb he sucked) a week later.

His MawMaw was so surprised when we visited and he didn't suck his thumb - Tony was 6 yrs 7 months.

I wonder what Tony will do when he is 8. He has a year and half to work on it - he finished his 7 year old goals early.