Breaking Bad Habits

It's official: it's been more than two weeks since Margot has sucked her thumb. We're trying not to make a huge deal about it, but have told her that we're proud of her and she just smiles quietly in return. I'm in awe of her self-regulation. (I mean, c'mon! This was not just an emotional crutch but a physical one, too! Think of all that dopamine whose effects she's stamped out!)

Poor Babi. He still lives on her bed, but no longer gets the nighttime cuddles he once did. He had a really good run for many years. I'm sure he never could have imagined being a child's absolute favorite animal when he was travelling down the Gund assembly line so many years ago. Especially since he was bought as the 'extra' lovey. But like Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, and Harry Truman (among others) before him, he stepped up after tragedy. And he succeeded at winning a little girl's heart.