Tasty pointers, anyone?

Jacob has sucked his index and middle finger (pointer and middle man!) since he was about 4 months old when he started to prefer his fingers over the paci. At first I loved this finger thing over the paci (always needing to be washed and lost, etc.). But now I'm worried that those shriveled prune fingers will become permanently waterlogged, not to mention the orthodontist bills.

I am putting off action until he turns 2. Right now, Eric and I have started a verbal campaign: "Big boys don't suck their fingers..." just trying to plant that little seed. Also, I am putting it off because a) I am a natural procrastinator and b)I also dread taking away J's little soothing routine. Plus, I was a thumb-sucker 'til kindergarten (albeit in private once I reached 5/6 never at school!) and can totally sympathize.

Jacob needs those fingers! Blankie and the gang are how he sleeps and how he deals with new things and uncertainty -- not to mention separation anxiety. Who am I to mess with his psyche by taking away his little crutch? After all, who doesn't have a thing or two they need to get through the day when the world seems big and scary?

But the fact of the matter is that it's me that relies on those fingers: Tired and cranky? Wired and wacky? Hand over the blankie and more often than not, the index and middle finger of his right hand pop right in his mouth and the soothing begins. And, since he's still not verbalizing all of his needs yet (although the verbalization has begun in earnest!), its a cue I can take to read his emotional status. Blankie and the fingers signal: Hey -- time out here. I'm a little: a) overwhelmed, b)in need of a nap, or c) bored to tears.


The trouble is, my dermatologist happened to see him doing it while sitting in the stroller as I was the patient last month. She said to to nip it in the bud because it can cause bad eczema (sp?). She said to use hot sauce. Ouch!

I patently dismissed her advice. After all, I happily sucked my thumb way past toddlerhood. But then I saw this stuff called "Thum" at the drugstore. It's some kind of lacquer that you paint on the fingers and the main ingredient is cayenne -- but the lacquer keeps it on the finger until you remove it. (Not sure how you remove it -- with nail polish remover? I need to read the directions again). Anyhow, it's this weird little product that looks like it was made in the early 70s and forgotten about. I bought it and tucked away in the closet, along with the ipecac I hope we'll never use, the neosporin and the big guns diaper rash creams and powders.

We'll see what happens this fall. I'm thinking that with Jacob, hot sauce may not be a deterrent! He will probably lick his lips and tuck back in to those tasty tiny fingers.