God's the best parent coach!!

For the past two weeks Russ and I have been baffled by something Hud has been doing. Last week he incessantly told Han that she was his best friend. He would say it at least 50-100 times (maybe more) a day, to the point of frustrating her. He would keep repeating it until she said, "thanks," or "You're my best friend, too."
We were relieved when that only lasted a few days. But, THEN he started saying, "I love you, Mom" constantly. I know, it's really cute, but he would say it over and over, maybe 5 or 6 times in a row, and at least 100 times or more a day. I would affirm my love for him every time. If I would instruct him or get on to him, his first thing to say was, "Do you still love me, Mom?" Then I would go into the speech about how I will always love him, and that he could never do anything that would make me stop loving him.
Yesterday, he got to spend the day playing with one of his favorite friends. Apparently he drove this little guy nuts, too. He said, "I love you," so many times that Jack didn't want to play with him.
This has been hard for Russ and I to figure out. I mean, we are continually affirming our kids, and telling them we love them. I was feeling like something was wrong, wondering if Hud was having some huge insecurities about our love for him. Last night as I was going to bed, I said to Rusty, "It feels weird that I am praying that Hud would stop telling me he loved me so much." I mean of all the trials parents go through...
But today...... God gave me insight!!! I found him in a hiding spot with his blankie sucking his fingers. About 3 weeks ago, we bought baseball batting gloves (Russ' genius idea) for the kids to wear during their naps and bedtime to help them stop sucking their fingers. The first couple of times they were really sad, but we cuddled them longer, and after a few days they didn't seem to mind the gloves. They've even both earned new movies for finishing the chart we made. Hud and Han have both done well, and I really haven't even seen them sucking their fingers during other times.
When I found him sucking his fingers, he acted guilty (poor guy). I snuggled him, and then the light bulb went on.... he's lost a huge means of comfort and security by not sucking his fingers... that's why he's driving us nuts with the "I love you's." Before now, if he needed comfort or security he'd just find his blankie and suck on his fingers for awhile.
So, that's where I'm at now. So grateful for the insight from the Lord, and praying that he'll soon find other ways to feel secure. Please pray that for him too!!