3 Months 3 Weeks Post op - New Haircut

Well I decided to make a change and got my hair cut pretty short this week. I like it, its easier to fix in the morning and takes less time to dry. I had to laugh this week. I was doing a lesson in one of my classes and one of my kiddo's said "you look like you got younger over the summer" I chuckled with him and said, "well that is a good thing right? I mean its better then looking older don't you think?" I have seen two friends this week. One who hasn't seem me since about 1 month before my surgery. She thought I looked different/good, but couldn't really figure out exactly what was changed. I said that it was my chin, that now I have one. She said "yes that was it" that until I told her though she could not figure out what it was. Then I saw an old friend that I have known since I was 23 years old. I haven't seen him in over a year and a half, so last time he saw me I was just me. No SARPE, Braces, or Surgeries. He said I looked different, and agreed that my chin was part of it, but that my smile was now much bigger also, and that he felt the changes were very positive, but that I was always attractive, and that this has just made me more so. I thought that was a very nice compliment, and for me who does not really notice the changes that much anymore it was nice that someone else could really see them.

So in one more week I will be 4 months post op. It's strange how things will just be moving along smoothly and I become accustomed to them, and then out of the blue things change! I woke up today and my front teeth and the gums behind them were really burny and achy. I'm sure it is feeling coming back moreso in that area, but it is just weird how things just change overnight. My bottom lip is still about the same. Half is very sensitive like pins and needles, the other half is just numb with little feeling at all. I have noticed lately that while I do have control over my lip, when I smile it appears a bit lopsided. Like someone with Bells Palsy or something. Now mind you this is not noticible as I really try and make it look straight, but if I smile naturally without really trying, then it looks sorta messed up.
Things feel like they are getting better, the chin is not quite as numb now, but continues to improve ever so slowly. My teeth feel like they are getting straighter and my bite is feeling more in line.

Chewing continues to be about the same. I have to be very careful or I bite the insides of my cheeks on both sides. It is really annoying, and frustrating at times. I'm not sure if I still have swelling inside my mouth or what. I mean I would like things to be back to normal in the chewing department. It doesn't really limit me in regards to what I eat. I still eat pretty much whatever I want, but I still find that I'm very bad at not really chewing things. I pretty much wait for things in my mouth to get as saturated as they can with saliva, chew it enough to make it mushy, then swallow it. Many times (actually most of the time) it is not near as chewed up as it should be before I swallow it. I try to spend more time and really chew things like I used to, but it is uncomfortable, and doesn't feel natural so it is very hard to make myself really do it. I'm hoping as time goes on it will get better and easier, and that one day I will be able to really enjoy food like I used to. I also eat much less now, I mean who wants to force themselves to chew for long periods of time when it is rather unpleasant, or like work?