Yes, Mommy Loves You, and No, You May NOT Play in the Trashcan!

Our fifteen-month old son, while very verbal, still gets into everything like every other fifteen month old. After scolding him several times for trying to play in the kitchen trash can, I finally picked him up, and firmly said, "Isaac may NOT play in the trash!"

He started to cry (a normal reaction for him being disciplined). Realizing that he also had a dirty diaper, I proceeded to carry him toward his room to change it. He took a deep breath to stop crying, with little crocodile tears on his face, he looked me square in the eye and started singing at the top of his lungs:

"JESUS loves the little children!"He stopped at the end of the first line, blinked looked at me and asked pointedly,

"Mommy love?"

Stupid Parents (and their kids)

Isaac's allergies are bad (again!). His little nose won't stop running with ooey-gooey clear snot and it runs down his throat too. Mostly when he's sleeping (or trying to), and makes him gag, cough, wake up, and cry (and sometimes cry and wake up). It's not fun trying to sleep and be awakened gagging. So, Triaminic Vapor Patch to the rescue. I had used them on myself for years when nothing else helped (and when I was pregnant or nursing and couldn't take anything for the headcolds I invariably get in the middle of the winter). I had one left in the box after putting one on Isaac (for the second night in a row), so I figure I will pick up a box or two (you know, stock up) at Kroger. They don't have any. The pharmacy tech (who is NEVER helpful) says, well maybe they were included in the recall from a couple of months ago (since it is now apparently not safe to give little kids cold medicine).

So, I go to Walgreens. The pharmacist there is usually helpful (even if they did forget to close the bottle of purple syrup awhile back, making a nice puddle in my car). He came out and helped me look and agreed with me that since it actually worked, it must not be available anymore. So, I thank him, decide I'll check the internet and he wishes me luck.

Fast-forward two hours. I finally get a chance to look for it online (after calling my mom and asking her to keep a lookout for it), and discover that the stupid little patches were recalled almost TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO!!! AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so maybe there was some legitimate reason for recalling them. I don't know, call it melanine. This is where I really made my mistake. The reason for the recall? Some stupid parent who obviously did not use the brain God gave them sued because their kid ate a patch and had an adverse reaction. Hello?!?!? Does your kid also use a bandaid to eat Vicks out of the jar, because that's basically what it is. What kind of food was that parent feeding their kid that they thought it was an improvement to their diet?!? The labeling instructions indicate that it's safe for kids 2 and up. Now, I know, Isaac is nowhere close to being two yet (despite his propensity for toddler tantrums). But, if you put the kid in appropriate pj's (like a sleeper with a zipper and a snap over that), you can prevent your charming child from proving Darwinian theory.

So, if you see me wandering around town, looking tired, drifting in my lane, or other such sure sign of a tired mommy, give me a wide berth, nod sympathetically when I'm screaming with road rage at the long line for the drive-thru at McDonalds, and understand that...

I have not slept all night for days. Well, at least after tonight.

Let Darwin have his day...bring back the patch.

Maybe there's a patch for stupidity?

A sign and a thought

While on our way from the pumpkin patch to Dairy Queen today, we saw an interesting church sign.

"Lead me not into temptation. I can find my way there just fine."

It's funny (not really) how we blame God for a lot of the things that we simply just don't choose to have self-control over, or that we don't want to confess our own selfishness (read: desire to be God), and blame the temptation (or God not protecting us from it).

He protects us from it...He left us a book. I would suggest reading it. It's a good place to start.

Storing Up Treasures

The type of treasure always changes, but the quest to hang onto the important things in life seems to spring from an early age. Right now, my bottom utensil drawer is "the treasure place." Things like blocks, ookie bear, and sippy cups are stored away until the melt-down moment when we must have it yet can't remember where it went occurs. At least, this is the toddler incarnation of this quest for hanging onto stuff. As we age it becomes movie ticket stubs, conversations that hurt or helped, or clippings of a life we no longer live, but are reluctant to renounce.

Some days I wonder if our quest for stuff is like God's quest for us. We might seem pretty useless or superfluous to the Almighty, but He keeps us in his treasure drawer. In times of spiritual dryness, it seems like we are the forgotten treasure, waiting to be taken out and greeted with a "HI!" But God doesn't forget us...he keeps us as his treasure.

A different kind of tooth fairy

I think I'm going to take away Isaac's teeth. The ones which have come through, and the ones he's working on getting in. I hate the biting and I hate the irritability, drool, diaper rash which accompany the many week process of gettin in a tooth.

Think about it. No teeth means he doesn't bite, and not coming in means that I'm not buying infant Motrin by the gallon, I'm sleeping all night, and my not-usually-picky little eater is, not picky.

If anyone has the number for this particular tooth fairy, would you please pass it on? I would love to have all of my wishes come true. I'm a girl on a budget, so a payment plan would be good too (if it's not too much trouble...).

Worried? Maybe...

So, I get my new One Step Ahead catalog in the mail today. The one with the Christmas toys and the Halloween costumes. Because Isaac doesn't think that anyone can read mail in our house without his presence, be is sitting on my lap looking at the toys, childproofing paraphernalia, and Halloween costumes. Half-kidding, I ask him which costume he would like to be for Halloween. He points to the pink princess fairy.

I hope this is a phase, or he is just preparing for tea party play dates with all of his little girl friends close to his age.