Sampling the World through a Toddler

My previous post was in no way to make any one feel sorry for me or take pity upon the challenges I endured.  I seriously was taken back that even my husband responded with bringing me home flowers, as he just felt bad.  Really?  Don't feel bad for me.  I have two beautiful children, a wonderful husband, a roof over my head, and a great support system of family and friends.  I have just learned that I had to document what was going on in my world, as I felt myself getting distant and going into that hibernation mode.  Writing has brought me back to life...thank goodness because I was getting a little drab!

So onto my next topic...exploration and sampling as a toddler.  This will become graphic at times as I am still in shock that this even occurred in my house.  But as a mom, I have learned to never underestimate your children.  In fact Tyler and I are desensitized to some things that as younger adults we would have freaked out completely. 

I remember before I had children I heard stories and seen pictures of kids sticking things in their noses and having to go to the doctor to have them removed.  Or even children that decided that feces were a great way to get out their artistic abilities on the walls.  I do recall my brother climbing on our washing machine going after the bleach and literally spilled all the front of him and my mom thought he drank it....yeah scary moment in the Erber household that day.

It wasn't until Audrey was about a year old and she decided to stick multiple peas up her nose many dinner evenings when I was just out of sight.  We never made a trip to the ER or doctor, but I spent a long time sucking out those squished peas out of her nose with a bulb syringe.  But then just like it began, Audrey stopped the crazy behavior. 

About a month ago, Ayden discovered that his nose had great holes in them for sticking small objects into them.  Well first he discovered he could stick his finger in his nose.  I of course freaked out and told him to take his finger out of his nose, and he laughed and it became a game.  Seriously he would do this in public places just to see my reaction.  Church was a great place to do it because he had a big audience and boy did he get the giggles.  But like any child he got bored of his finger and moved on to bigger and better things.  It was now time to dominate the stuffing of tiny pieces of paper towel in his nose.  How did he get the paper towel, I'm sure you are thinking?  Well Ayden enjoys having a paper towel to wipe his mouth during meals, like his sister.  We were sitting down for lunch when I noticed him ripping little pieces off his paper towel and he went to town stuffing that left nostril.  After some dedicated work with the bulb syringe and tweezers, I was successful of getting the piece out.  We just had another experience of this yesterday and he has gotten the hang of sniffing and really got that piece stuck, but I did get it out after I concluded we may need to go to the doctor.  Knowing Ayden, I am sure he will move onto other things to put in his nose.  I am only preparing myself for the worse here, but if he decides to kick this habit I would be totally fine with it.

Onto the gross stuff... 

I cloth diaper, and I have a few diapers that are getting a little loose around the legs because the elastic needs to be replaced.  I normally do not put Ayden in these diapers anymore, but I was running low on diapers because I was going to throw a load in the washer that evening.  Ayden had already had a couple bowel movements, so I thought we were in the clear with this diaper.  You would think by kid number two I would learn not to EVER assume.  The kids just finished up their dinner and were wound up, so Tyler and I decided to let them go play in the area next to the dining room, while we finished our glasses of wine. (We should be able to be adults once and awhile, right?)  Ayden came to me with something in his mouth.  He was spitting it out into my hand when I closely examined it.  Was this what I thought it was?  Did Ayden seriously have poo in his mouth and just spit it out in my hand?  I quickly grabbed a washcloth and was cleaning his mouth and face and gave him something to drink because I still wasn't sure what it was.  Then I had Tyler do the inspection of if there was something in his diaper.  He said there was but he didn't see anything fall out so how did he get poo in his mouth.  To save you all from the gory details I will just conclude that a bath was given, teeth were brushed, and clothes were washed as this mishap was due to curiousity and the lack of a tight elastic band around his legs in his cloth diaper. 

As if that was not enough the next day Ayden decided to do more exploring.  This time not with poo but with soap.  Seriously...I may have more grey hairs due to this child than most parents:)  Ayden was playing around in the bathroom on the stool by the sink.  I was using the bathroom because heaven forbid I ever go pee on my own!  He was playing with the water spout extender I have so the kids do not have to reach to get water, a p.  Anyway, he turns around and points to his mouth.  In a blink of an eye he grabbed the soap and squirted it into his mouth.  I guess after his evening of poo flavor he felt he needed to sanitize his mouth with soap.  Of course I clean his mouth out and we move on.

I guess this is the price I pay for having a kid that loves to eat everything!  He needs to try everything, even if it means trying a little poo and soap and sticking paper towel up your nose.

*  Don't worry he just went to the doctor on December 31st for his 18 month check up and he goes again today for his physical for his laser treatment next week.  Ayden is not sick due to his sampling and his nose is clear of all obstructions. *

Life is never dull with children and I need to constantly be on my watch with what is going to happen next, but I would not change these moments for anything!