Brendan was up all night long last night telling me his ear hurt. We literally only got about an hour and a half worth of sleep. He was running a fever of almost 104 at one point so this morning we got up and I made him an appointment with the doctor figuring he had an ear infection and an URI because he's been coughing and rattling...

We get to the doctor's appointment and she figures out what is causing his ear to hurt, he'd stuck a popcorn kernal in his ear. I was MORTIFIED to say the least.

Of course after bloodwork, chest x-ray, and the cleaning out of the popcorn we find out he also has a viral infection and that's what was causing the fever.

But boy was I embarrassed and feel like such a loser, DH's (and NOT darling husband) remark was maybe we need to keep our house cleaner. THAT hurt... So I'm off to bed after my busy day after no sleep. Brendan and I had a nice long talk about NOT putting things that don't belong in your ears, nose, mouth, etc...

By Cat on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 09:22 pm:

Hey, it could have been a mini-m-n-m up the nose! That's what Randy did when he was 16 months old. Blue one, as I recall. If you want Worst Mommy Award, you're going to have to stand in a very long line. I hope you get some sleep tonight and don't be too hard on yourself. These things happen. {{{{{Cristylee}}}}}

By Tink on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 09:23 pm:

Don't feel bad! My mom had all three of her children put something in their noses. I stuck a square cut carrot in mine and sneezed it out on the way to the dr. My brother had to be sedated so they could remove the fuzzy piece of a pussywillow from his nose and my sis stuck a broken crayon in her's that my mom was able to get her to blow out. My son stuck almost a quarter of a bagel in his nose but neither of my girls have tried anything. Just be glad that he had the fever so you didn't blow off how he felt.

And tell your dh that he is more than welcome to help keep the house clean!

By Insaneusmcwife on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 09:35 pm:

Oh don't feel bad, kids put all kinds of crazy things in their ears, nose and some little girls often find other holes to stick things in. When I worked for the Child Development Center in Okinawa we heard of lots of interesting things. One little girl (4 years old) put money in her haha. When this was discovered, Mom and Dad were called in along with Family Advocacy. It turned out that they had watched "A Cool Dry Place" the night before and that is where she learned it. My nephew put a cherrio up his nose. Anyways, don't feel bad about the popcorn kernal, kids do weird things. As for your dh, I would talk to him and let him know how deeply that comment hurt you. I would then if he was my husband, tell him if he didn't like the way I kept up the house then he could hire a maid or move back home to mommy. Ok so you don't have to be that mean but do talk to him, he may not know he hurt your feelings. Guys say dumb things because a lot of times they don't think before they talk.

By Trina~moderator on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 09:48 pm:

Copy and paste Cat's post here.

"If you want Worst Mommy Award, you're going to have to stand in a very long line. I hope you get some sleep tonight and don't be too hard on yourself. These things happen."

REALLY, really! {{{HUGS}}}

By Christylee on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 09:49 pm:

Thanks everyone for the stories letting me know I'm not the only one this has happened to. As for DH he's already called back and apologized... He's on his way home from a memorial service for his Aunt in Austin. He said he's had a stressful day and didn't mean to hurt me and as soon as he hung up he realized how he sounded and called right back. I said he was forgiven "this time" after all he did just see his dad he hasn't seen since he was five... (didn't go well from what I gather)

Well I'm off to bed exhausted. Night night and Thanks again!

By Imamommyx4 on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 10:44 pm:

My mom's dd stuck a nut ( the kind used on a screw) up her nose and had to go to the ER to get it out 40 years ago. And she (me) grew up to be a pharmacist. Mom wasn't so bad after all. She didn't stick it up my nose, Just seemed like a good idea at the time.

Don't beat yourself up so bad. We all miss stuff and its easy to second guess yourself after the fact.

You're a great mom or you wouldn't be so upset.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 10:52 pm:

Ditto Trina and everyone else! Give yourself a break. Things happen, and they happen to all of us where our kids are concerned. You are NOT a bad mom, so please, stop beating yourself up over it.

Hope he (and you!) are feeling better tomorrow!

By Emily7 on Monday, October 25, 2004 - 11:21 pm:

I also agree with everyone above, kids will be kids. No matter how clean or dirty a house is if they want to put something in there ear, nose, or mouth they will find something.

By Feona on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 05:34 am:

I agree there always something to stick in you ear if you look hard enough.

By Eve on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 09:43 am:

Wow! Who knew a popcorn kernal could cause so much trouble! Don't feel bad, I would have thought ear infection too!

By Trisa on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 03:24 pm:

Awwww you are not a bad mommy!
I know at times we all feel this way! Hope he feels better soon.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 06:16 pm:

From the song "Never Say No" from one of my favorite musicals, "The Fantasticks"

Why did the kids put beans in their ears?
No one can hear with beans in their ears.
After a while the reason appears.
They did it cause we said no.

http://libretto.musicals.ru/text.php?textid=109&language=1

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 06:22 pm:

Oh, and one time when I took my oldest (then a baby) in for his checkup, the doctor noticed one of his toes appeared somewhat swollen and red. Turns out one of my hairs had gotten wrapped around the base of the toe in the crease and was causing the inflammation. Yes, I felt very stupid. And didn't even have a viral infection to "justify" the doctor visit.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 06:23 pm:

Another comment - you might say to dh, "yes, dear, WE need to keep our house cleaner - how will you help?"

By Lauram on Wednesday, October 27, 2004 - 02:24 pm:

My son swallowed 4 dimes when he was FIVE. He came downstairs and told me that he ate 40 cents but only threw up 30. My response was "If you can do the math, maybe you can have the common sense not to eat the MONEY!"

Glad they found it!

By Melana on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 12:08 pm:

LOL, Lauram, I think that's a very funny story!

By Eight_Kids on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 02:01 pm:

after 8 kids I have found that they will do almost anything and just about everything and there is no way you can be prepared for all of it. No way you can keep your house clean enough. No way to avoid any of it. If it's not one thing it will be another. It doesn't make you a "bad mom", it makes you and experienced one!!