Ears, Teeth, Hands, Feet, Mouths, and Apologies

Good morning, sports fans.

First off, I need to publicly apologize to my mom, who did NOT find my snarkiness about her behavior after my broken arm from my last post very funny. She said I need to ask my dad about that because I was home with him when it happened. Apparently, he called my mom's work, but since my mom was in a class at the time he left a message. She only got the message after her class was done, which probably explains my memory of being at home on the couch watching a Cubs game with my dad, crying about my very painful arm. Anyway. In no way should my snarkiness lead you to believe I had an absent/uncaring mother. Quite the opposite.

But what I said about my brother's broken femur? THAT'S LEGIT. (Mom agrees.)

I love you, Mom!

Second, I only brought that up last week to illustrate my style of parenting, of which my mother is a great influence. It's the non-helicopter style of parenting. Free-range-ish. Letting my kid pick himself up when he falls and isn't really injured so that he learns self-reliance. (That's where mom and I differ. She wouldn't let an injury stand in the way of this lesson. ZING!!! Mom, I kid. I kid!) Seriously, though, these kinds of things are important. Letting our kids experience struggle and pain to an adaptable extent builds resilience. But learning what the "adaptable extent" is - in other words, when to step in and coddle vs. when to step back and support - is a daily struggle. My parents got it right sometimes and got it wrong sometimes. Jesse and I get it right sometimes and get it wrong sometimes. That's parenting.

And I think my mom (and dad! and stepdad!) have done a pretty great job, no matter how snarky I am on the interwebs. 

Speaking of parenting, last week I told you that O had an ear infection. He also had a cold, an ugly yeast rash, and HAND FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE. Like, the worst case of HF&M. Bad bad bad. The poor guy was covered - COVERED - in painful blisters. All over his face, on his eyelids, his ears, his elbows, his legs... Now I don't tell you this to overshare for no reason, but to let you know that HF&M is not just blisters on the feet, hands, and in the mouth. I was confused by this, because the virus' name sounds self-explanatory. It is not all-encompassing, however. Some kids get blisters all over. Like O. Anyway.

If you find yourself in a house with a case of HF&M, don't panic. Wash your hands all the time. (Like, ALL THE TIME.) Don't share nuks or sippy cups. Clean stuff the kid could have or definitely did put in his or her mouth. Baths with baking soda are nice. A&D ointment is helpful, as is Tylenol or ibuprofen. Soft foods are recommended. But ultimately the virus will just have to run its course. (Hopefully just the one time. Crossing our fingers...)

This morning I noticed that O had popped two top molars. So, add "teething molars" to the list from last week's ailments. Poor guy! Such a difference this week, though. He's back to his happy scrappy self. 

As far as telling the truth about what life in our house has been like for the past week, that's pretty much it. Despite it all, it's been good. I don't know, I just feel lighter. More able to roll with the daily (hourly) ups and downs that come with parenting. (See: extra vitamin D, citalopram, lots of water, 1 billion units in probiotics, & sunshine until 9pm.) 

Be well. Be honest.