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Children go through stages. If I hadn't known that before, I'd certainly be convinced of it by now.
My nearly-4-yr-old is currently going through a "Scare the Shit out of Mommy and Daddy" phase, all with great abandon and glee.
Two days ago: child finds an old glass-and-mercury thermometer. Child actualy manages to bite then end off, then swallow both it and all the mercury in it. Child then comes in and says, "I'm sorry. I swallowed it." We managed to discern what he swallowed, mostly when he showed us the broken thermometer with the tip missing, and then promptly freak out.
David dresses the child while I call Poison Control. During that phone call, I discover that a) ingested mercury is not dangerous (it's the fumes, apparently, that are the real issue), b) there isn't enough mercury in a thermometer to be truly harmful, regardless, and c) typically, the bulb part of the thermometer breaks off clean and passes through the system without harm. Ice cream, milk, bread or yogurt should be given to coat the stomach and dilute stuff.
Of coure, if there are glass splinters you'll have problems. If the child begins complaining of stomach or lower GI pains, then it's a trip to the emergency room for you, possibly accompanied by major surgery or something as they do whatever they do to get the glass out of the intestines. *shudder* He, of course, being made of indestructo (an element unique to small children, especially boys) proceeded to run aroun and jump a lot with no ill effects whatsoever, not counting what it did to my nerves. I've never wanted alcohol so badly in my whole life as I did that night after he went to bed. Dear God.
The next day, he apparently found a small D4 on my husband's table and put it in his mouth. He then began gagging on it and threw up in my husband's hand, dislodging the die and frightening us utterly all over again. And low, large was the smackdown laid upon the child that day. Amen. I don't think he's ever spent that long in timeout/lecture/spanking time. Sigh.
Today, perfect little kid. The mind boggles. He even pulled his favorite trick of bringing me flowers (silk ones, from the vase in Grandma's room).
*twitch*
Add in being uber-behind on a writing project (I know, so what am I doing updating this thing then) and jonesing for a house of my own /really/ badly, and it's been an interesting week. Oh, and my little boy broke my power adapter for my iBook. Snapped off the center metal bit into the plug. I'm hoping that I can find an Apple service provider who can fix it for less than the cost of a new iBook. Sigh.
So, how were your weeks?
My nearly-4-yr-old is currently going through a "Scare the Shit out of Mommy and Daddy" phase, all with great abandon and glee.
Two days ago: child finds an old glass-and-mercury thermometer. Child actualy manages to bite then end off, then swallow both it and all the mercury in it. Child then comes in and says, "I'm sorry. I swallowed it." We managed to discern what he swallowed, mostly when he showed us the broken thermometer with the tip missing, and then promptly freak out.
David dresses the child while I call Poison Control. During that phone call, I discover that a) ingested mercury is not dangerous (it's the fumes, apparently, that are the real issue), b) there isn't enough mercury in a thermometer to be truly harmful, regardless, and c) typically, the bulb part of the thermometer breaks off clean and passes through the system without harm. Ice cream, milk, bread or yogurt should be given to coat the stomach and dilute stuff.
Of coure, if there are glass splinters you'll have problems. If the child begins complaining of stomach or lower GI pains, then it's a trip to the emergency room for you, possibly accompanied by major surgery or something as they do whatever they do to get the glass out of the intestines. *shudder* He, of course, being made of indestructo (an element unique to small children, especially boys) proceeded to run aroun and jump a lot with no ill effects whatsoever, not counting what it did to my nerves. I've never wanted alcohol so badly in my whole life as I did that night after he went to bed. Dear God.
The next day, he apparently found a small D4 on my husband's table and put it in his mouth. He then began gagging on it and threw up in my husband's hand, dislodging the die and frightening us utterly all over again. And low, large was the smackdown laid upon the child that day. Amen. I don't think he's ever spent that long in timeout/lecture/spanking time. Sigh.
Today, perfect little kid. The mind boggles. He even pulled his favorite trick of bringing me flowers (silk ones, from the vase in Grandma's room).
*twitch*
Add in being uber-behind on a writing project (I know, so what am I doing updating this thing then) and jonesing for a house of my own /really/ badly, and it's been an interesting week. Oh, and my little boy broke my power adapter for my iBook. Snapped off the center metal bit into the plug. I'm hoping that I can find an Apple service provider who can fix it for less than the cost of a new iBook. Sigh.
So, how were your weeks?
