Two sides of the same kid

Yesterday, Mal and I were on our way to a birthday celebration for a child he's only met in passing. As we approached the party, Mal said, "I'm a little nervous." When I asked why, he said, "Because of the house. I've never been there before."

Internally, I marveled a bit at the self-awareness it took to be able to name an emotion like that for a three-year-old.

Then today.

I was cleaning the back bathroom when I heard Mal call, "Mommy! You have to help me get the pink ball out of my nose!"

He had been snacking on some little candy cake decorations and, for some reason, had jammed one up his left nostril.

So, no. Definitely a typical three-year-old.

Anyway, it was harrowing (for me). He was whimpering and had pink melted sugar oozing out of his nose. I tried to pinch it out, but he yelled that it hurt, and then SNIFFED.

"No! Don't sniff! It will go up further. Can you blow?"

He tried blowing a couple of times, arguing with me when I closed the opposite nostril, but that didn't work. I went to get a pony-tail holder because his hair was getting in the way.

He insisted, "Mommy, I need a Band-Aid!" "A Band-Aid would the opposite of help."

Finally, after his hair was out of his face, I could actually SEE the shape of the candy at the bridge of his nose, where glasses would rest, if he had any. I pushed in toward the center of his nose, and he yelled and cried again that it hurt.

"I know, but this is the only way to get it out! I'm sorry!"

After a few pushes, I rolled it out. It was a little smaller than when it started, and I know it would have dissolved or gone up into his sinuses and he probably would have gagged it out. But, ooch, what a discomfort.

Today was a big mail day for Mal. First, he got his Hot Wheels Color Shifters we ordered last week. He was thrilled, and took a 2-hour bath to play with them. Then we got the Lightning McQueen scooter we'd bought on sale a couple of weeks ago. He's trying to figure that one out. Finally, he got a soft baby doll I actually ordered from Amazon this morning (we don't have Prime Now out here, but can still get some things on the same day!), because he's loving his baby and wants to sleep with it, but the baby he has is plastic and not comfortable to be cuddled or rolled onto during the night. He kept saying, "Aww, it's my cute baby. He's hungry!" and feeding it or taking off its hat to check out his little tuft of hair.

He's having a good time in general! Love this kid.