The Antics of a 3 year old

Will someone explain this to me? Why do toddlers feel a need to shove things inside their noses and ears? It seems to be a rite of passage for 3 year olds. Like somewhere, in some rule book, it says, "You may not turn 4 until you have shoved some foreign object in your nose or ear."

Somewhere between piano lessons and Wal Mart, Bella plucked a gemstone off her barrette and poked it inside her ear. She informs Kennedy that her ear hurts. Keni investigates and finds the offending object lodged deep within the recesses of Bella's ear. While getting my allergy shot, I ask the RN just how deep the eardrum is anyway. Why do I ask? she wonders. Why indeed. She peers inside the little hole and announces that I am going to need a doctor.....or a Water Pik system to blast it out. She also asks if I could blow in one ear and have it pop out the other.

With this child, I definitely could.

We decide to try the medical clinic on base. They don't take walk ins, but you never know. A kind soul may be working the desk. No such luck. They refer me to Urgent Care. I decide to try a bit at home first. There are lots of germs and cooties in those places.

We try tweezers. Nope.
We try nose sucker thingie. Nope.
We try a straw. Nope.
We try flushing it out with water. Nope.

The older two suggest a toothpick and glue.........or a vacuum cleaner. Don't worry we didn't try those two ideas.

Joel is on his way home. We decide to wait for him and his famous "Daddy operation."
Bella decides this is a good time to let us know there is another gem in her other ear. We look. Yep, sure is.


After several tries with several objects, lots of tears, Joel announces a trip to Urgent Care is in order.

Isabella is quite proud of her hospital bracelet. Not so amused with the DR, who did nothing but what we tried at home........and the gem is still firmly in place.

We get to go see an ENT tomorrow. Fun, fun.

I told Bella that God made holes in our bodies for a reason. They aren't hiding places for beads, pebbles and other such objects.