Just a Spoonful of Sugar

I would like to take a few moments to offer a brief listing of some things that are NOT childproof. Things that you should "Keep out of the reach of children." Some of these items may, or may not, be obvious to you. So, if you will, be courteous to my ignorance. It can be a steep learning curve.

A) Lipstick - Could be mistaken as a crayon.

B) Sunscreen bottle - Could be mistaken as a hammer to smash out a glass window.

C) Pink Medicine in Childproof Bottle - Could be mistaken as delicious fruit punch.

I'm only going to address "c" here, the others (though messy) were certainly less traumatic. 

Earlier this week, we took Emmett (5 mos) to the doctor because he just wasn't acting like his happy little 'creamcheese' self. The doctor found that he had ear infections in both ears and a swollen throat. He was definitely uncomfortable. We got a prescription for some amoxicillin and we were on our way. When we got home I pulled out the bottle of medicine and prepared Emmett's appropriate dosage. Ava Belle (my trusty assistant) took one look at that pink medicine and her eyes widened and she said, "That's the most beaufalul pink medicine I've ever seen." I knew what she was thinking too, "I bet that's the kind of medicine that princesses drink." It was the perfect shade of pink. The perfect shade of Ava Belle bait. So, several days passed, medicine administered and then safely placed by the kitchen window. However, one morning after giving Emmett his medicine he was in a state. Very, very unhappy and I whisked him upstairs to rock him and nurse him away from my rather enthusiastic assistant. I wasn't gone a few minutes. But, when I came back downstairs all I saw was Ava Belle's pink mouth. She had pulled the medicine off the table, opened the 'childproof' top, and was sipping her way into a mild anafilactic reaction. It was the itchy eyes and swelling lips that initially concerned me (and the nurse I was consulting with over the phone) and then came the fever? Luckily, we had some children's benadryl tucked away with our dog's care kit. He is also allergic to penicillin. And the tylenol certainly helped with the fever. But, it was an odd reaction so we headed to the doctor and found that she also had strep throat. However, they were unable to get an accurate culture because Ava Belle had already treated herself. Smart or mischievous? So, after a trip to the ER, doctor, and rounds of antibiotics for all the short people in our house both Ava Belle and Emmett are in much higher spirits. I, on the other hand, I have been feeling rather sheepish about the whole thing. It just happened so quickly. Honestly, nothing is really safe when you have a 2.5 year old in your house. I guess the trip to the ER was punishment enough for me, oh, and the really short haircut I gave myself. (Actually, the latter may be a product of being trapped in the house with two sick kids in subzero weather.) Anyway, as we were giving the children their medicine before bed last night and again explaining to Ava Belle the rules surrounding medicine (and poison for that matter) she swallows it down, smiles and exclaims, "Ahhh. Rrrrrrum Punch." Not sure if we are getting through to her but, we are gonna keep trying.