The Prince & the Pea

Lately, Bear Cub has had a fascination with trying to put kernels of corn or peas into his ears while we eat. Why? I'm not so sure...my only answer is this: BECAUSE HE CAN. There's a hole, so why not put something into it? We are doing our best of telling him no, saying that he'll get a boo boo, and trying desperately NOT to laugh while we discipline our son on such a matter. Oh my. He is so goofy sometimes that it's all we can do to control our laughter.

Well, tonight at dinner he discovered that his nostrils were indeed holes that food could also be placed into. It was the peas tonight. We caught sight of him going for it, and were quickly able to get him to stop. But little did we know that he's ALREADY sneaked a pea up one nostril while we innocently buttered our corn muffins or something. That rascal! We took a peek up his nose...and there it was. Beyond fingers reach and heading north to uncharted territories.

Ok...at this point in my story, I must stop and make a confession. When I was three years old, I too, stuck a pea up my nose and ended up in the emergency room, having to be held down while a pair of long, thin tweezers grabbed that sucker and saved me from a lifetime of nasal congestion. I don't remember this at all, but I've heard the story often enough that I know the gory details. **

So Daddy jumped up from the table, headed to the bathroom for some tweezers, and I tried to get Bear Cub to "blow" his nose. He doesn't know how to do this...what was I thinking?? In my mind, I was already thinking, "Ok...which urgent care center should we go to on a Sunday evening?"

Well, wouldn't you know, in this scramble, Bear Cub put his pointer finger on the unclogged side of his nose and BLASTED that pea right out! It was like a bolt of lightning, heading right towards Zoe, who was patiently waiting for something to drop from his high chair. I'm sure this is NOT what she was wanting or expecting. :)

It was all that we could do not to burst into hysterical laughter because the whole thing was SO funny. The look on BC's face as he shot that pea out of his nose was priceless. He thought it was all a big joke! So again, we were faced with putting on our serious "You can't do that!" faces while trying our best not to laugh.

Needless to say, the rest of his peas were eaten off a fork -- which were put on by ME and he lost all finger access to anything too small and tempting for the rest of the meal.

So there you have it...the tale of The Prince & the Pea. Glad the prince came out on top ...

at least this time, he did!

** My great-aunt also told a story of putting a blueberry up her nose as a young girl. She claimed to have never seen it again. Hmmmmm....maybe this sort of thing runs in my family?? :)