Just When I Thought It Couldn’t Get Any More Gross

My daughter got sick again, a cold. We were on a pretty good streak for about 5-6 months. No colds, fever, etc. Just some cries when the teeth came in and that’s about it. But last night it all caught up with her (and us).
She was cruising along the kitchen cabinets, as usual, trying to open the baby-locked doors and then she became very quiet. She just stood at the base of the doors with her back towards us for like a minute, then 2, then 3 no reaction even when we called her. Very still and didn’t say a word. (“Why is she quiet? Is she chewing on something? Is she eating a bug, old fossilized French fry, choking on a magnetic letter…?). When I went to investigate this unusual silence, this is what I saw (where’s the camera when you need it):

Her hand near her nose and a bunch of snot (like an explosion!) all over her face and hair – all gooey with air bubbles– and she’s playing with it like clay, feeling the texture between her hands, springing it between her fingers, wall, face (mouth). Some stuck in her eyebrows. Then I started feeling a little queasy...

Back in the good “ol’ days” when she was sick this stuff just dripped off her nose and straight into her mouth, she really wasn’t coordinated enough to “play” with the snot. No coordination like now. Who knew that she would play with it (I didn’t get an owner’s manual)? But then again, really thinking about it, this is probably some new magical fluid that just showed up (a gift from heaven?!)

After I screamed, I ran around the kitchen searching for tissue, paper towels, Haz Mat suit to wipe her… then 409 to clean the walls (yes, I’m such a “new parent”, as those with 2, 3, 12 kids are probably thinking right now.) Every time I walk into the area, I still feel the presence of contamination (as if radiation mutated snot lives there waiting for me to fall asleep...)