One of those things they don't tell you in parenting class

What did you know about kids before you had kids?  If you don't have kids, lemme tell you now that everything you think you know about babies, kids, and parents will undergo rigorous review almost every day you experience parenthood.  The days where review does not occur are when you've collapsed in an incomprehensible slump from the last episode of Blue's Clues you will ever endure so help you Barney.

For instance:  have you heard about irritability in babies and children?  Sure.  What likely causes of this legendary irritability come to mind?  Teething, fever, hunger, pain.  Has anyone yet told you to check a baby's fingers and toes to make sure that a hair hasn't wrapped itself too tightly, causing blood restriction and pain?  I couldn't figure out my first baby's pain one night and just happened to glance at her fingernail, under which was lodged a foreign object of indeterminate nature and origin.  Its removal calmed her immediately and peace was has by all.  I was stunned and grateful, and a little irritated that something so small could deprive us of hours of tranquility.

Here's another cause for you that "they" might not have mentioned:  earwax.  The first time I became aware of this one was when my oldest daughter complained of ear pain at about 3 years old.  She had no fever or other signs of illness.  I took her to the doctor after a few days of persistent discomfort only to find that her ear was housing the most enormous chunk of wax I could even imagine coming out of her tiny canals.  Once again, removal of the foreign object gave instant relief.  Or was it a domestic object?  It doesn't matter.

Since then, my son has beaten her contribution to the H Family book of records in the ear wax department, usually after an hour of irrigation and a gallon of peroxide-laced water.  Imagine how I felt when I found this:  Lighted Ear Wax Remover.  It works sort of like those little LED Christmas trees, giving light the entire length of the tool.  No more holding a flashlight in my teeth while I try to both assess and extract the object of not only my ire, but the ire of a rapidly expanding radius of neighbors trying to get some sleep while my son grumbles at 100 decibels.  He thinks his ears hurt?  Heh.  Heheh.

After getting this in the mail, I was able to quickly and easily extract another astounding offering while Son only reached about 90 decibels (which is a normal conversational tone for him -- a train whistle reaches 90dB), as well as one small earolith that appears to have fossilized over a period of several months.  I did have to sand the tool a bit since it has some factory sharp edges from the mold, and the construction itself is a bit on the cheap side.  But guess what: I don't care! A tool that takes ear cleaning down to minutes from hours for under $2?  They could be frickin' disposable at that price and I'd still shout some hallelujahs.

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