Zip It!

I'd like to issue a public apology to the people of the Midwest.  It was I, in fact, who has been begging for snow for the last two months, and I feel partially (if not completely) responsible for the influx of snow we've had over the last week or two.

But secretly, I like it.  Winter just isn't winter without a blanket of soft, white snow to lighten the landscape and get me stuck sideways in the church parking lot.  Unfortunately, winter also isn't winter without cold and flu season.  Both of my boys are little germ factories that sputter and sneeze like the age-old cars of the college students that race about town.

Accompanying Graham's cough has been persistent croup, and the signature croup "seal-bark" cough has been keeping us, and him, and Cael up all night.  So on Monday I took Graham to see the doctor and secure a prescription for the most dreaded of all drugs-- Prednisone.

Back in September I rewrote the drug warnings for Prednisone to more accurately depict the side-effects.  While those warnings are as true today as they were then, this go-around Graham is the only Foreman boy on the medication and I am able to see how they respond differently.  While on the steroid, Cael exhibits wild physical responses while Graham, already a more emotional child, has mood swings so wide that he could drive their Gator right on through.

First he's happy because I gave him Cheerios.  Then he's sad because one fell on the floor and the dog ate it.  Then he's angry because he discovers that there are no more.  Lastly, he's laughing because his violent crying made him toot.

Basically, he's a pregnant woman.

But in the rare moments when he's not swinging from one emotional plane to another, he has shown us the silliest, strangest side of his budding personality.  At dinner on Wednesday night, he decided to talk back to Daddy and, thanks to a little extra forgiveness for his behavior, launched into a full-on "zip it" attack.



He's lucky he's cute.  And he's lucky he's medicated.

And I'm lucky that the bottle is empty.