Tests and Measurement

I was a psychology major in college. While I haven't directly used my degree to obtain a job in the last 5 years I have used several components of my degree in all my previous and current positions.  Most recently, in being a mom.  There was a class, PSY 361 - Test and Measurements - this class was supposed to teach us how to make effective judgements in our own lives, and be able to better deal with tests we will face in our own lives (and how to apply psychological testing to real life situations). I have felt like my degree has led me to over analyze things... so recently I've attempted to take a more laid back, wait and see approach with many things. Most recently ear wax.

Or, what I thought was ear wax.

A few weeks back J got a cold.  It crept up right before his birthday, and earned him a few days at home with Mommy.  We got back to good health and had some fun at school, a busy weekend and were enjoying planning for Memorial Day weekend when I began to notice that Jacob had some serious ear wax all of a sudden.  I didn't think much of it, grabbed a baby Q-tip to clean up the outside of his ear canal, and moved right along. My new laid back approach allowed me 72 hours of cleaning one ear 3 times a day before I began to google toddler ear wax followed by toddler, lots of ear wax.  Google told this Mommy that some kids just have lots of ear wax, and while you might not like it, just clean it up at bath time and move along.  Another 36 hours of ear wax and  I called the nurse at the pediatrician's office and began our conversation with...

"Should I be concerned..."

She decided since it was a holiday weekend coming up, that J should be seen, just to make sure all was well.  That afternoon I picked him up early from daycare and hoped right over to the pediatrician for a quick check of the ears.

The pediatrician checked Jacob's first ear and said everything looked good, tube is still in and clear.  And then she checked the ear wax ear...

*gross moment ahead*

Let me tell you, I was nothing short of surprised when she said

"Oh honey, that's not ear wax... that's puss."

EEEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

Jacob had his first real ear infection since getting tubes over a year ago.  The tubes were doing their job, draining the infection away, not causing Jacob to have any pain... but super mom over here thought she was dealing with ear wax.

You can go ahead and ship me my mom of the year award. I will accept it graciously! 4 1/2 documented days of draining ear infection, which means it had been there a little before that, is a great recomendation for that mom of the year award.

SERIOUSLY?!? What mom does this?

I think I'll take my psychology degree and put it back in force. Laid back, wait and see Mommy is not good for this little guy!



Had to toss in this picture from Chuck E. Cheese too.