Who Knew Parenting Would Be This Much Fun?

When I started this blog, almost three months ago, *gasp*, one of my intentions was to use it as a tool to preserve Anna's formative years for posterity.

I have been absolutely chuffing useless at keeping up with her baby book (first smile/first walk) etc etc, and I knew that the real joy of parenting is not necessarily recorded through milestones, but through the WTF firsts of family life. For example, first vegetable shoved into an orifice other than the mouth, and now, first inorganic article to pass through child's intestines. Answer, a barrette, or as they say back home a 'slide' - how ironic considering it must have slid through several miles of toddler gut.

Apparently Anna had eaten, digested and pooped an inch-long hair accessory (unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, if you're eating lunch right now, there were no photos). A huge piece of plastic and metal, and yet she valiantly managed to poop it out who knows how many days later. I did stop putting barrettes in her hair a while ago, but only because she kept pulling them out, and hmm, putting them in her mouth, and I've switched to a a lovely headband which you would think would be less appetizing. I hope. So Lord knows how long that barrette had been working it’s way out.

When LK called to tell me that we wouldn't be getting parent of the year award, again, I thought it was hilarious, and then like any true guilt-and-angst-ridden parent I started wondering just how long that piece of hardware had been in my daughter, and just what else she’s managed to swallow that’s still lodged somewhere. I feel like running her through an airport metal-detector to see if she beeps.