The game of “firsts”

Ah parenthood, no matter how many kids you have and how old they are, you are never immune to the game of “firsts”. The first time your kid gets a cold, the first time your kid has a broken bone, the first time your daughter comes home and says she’s pregna…wait, I’m not even going to finish that thought. I don’t wanna tempt that fate. And when one of those “firsts” happen to someone else you feel bad for them while at the same time sighing with huge relief that it wasn’t your first.

This week was a week of 2 firsts for me as a parent.

Picture it, a quiet night at home getting the kids ready for bed. The twins (3 3/4 yrs) are in the bath playing and laughing. I’m sitting on the floor at the door of the bathroom with my laptop. Twin B stands up, looks me in the eye and says, “I have to poo!” I jump up like a grasshopper and rush to grab her out of the tub and put her on the potty. Phew! That was close, I’ve made it…and just as I start to feel like I’ve won against the “firsts”, I look down in the tub and see little bits of brown floating around Twin A!!! “NOOOOOOOOO!” Both twins ended up in the shower. 4 kids and 8 years of parenting and this is my first code brown.

Firsts = 1   Me = 0

A mere 2 days into the new year and 1 week left in Christmas holidays for the kids. I’m looking forward to a week of visiting with my friends and playdates for my kids. And then another first hit our house. LICE! Yes, that four letter word that puts most parents on edge and makes people start itching at just the mention of the word. (Your itching right now, aren’t cha?) A couple of weeks ago I got a notice from school that someone in my oldest daughter’s class had lice and we should be on the lookout for it at home. Since over 2 weeks had passed  since that notice came home, I thought we were in the clear. Ha! At dinner last night Brigette (8.5 yrs) could not stop itching her head. It only took a brief look at her hair to see the nits. OY!

First plan of action was a phone call to my good friend DownTown* to get advice from someone with experience and then a trip to our local Shoppers Drugmart to get the special shampoo. We checked the other 3 kids and ourselves and thankfully found no evidence of infestation. Once the others were deemed “all clear” we sent them off to bed and focused on Brigette.

If you’ve never had lice, here’s what happens. (In my house anyway)

1. Detect lice.
2. Try not to act outwardly disgusted and creeped out as to not embarrass the infected child.
3. Call an experienced friend for comfort and advice.
4. Put infected child in temporary quarantine while you go to the drug store to purchase lice shampoo.
5. Follow directions on the box of shampoo.
6. Throw away the nit comb that comes with the shampoo, it’s useless.
7. Spend the next 3-4 hours painstakingly picking thru each and every strand of long wavy hair on your daughters’ head picking out the nits with tweezers.
8. Fall into bed praying that none of your other children get lice.

There you have it, I shared My Dirt with you, I’d love to hear some of your Dirt…What was your most recent “first”?

*I am using her nickname to maintain her privacy

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