It was bound to happen sooner or later. I was hoping for later, as in maybe when she was well into her teens. But alas, Kate is suffering from her first cold.

Sick babies are just the saddest things. Although, Miss Kate keeps smiling and cooing at me while producing vast quantities of snot. I took her to the doctor to have her checked out, and my pediatrician confirmed she has a case of the sniffles. When I told him I have a hard time using the bulb syringe to extract snot from her little nose, he decided he would help me out. He held her face in a vice grip with one hand and weilded that syringe in the other hand like I have never seen before. He suctioned that snot out of her nose with as much finesse as a Dyson vacuum. Very impressive.

Kate was so shocked that it took her a minute to respond. But then she let out some of the loudest wailing I have ever heard from that little mouth. Man was she mad.

So I have been syringing as best as I can. And by the best I can I mean I am not too successful. Even sick Kate packs a power punch. She even punched me in the face. I wanted to tell her, “look, your momma is trying to help you by SUCKING YOUR OWN SNOT OUT OF YOUR NOSE! SNOT! YUCKY SNOT! YOUR YUCKY SNOT!”

But really the best way to get the snot out is for her to sneeze. I try lots of things to get a good sneeze out of her. I even tickle her nose with my makeup brush. My mom said that is one technique she has never heard of before. I say, I will do whatever works. I also sit with her in the bathroom with the shower on as hot as it can go to make a steam room for her. We both come out a little sweaty, but it seems to break up her snotty nose.

Poor girl. And poor mama. And poor person who gave her that cold. Watch out, Kate packs a punch.