A sad statement

For one reason or another, Sam has been on at least one medication most of his life. We started him on Zantac (to control painful acid reflux) at the ripe old age of five weeks ... two doses per day by syringe. At six months, we added vitamin drops once a day (not that it actually happens every day, but you get the idea) and the occasional dose of Tylenol to help with teething pain. At eight months, the Zantac was replaced by Prilosec ... still two doses per day. About that time, Sam started the fall/winter of parents' nightmares. He's had croup, roseola, bronchiolitis, a stomach bug, three ear infections, and probably half a dozen run of the mill colds. He's also cut six teeth and is always working on more. So Tylenol and Motrin have made regular appearances for fever and/or pain control.
When all this started back around a year ago, medicine time was dreaded by all in the household. There was a lot of screaming involved (usually only on Sam's part) and medicine was as likely to end up splattered on a wall as in Sam's stomach. By six months ago, we usually had to insist firmly that he open his mouth and he would make his "yucky" face afterward, but screaming and spitting were rare. At this point, he opens wide for caramel (Prilosec) and berry goo (Tylenol). He's actually helped me with the syringe once or twice. And while I always congratulate him on being such a good boy for taking his medicine without a fuss, I don't actually like the fact that he's so happy to take medicine.
Today, though, he really made me laugh. In the battle against baby/toddler colds, the only weapons more important than Tylenol are saline spray and a nasal aspirator bulb. "Hosing the nose" (as we affectionately call it in our household) consists of squirting saline spray up each nostril, then using the aspirator bulb to suck out the saline and all the other fun gunk that was already up there. It would seem like a really good incentive for kids to learn to blow their own noses as soon as possible. And indeed, Sam used to fight this like death itself. Recently, though, he's been much more quiescent. He's even been sticking his little nose out for me to hose this past week. But I was completely unprepared for today's display of helpfulness. He actually took the saline spray out of my hand, stuck it up his own nose, and proceeded to give the bottle a good firm squeeze! I was literally rolling on the floor laughing and Sam looked quite proud of himself. I guess toddlers really will do just about anything for a laugh and some approval.