A man with a plan

After church last night, we decided to go out for dinner. Jason suggested that we go eat at a local restaurant, Cedar Landing. Luke had his heart set on Subway, however. I have not been able to go back to Subway since the miracle/"shouting groceries" evening, so I voted for Cedar Landing.

Luke pitched a tantrum and told us that he wasn't going to eat if he couldn't go to Subway. He would rather go to bed hungry because he "didn't want their yucky food." He informed us that if he didn't get a Subway pizza, he was going to be mad. Emma gave him much grief for being the odd man out. I yelled at them gave them a lecture for fighting. This evening had potential!

As all good parents do, we started to ignore his bad behavior. Jason begged him to take a look at the kid's menu. Luke refused. Finally, I suggested he order off the grown-up menu. He raised his eyebrows. I mentioned he might like to order a hamburger steak, baked potato, and salad. He actually smiled.

Jason hit the ground running. He said, "Luke, you CAN'T order from the grown-up menu...they don't allow that!" Luke protested, "But I want to eat the hamburger steak!" Jason looked around stealthily and scratched his chin, "I don't know, Luke. Maybe we could order it and the waitress might not notice that you aren't a grown-up. Hmmm....we could try it."

Luke sat up tall in his seat as we ordered. He giggled with glee as the waitress wrote down his order and walked away. Luke marveled at the fact that he and his sister each got REAL cups, not the usual styrofoam ones. Emma got in on the excitement, too. She said, "Wow, they must've thought I was an adult, too!"

(Luke got his version of a salad, which is unconventional--to say the least. He gets ham, bacon bits, pepperoni, shredded cheddar cheese, and tops it off with ranch dressing. Somewhere there is a vegetarian crying.)

We played up the "grown-up" angle all evening. That is, until Luke informed us that he thought he might order from the grown-up menu everywhere we go. That's when the financial reality hit Jason, I think. Jason said, "It's not all fun and games being a grown up. You have to go to work from 8:00 to 5:00. Some days I don't get to take a lunch break. Worst of all, there's no playground at work!"

Luke pondered all this for a moment. Then, in complete seriousness, he said, "My wife is going to work. I am not." We laughed. I asked him, "What are you going to do all day while she works?" Emma said, "Probably lie on the sofa and watch tv!" Luke grinned and gleefully shouted, "Yep! That's what I am gonna do!" (Which really makes me wonder if that's what he thinks I do!) Jason said, "You better find a good woman to marry, then!"

Then Jason asked him, "Are you going to stay at home and take care of the kids?" Luke shook his head, "No way! I'm not going to have any kids!" Emma said, "I thought you were going to have 6 kids." Luke said, "Nope. None."

Luke has it all figured out.

Nashville Wrap-up

Day 3 in Nashville:
On Saturday morning, we got up and drove over to the world-famous Pancake Pantry, where we were greeted by Jason's high school friend, Bruce and a line that looked something like this--but was, in actuality, way longer. ( I found this pic online. I didn't take one because I didn't want to lose my place in line.)After waiting in line half and hour and then gorging ourselves on pancakes, we headed over to Centennial Park. We went to the Parthenon:
And to the playground:
And just hung out and had a great time. (Thanks, Bruce! By the way, girls, he's single! The tall one on the left, that is...)We headed downtown just to drive around to see the sights. We ended up passing the exact spot I was unjustly pulled over by a policeman in 2007 for being an Alabama fan in Nashville the day before we played (i.e., put the smackdown on) Vanderbilt. I felt they should've named the entrance ramp in my honor or something. (I think this may be bloggable for a future "slow day.")

Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel for more (!) swimming time for the kids and Daddy and some Opry Mills Mall time for Mommy. The mall was so unbelievably crowded! I parked about a half-a-day's journey from the front door and walked in to what appeared to be the Friday after Thanksgiving. Sheesh! I only spent 45 minutes or so in the mall because it reminded me of everything I hate about the mall at Christmastime.

These were the spoils I came away with:A cute shirt/pants outfit for Luke (not on sale) and a cute top for Emma (on sale for $9.00) from Gymboree. Best purchase: Fried Apple Pies from the Apple Barn. They were so good! They left a greasy stain on the napkin. Butter overload! I also picked up some apple butter and other assorted goodies for my parents as a thank-you gift for their dog-sitting and my Daddy building us a pergola for the backyard while we were gone! (Another post for another day...)

We rode a shuttle over to the Grand Ole Opry after dinner. We had the cutest, countriest little bus driver--who told the WORST, dumbest jokes ever. We got the tickets replaced when we got there. Tickets, schmickets, who needs to bring 'em?

"Little" Jimmy Dickens started the show. He said he was 88 years old, but I think he was closer to 120. He told raunchy jokes that didn't fit the family-friendly image we'd expected. (Think Viagra) In a related note, He had a much younger wife he brought out to sing to her for her birthday. He gave her a Dolly Parton rocking chair, which she sat in while he sang/weakly warbled. Jason and I thought this was a joke. We just laughed and laughed as she pretended to dab away tears and gaze lovingly into his eyes...oh...wait..."Are they serious?" I asked Jason. "Oh. This is real?! Oh brother!" It was bizarre.

There were also square dancers:They did some mighty fancy footwork. I felt like I was watching an old episode of "Hee Haw." Luke was a-pickin' (his nose) and Jason was a-grinnin'.
Highlights of the evening were:Kellie Pickler, who seemed to be just as ditzy in person as she was on "American Idol." Shocking, I know.Dierks Bentley, who, judging by the legions of screaming girls rushing the stage, is a big deal.Riders in the Sky playing the song that they won an Oscar for on a Pixar short film. See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJzQiemCIuYDr. Ralph Stanley, who sang a song on/from the soundtrack of "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?"
Marty Stuart and some other dudes in electric blue suits. I'm not sure it's socially acceptable for a man his age to wear a jacket without a shirt. Ick.Vince Gill, who sang a beautiful song called "Go Rest High on the Mountain."

Supposed to be a Highlight:Charlie Daniels.
(I'm not sure why, but my kids LOVE "Devil Went Down to Georgia," the edited version...)

The evening started with Luke asking Jason, "When does Char-wie Daniels come on?" "In about an hour and a half," answered Jason.

He asked Jason at least 4 more times how much time it would be until "Char-wie" Daniels would perform. Finally, it was 15 minutes until his scheduled showtime. Luke leans over to me and whispers, "Tell Emma it's 15 minutes until Char-wie Daniels. I can't wait!" He wiggled and bounced excitedly in his seat as he kept leaning over and telling me how much time was left. Finally, he grabbed my head, pulled me close, and whisper-shouted, "He's next, Mommy, Char-wie Daniels is next!"

Moments later, Vince Gill took the stage, seemingly about to introduce Charlie Daniels. Luke was quivering with excitement. Even mild-mannered Emma was giddy with anticipation. Then, it happened.

Vince Gill stomped on my kids' happiness with this statement: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sorry to tell you that Charlie Daniels is under the weather and could not be here tonight." The whole auditorium simultaneously gasped and went "Awwww!" I looked from one sad little face to the other, fully expecting tears. "What?" asked Emma. "Why?" asked Luke. I explained that he was sick, probably like Luke had been earlier that week. "He probably has the flu, like you did, Buddy." They were both really disappointed--as were Jason and I--but had a better attitude about it than I thought they would. They were excited to get back to the hotel to eat the fried apple pies--as was I!

Observations about the "Grand Ole Opry:"
1. Country music singers, male and female, no matter how old, sure do love them some bling. Every last one of them had on about 18 pounds of sequins and rhinestones. "Little" Jimmy Dickens had a gold-encrusted watch that may have compromised his posture.
2. The "Grand Ole Opry" draws an odd mix of old and young. Some patrons appeared to be there for Dierks Bentley and Dierks Bentley only. Some patrons appeared to have gotten to the show in the back of a pick-up truck. Some patrons appeared to have been older than "Little" Jimmy Dickens.
3. I am NOT a country music fan. Jason is, however. The "Grand Ole Opry" is fun and interesting no matter where you stand on the issue. People watching is a fine art at the Opry.
4. The size of a man's cowboy hat is directly proportional to the shortness in stature of the person sitting behind them at the Opry.
5. The bigger the belt buckle at the Opry, the better.

We came home on Sunday morning. Luke and Emma asked me to play "Devil Went Down to Georgia" from my ipod about 22 times on the drive home. We also had to look up his video for the song on YouTube.

On Monday, Luke informed Jason that he was a fan of only one country music artist. Guess who? "Char-wie Daniels!" I was glad he still liked him after the disappointment!

Nashville--Day 2

I have to do a little mini-post right here before I get back to our adventures on our trip to Nashville to give a big ol' shout out to my God! This is Elliot, my husband's cousin:We have been praying since before this little guy was born for him to be healthy. There have been many setbacks and scares, but God has answered a prayer today in a BIG, BIG way for Elliot and his parents, Heather and Jay.

Elliot was born with esophageal atresia. Basically, there was a 4.4 cm gap between the two ends of his esophagus. He could not eat or swallow. He had to have a drain tube in his nose to remove saliva, etc., from his upper pouch, and a tube in his belly to feed him. We've been praying for the last 8 weeks or so for the stretching procedures they've been doing in the hospital to stretch the upper end of his esophagus to the belly end. As of today, there is only about a 1 cm gap! Praise God! It looks like 4 more weeks of stretching, followed by surgery, recovery, and then--at long last--HOME for the first time! I am so excited and encouraged by this news. Please pray for this family to continue to get great results like this. God is so good!

Okay, so with that said, back to fun in Nashville!

After a restless night in the double bed with Emma, who for some reason continuously tapped me on the leg with her foot all night (while Jason snored like a bulldozer), we got up and headed to Shoney's breakfast buffet. Emma ate her weight in sausage. I've never seen anyone enjoy sausage quite like that child did that day... Luke refused to eat anything. ANYTHING. This is Shoney's, man! You can find something for every picky person on the breakfast buffet! It was a frustrating start to the day. He still wasn't feeling like his normal self yet.

We used Jason's GPS to guide us to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. (We call it GYPSY.) GYPSY took us on a wild goose chase. She had us go one way on the interstate, only to have us turn around and go the other way shortly thereafter. It was literally a wild goose chase.The zoo was really great. We got to see the anteater on its first day of exhibition. Those things are cool/weird-looking. God has such a great sense of humor.The only complaint I had about the zoo was that everything, and I do mean everything, seemed like it was uphill each way there. There were lots of trails and different ways to go to each exhibit, but there were winded, lost people everywhere we went. (We had a map.)Luke could've cared less about any of the animals. Emma liked the animals a little better, but Luke was ALL about the playground. They played HARD. So hard, in fact, Luke ended up with a massive splinter in his hand! Jason played Dr. Daddy and removed it with a pair of zoo-provided plastic tweezers. Those are going in my first aid kit in the car! They also enjoyed the carousel.When we left the zoo, we were starving. We went over to Opry Mills Mall and checked out the Aquarium restaurant. What a neat place! The dining area is laid out around the 200,000 gallon aquarium in the center of the building. It was dimly lit, but was so cool!We couldn't bring ourselves to order fish, though. It just seemed wrong to eat it in front of other fish. The kids didn't even realize they were eating, they were so enthralled with the fish swimming by. Emma's extended time on the Wii game, "Endless Ocean" paid off as she named all the fish as they swam by. I was mucho impressed! [Sidenote: There was a couple in there that I would've sworn was a cleaned-up version of Brigitte Nielsen and Flava Flav. Definitely an interesting mix of folks in there.]

The kids and Jason headed over to Stingray Reef afterwards to feed/pet stingrays. I opted out of that one. I watched as unsuspecting old guys and ladies got soaked by those slimy looking things splashing them as they searched for food, or a victim to stab, or whatever they were doing. Too icky for me!We headed back to the hotel, changed into swimsuits (yes, even me...Here are Luke and I in my cover-up, kangaroo style!) We trekked down to the indoor pool and staked our claim on a patio table and chairs. We put our hotel pool towels, keys, shoes, cover-ups, goggles, a pair of my earrings, and all our various and sundry items on and around that table. There were 30-40 other chairs and/or tables around the pool. We'd been in the pool around half an hour when this mom, grandma, and two kids came down. Grandma sat down at "our" table. (There were many, many "available" tables.) Then mom told grandma to hand her a towel. SHE TOOK OURS. She wiped her face on it, and returned it to the pile. *GAG* Granny even stayed there when I not-so-subtly stood there dripping as I toweled off right next to her. Is there not some sort of unwritten rule about pool ettiquette? If I see your towels or flip flops, I'm outta there! I know when a claim has been staked! No way would I have done that. I was pretty grouchy by the time that was over.

We headed back to Opry Mills mall after showers. We played glow-in-the-dark mini golf. It was great fun! Emma loved the glowing balls. Luke played like Adam Sandler's character in "Happy Gilmore." He held the club like a hockey stick and smacked the daylights out of the poor ball.
So, that was Friday. Kudos to you if you read all the way to the end! Saturday will be coming soon!

Nashville in retrospect...

DAY 1--THURSDAY:

We made it to Nashville on our Spring Break trip last Thursday. We were really afraid that we wouldn't be able to go due to Luke having the flu and the fear that one or all of the rest of us would get it too. It seems that all the prayers were answered that we would be able to go and that the flu stopped with Luke! Thanks for praying!

We were thrilled to be on our way up I-65 that morning. It was a beautiful day, traffic was light, the kids were mostly agreeable and getting along. We are currently two hours from home--halfway there. What could be better?!

Oh, shoot.

Me: "Oh no! I left the Grand Ole Opry tickets next to the phone in the kitchen!"

Jason called them. They assured him that they could reprint the tickets at will-call. Whew! It reminded me of tales that Jason tells about his family having to turn around and go home several times, hours into a trip, because his mom thought she left the iron on. I told Jason that I would've told him that just to mess with him, but knew he and everyone else would never believe it. Me? Ironing? Totally laughable.

Even though Luke felt like traveling, he wasn't quite at 100%. He didn't eat much lunch, which led to his taking a Cracker Barrel biscuit in the car to eat later. Moments after getting in the car, he fell asleep, mouth open, with said biscuit in his hand. If I hadn't been driving, there would totally be a picture right here to illustrate that.


When we got to Nashville, we checked in at the Radisson. The first room they put us in smelled FUNKY, the clock didn't work, half of the lights didn't work, was a "pet-friendly" (i.e., next to the area where dogs did their thing), and we had to walk through dense cigarette smoke to get to the door. ("Welcome to Nashville, y'all.") Jason marched back to the front desk and kindly asked to be moved. They moved us from the outside first floor room (think motel) to an inside-the-building second floor room, which was much, much nicer. The kids were happier because that meant we got to ride the elevator.

Speaking of happy kids, they were thrilled when Jason took them down to the pool for a swim. I walked down to check it out, then tried to sneak back up to the room for a nap. My room key didn't work, so I went to the front desk. I explained my situation. The desk clerk asked me for a photo id. I told her it was locked in the room. She told me that since the reservation was in Jason's name, she couldn't give me another key. I told her that I had Jason's wallet, since he'd just given it and his phone to me when he'd gotten in the pool. She still wouldn't buy it. She was going to make me go to the pool and make him get out and come verify who I was. I was HAVING NONE OF IT. I protested and told her that I could give her every detail of our reservation info and our life history if she'd let me have a key. Finally, I suggested that if she'd reactivate my key, I would go GET MY STINKING id and bring it back to her. Surpisingly, she agreed. I'm not really sure what my id proved to her. I am all for safety and security, but seeing how our cards deactivated twice during the course of our stay, I am guessing this is probably a regular occurance with the Radisson. I did, however, finally get that nap in.

We walked across the street to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel for dinner. That place was soooo fabulous! It made the Radisson look like a trailer park or the projects in comparison. I do wonder, though, if they turn the waterfalls off at night...if I heard that water running all night, I wouldn't get any sleep. I'd be in the bathroom all night. Not that you wanted to know that...

Day 2--Friday: COMING SOON!

Spring Break is breaking me!

So, here we are. It's Tuesday. It's Spring Break (Woo hoo!). The weather is awesome. Life is good, yes?

Ehhhh....sorta.

Luke woke up Sunday morning with a fever. I figured it for a cold or just a sinus thing. "It'll probably pass by Monday," says I.

Not so much. Luke has consumed more ibuprofen and tylenol than he has food. "Oh, it's likely just a sinus infection. I'll take him to get antibiotics on Tuesday," says I.

"So, he's had a fever since Sunday...has he been around anyone with flu or strep?" asks observant nurse.

"Well, sure," says I. Many kids were sick during the kindergarten play last week. Those illnesses, plus a plethora of other maladies are always floating around the halls of kindergarten. Wise nurse does a nasal swab of giggling fever boy, just in case.

("So not needed," thinks I. We had a FLU SHOT, for goodness' golly's sakes.)

Here comes Dr. Sinus Infection. (He's a PRO at diagnosing that. Hasn't missed one of mine yet!) "Hi," says he. "Guess what! We know what's wrong. It's..."




(Wait for it....



I'm not Mom of the Year for nothing, people!



"Oh YEAH!"--said in Kool Aid man voice.)


"...THE FLU!" (And yes, he did sound just about that jolly about it.)

Grrr. My poor child has suffered for 3, count 'em, 3 days, while I've dragged him to softball practice and here and there for this and that reason. "Why aren't you eating, Luke? Pick up your shoes, Luke. Hey, stop kicking your sister, Luke." Well, maybe he had that last one coming, but I really feel like a heel for not taking him to the doctor at least on Monday.

All that said, here's the prayer request: Please pray that Luke is healed quickly and that the rest of us don't get it, too. We have a little getaway planned that would totally stink if any or all of us are sick. I believe in the power of prayer, so we need all we can get! Thanks!

Heavy Hearted

The day's events had taken their toll on her. So many people had been in her house today. All was finally quiet. She was weary and bone-tired all over. All her prayers, all her efforts, and this was the result. He was gone.

She lovingly cradled his Bible. Oh, how he'd loved reading it! The worn onion skin pages reflected his intense study and adoration of the Word. What should she do with it now?

She put it down and gasped as she saw something glinting in the lamplight. His watch peeked out from under the edge of the medical supplies he didn't need anymore. She picked it up and looked at me with a mixture of surprise and sadness.

"His watch! I forgot..." she trailed off as the realization and resignation hit her simultaneously. She looked to me with tears in her eyes. "Should I bury him with it?" I shook my head "No, Momo. He doesn't need it. Give it to one of his grandsons." She sighed as a tear ran down her face.

It came to me that someday there is no more time. No more watches, calendars, or schedules. When it is your time to go, none of it matters. We all have one appointment that we have to keep. One that won't wait, won't be late, and won't be canceled.

Make the most of your time today. Love your family and your friends. Recognize each day as the gift that it truly is. God is kind, loving, and merciful, but when He calls you home, there is no more time. If you know Him today, thank Him for the blessing of another day. If you don't know Him, I challenge you to take the time today to read His Word and get to know His Son. He is waiting for you.

Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV)

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

My family is experiencing a time to grieve right now. My Grandmother's husband, R.V. Tidwell, passed away Tuesday afternoon. Please remember my Grandmother in prayer today and tomorrow as she begins the funeral process, and in the weeks to come as she learns to live without him.

Well, okay, just for today...

"Funny Feet Friday" for Dr. Seuss' Birthday Week Celebration at school

"Socks are NOT the enemy?"

"Well, okay, maybe just for today."


Before Tooth Fairy Visit

After (and before big-time haircut!)

How To Have A Chuck E. Cheese Nightmare Without Going Inside! (and subtitle: What's in a name? Ahem.)

Last Saturday, I attempted to take my kids to Chuck E. Cheese. I know, I know. What was I thinking? Jason was at a Men's conference in Memphis, TN, so I needed something fun to do with the kiddos.

When we got to CEC, I didn't even stop. I saw a line of people standing 20+ deep in the parking lot and said, "Oooh, guys, let's go do something else for a little while and maybe that line will clear out." The kids were amazingly agreeable, so I got to do some fun shopping at Hobby Lobby. (I loooove Hobby Lobby.) We spent about 45 minutes in there, came out, and the line was just as long--and it was 37 degrees and RAINING! I told the kids it wasn't worth it! They agreed to go eat lunch at Ruby Tuesday in the mall, buy a birthday gift for a friend, and THEN go to CEC.

We got to the mall, which we had not been to since before Christmas. We went to where Ruby Tuesday was supposed to be...and it was GONE! I thought "Great job there, Mom of the Year. You've let the kids down at least 3 times now." Luke suggested Chick-fil-a, and Emma joyfully agreed. (Who ARE these kids?) We ate lunch, bought the gift, and browsed a little while.

Three hours from our original attempt to go to CEC had passed. I told the kids that we would try to go as we were leaving the mall. Jason had already called and told us that it had started snowing in Memphis and was heading our way. He had seen 14 weather-related accidents, as well. This added to my feeling of dread as I pulled into the parking lot at CEC. I noted the line was only about 10 deep as I made the turn into the lot. That's when I saw her. The mom pushing her handicapped son in a wheelchair TWO BLOCKS in the 36 degree rain to CEC. That was the nearest open parking!

With fear in my voice, resignation in my heart, and dread in my body for the resulting tears and anger that I expected from the kids, I said, "Guys, I'm sorry. We are not going to be able to go to Chuck E. Cheese today. How about we go to Booksamillion and I buy you a new book or Webkinz and a cookie?" I braced for impact.

Both kids smiled.

"That sounds great, Mommy!" replied Emma. "Okay," said Luke, "I was hoping you'd say that." (WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?)

Emma selected a blue whale webkinz and Luke selected this eagle webkinz:

As we drove home, the contented kiddos munched on triple chocolate brownies (swoon) and discussed names for their new pets. Emma named her whale Victooooria and Luke continued to ponder. Suddenly, it came to him.

"I know what I want to name my eagle."

"I want to name him..."



(Note to parents: Send the kids away if they are reading over your shoulder...)




"PECKER."


Now, to clarify, Luke has never heard that term used to describe male anatomy, or another person, for that matter. In fact, until he said it, I had not heard that term for a really, really, really long time. I had to carefully explain that I didn't think that was a good name. Neither kids actually understood why I was opposed, but all I could think about was what would happen when he got logged onto the Webkinz website with that thing. I imagined he would get reported as being some kind of perv or something. Bless his heart.

He changed the name to Brownie.

Whew!

God in action...at Subway?

I'm baaaaa-ck! I took a little hiatus from the world of blogging to spend some time decorating for the kindergarten play all last week and yesterday and...guess what else I did!?! Here are some euphemisms for it (some I'd never heard before, but are FUNNY!):

• laughing at the carpet
• shouting groceries
• driving the bus
• calling Ralph on the big white telephone
• giving a rainbow speech

I had the stomach virus. A badddd case of it. I lost 7 lbs in 24 hours. Not the way to go about it, I'll tell you that. What's really embarrassing is that I was the first in the household to get it this time. Usually a kid gets it first and I just blame them. Oh well. I'm better now, though.

On the Sunday night that I got sick, we went to Subway for dinner (right before it happened--ewww!) I got to see God in action right there at Subway.

As we were (thankfully) finishing up with dinner, a lady on the other side of the room choked on her sub. An off-duty police officer was standing in line next to her booth and performed the Heimlich on her. There was a nurse in the next booth and her mom. They helped clean the lady up (and the resulting mess) and get her calmed down.

She was fine afterwards, but said her stomach was sore. She sheepishly went up and thanked him once she'd gotten cleaned up and calmed down, and he'd gotten cleaned up as well.
She didn't hang around long after it happened--she was probably embarrassed, but she took the rest of her sub home! : )

It was scary. It took me a minute for the enormity of it to sink in--how God had put all those people there together for that reason. God's foresight and provision to put the right people at the right place at precisely the right time is just unreal! To put all the right elements into play right when, where, and how they needed to be put is just something man is incapable of. (What a terribly worded sentence, but it's true!) It was cool to see God in action like that. What an awesome God we serve!

On a sidenote, I think more people should know the Heimlich. I wish I did! I've not been formally trained, but performed it on my son when he was 2 or 3. He had aspirated a Dum Dum sucker (stick and all) when he was coughing. He just inhaled it. I grabbed him and did the Heimlich, without even thinking. I guess my Momma's instinct kicked in!

Have a great week, y'all!