A Shel Silverstein Moment?

Not long after Matthew gained control of his arms, actually more precisely his hands, he realized he has orifices like his nose and began to stick his fingers in there. Someone said "well why not stick his fingers in there, they fit perfectly!" This person was kidding of course but it is sort of true. Also, every time I think of picking one's nose I think of that Silverstein poem "Warning" where 'picking one's nose may be hazardous because a vicious snail residing in the nostril can bite off one's finger...'

So recently my little darling has started picking his nose with much more verve than he ever did in the past. Like some gross milestone, he finds it amusing to check out what is in there. And when you offer him a tissue, he usually will forgo the tissue, of course. Even when I jamming the tissue up against his little nose screaming 'NO NO do not pick your nose.' Such good parenting, wouldn't you agree? He is fascinated by what he can get from his wee little nose and I am disgusted by the whole scene, man.

The other day in another act of good parenting from my dear husband, Kevin told Matthew that if he picked his nose, it would fall off. Matthew did not entirely believe him until he tried it again and sure enough Daddy was there to tell him how his nose would fall off. Seems the little dude believed him.

Additionally, and as if me jamming the tissue in his face was not scarring enough, Kevin told me today that he (Kevin) once again reinforced the nose falling off when picking syndrome when Matthew queried him about whether his nose would fall off if he did stick his sweet little fingers in his nose no less than two days later...

Sigh. Does anyone know a good therapist? I may as well start to make advance payments for Matthew's treatment now!