It Snot Funny

Around 1 o'clock this morning I was summoned by my master (WAAAAAAAAH! Wah!Wah!Wah!). Upon arriving at His Majesty's crib, I discovered the biggest, slimiest, nastiest snot mustache I have ever seen on any human being of any size. In all fairness, I suppose that is probably because I haven't been around many babies and thankfully I think all the grown-ups I know would wipe their own snot mustaches before they got that bad (I mean, at least on their hand or something).

But anyway, I was alarmed to say the least. Then I quickly realized that little Reid has his first cold. Poor little guy. I suppose we (and he) are pretty lucky to have gone 7 months without him getting sick. Now it's time for him to exercise that immune system.

He was up a few times in the night coughing, sneezing, crying... when necessary, I provided a brief wipedown and attempted nasal irrigation, which made him scream like a little girl. All things considered, he's dealing with the discomfort pretty well and was fairly happy all day in spite of the profusion of mucous coming out of his nose.

Anybody know how to clear a babies nasal passages with a nasal aspirator? I keep trying to use one on a very disgruntled and uncooperative Reid, but I can't seem make the thing work at all. I mean, I preface it with a little saline solution spritzer. Then I squeeze the bulb syringe thingie, stick it up one nostril, and release the squeeze... but I just don't seem to be getting a lot out of there, and there is quite obviously a lot up in there. I hate to keep torturing him with it when it is clearly unproductive. But neither one of us is going to get much uninterrupted sleep until those nasal passages get some clearance. So if anybody has had success with this, please enlighten me.

Tonight as I was nursing him before putting him to bed, he pulled back and looked up at me with the saddest eyes and said, "Aaaah ba ba baa baa baaa." I'm pretty sure that means, "I don't feel very good, Mommy." My poor little sick baby.