You'll thank me for not posting a pic!

I wasn't sure what to title this post. Several ideas came to mind:

1. The Mommy Zone
2. Dr. Diet Pepper Saves The Day
   
3. The Not-So-Glamorous-Life of Parenting
4. I Am Not a Girlie-Girl But.....
5. WHY CAN'T MY HUSBAND BE HOME?
6. I Think I'm Going To Be Sick
7. My Kids Are Never Going Outside Again

Can you tell I had a not-so-wonderful-thing happen today? I won't keep you in suspense.

MOMO HAD A TICK ON HER HEAD!!!

Still makes me shudder.

I just so happen to be caressing her little head when I felt a lump. I knew...just KNEW that it had to be a tick. What else could it be? I apprehensively seeked out the lump, parted her hair and THERE IT WAS. And it wasn't a little sucker either! I thought I was going to be sick.

I immediately had to get into the zone. You know which one. The "Mommy Zone". The place you you go in your mind when you really don't want to do something but because you hold the title of "mommy" it's up to you to do it? I think it's more of a daddy's job but since daddy is thousands of miles away he was of no help. How about a grandpa's job? Well, my father wasn't home at the time either. It was up to me to remove the tick. !@#$%^&!

The "Mommy Zone" directed me to the tweezers, alcohol wipes, tissues, Diet Dr. Pepper and a straw. No, Diet Dr. Pepper doesn't kill ticks but I knew it would keep Momo occupied for a few minutes! I told Momo that she had a bug on her head and that mommy was going to get it. She didn't seem phased by it a bit. Thank goodness. I sat down in the recliner, turned on the reading lamp, placed Momo on my lap and handed her the Diet Dr. Pepper with a straw. "FOR ME?!?" her little eyes said. I told her to go ahead and drink it but stay very, very still for mommy. Oh yeah. That did it.

Now. I won't go into details about removing the tick. Let's just say it was quick and relatively painless. Momo didn't flinch and I (or should I say the tick) even took some skin off of her little head. But at least I got the critter off of her and left nothing behind. I also managed to stay conscious during the entire ordeal and did not vomit all over myself.

*Sigh* I am still totally and completely grossed out by it.

I called my husband and told him, "You were right." I'm sure he was shocked to hear those words as I don't say them that often. But last year the subject of ticks came up and he told me it would eventually happen - that one of the girls would get a tick. I didn't want to believe it. I held on to the hope that it just wouldn't happen. Never did I think that if it DID happen that I would be the one to remove it!

My husband asked me what did it look like, how did I remove it, how was Momo, etc. When I told him it was a fairly large tick he responded with, "Oh...it must've been on her for awhile."

Ummm, CORRECTION. That is NOT the right response! I told him he was supposed to say, "Sharon, don't worry. I'm sure it wasn't on her for very long."

Yeah, honey. Thanks for making me feel better.

After venting (crying?) about it to friends and family I was told of many different ways to remove a tick. Using tweezers; a burning match; Vaseline; etc. I just wanted to mention that a lot of these ways are not recommended anymore. Here's a link to proper tick removal in case you are ever in my predicament. By the way, it doesn't mention Diet Dr. Pepper.

Now, aren't you glad I didn't post a pic?