Relieves Sinus Pressure

Oh happy day.

Olivia has FINALLY learned to blow her nose!

Geesh, I was beginning to think she was missing a gene or something, because that girl could not blow snot out of her nose to save her life. And of course, it would be the kid who can't blow is also the kid with the ongoing and unexplained nasal congestion. If she gets a cold, she keeps the snot for about six months. So if you figure an average of three colds a year, that pretty much amounts to year-round nose goo. We have tried it all- decongestants, antihistamines, nasal saline. Nothing seems to help much. So I have spent the past 5 1/2 years running around after her with a kleenex, trying to keep her nose wiped. And in spite of my best efforts, we have also had 5 1/2 years of washing dried snot off her forehead, because instead of blowing, she would wipe, with her hand, palm side up, up her nose, past the eyes, on to the forehead, and if necessary, into the hair. Ugh. It was disgusting.

I tried everything to teach her to blow, but she could not seem to coordinate keeping her mouth closed long enough to make anything come out the nostrils. She could fake it really good though. She would hold the kleenex up to her nose, take a deep breath, lean forward, and produce some really convincing sound effects which sounded like she was honking out a swamp. In reality she was only blowing raspberries with her mouth. And to be fair, it has been miserable for her too. She was either being harassed by me and my box of tissues, or trying to breathe through her poor filled up sinuses, or having it run down her face.

So this morning, when she finally finally finally mastered the process of nose blowing, we were both ecstatic. She blew about fifty times, just because she was so proud of herself. Then I made her blow a few more times just to make sure she could really do it.

Such a proud moment. I am going to buy her her own little box of tissues to celebrate.