When Life Gives You Lemons...

Little Miss Beans has an ear infection which means antibiotics. Not a favourite around here. Anything we have to give her in a syringe is bad. It could be sugar water, but it's still not going to happen.

So the first night of medication, Mommy and Daddy had to hold poor Beans down and fight to get it down. It was horrendous. There was a lot on her, her daddy, and me. I'm just not sure about in her.

Later, I tasted the stuff. And nearly gagged! I can't blame her for not wanting to take it! I wouldn't want to either. It's like bitter, chalky goo with a slight hint of citrus or tropical fruit flavor. What pharmaceutical genius thought of that concoction for a kid!? I know it's medicine, but come on! It's not like finding a cure for the common cold... just make the stuff taste good!

So the next morning I had an epiphany after trying to fake her out by putting it in the straw of her sippy cup (which actually got 2 mL in her). I thought lemonade! She loves it and it would cover that awful bitterness with a little extra sugar. I got online and found nothing saying mixing citrus with it would be bad (if you're considering doing this please check with your pharmacist - I am not a medical professional) so to the kitchen I went.

A squeeze of lemon, a ¼ teaspoon of sugar, a ¼ cup of Country Time Lemonade, and 3 more mL of medication. And then I ask Beans if she wants some lemonade. Her response? "Lem-made!"

Sucked the whole thing down! Victory! It seems to be working still. If we can keep it going to 8 more days, we'll be golden... like sunny, delicious, lemonade.

I've always heard that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. And I've always felt that if life gives you lemonade, you just sell it. But now I've learned for certain that if life gives you a toddler with an ear infection and medication that tastes like a sadistic, parent-torturing chemist flavoured it (i.e. life giving you lemons), make lemonade and give it to the toddler.