Chocolate Milk

James LOVES chocolate milk. Loves, loves, LOVES chocolate milk! (Is there a word that suggests a stronger affection to something besides 'love'? He'd own it for chocolate milk).

I think the only thing he might like more would be ice cream - but that's a whole other story!

This story centers around his love of chocolate milk.

James has been a really good guy about pain, but discomfort is NOT his thing. He can scrape his knee, step on a bee, or fall from a tree and he'll come up smiling with a faint chuckle (or hilarious forced laugh), a tiny mention of "ow" and then be off on his way again. BUT if he is uncomfortable in any way he'll let you know!

Unfortunately, this does not bode well at bedtime when he is required to take an acid reflux pill (that is supposed to dissolve on his tongue, no less!). We had massive issues with the whole dissolving in his mouth thing, so we spoke to the Dr about it. She suggested dissolving it into water and letting him swallow it - she said it would be just fine. So, we tried that.

NO success.

THEN mom had a clever idea (and, granted, this "cleverness" is based solely on the fact that it seems to be working and we haven't discussed it with his Dr yet to hear that it might not be so clever after all).

If we can dissolve it in water, and it doesn't say he can't eat/drink anything AFTER taking the pill, why not dissolve it into something he likes....something he might not taste the meds through...something like....

CHOCOLATE MILK!

So for the last week or so he's had a "treat" of chocolate milk each night (laced with his nasty meds) and he swallows it all and asks for more.

Well, last night the other kids finally caught on that he was getting chocolate milk right before bedtime and so why couldn't they?

I explained to the kids in the kitchen (while James waited unwittingly at the table) that James only got the milk because he wouldn't take his medicine any other way.

"Either I put it in his milk and he drinks it without knowing, or I force it down his throat with a syringe...ah, the joys of motherhood" (were, I believe, my exact words.)

Well, all the kids got a mischievous look on their face and, as I handed James his milk they all started chanting, "Drink the milk! Drink the milk, James!"

James had never before gotten a cheering crowd as he drank his chocolate milk, but, like any toddler, he relished in it and gulped it faster than usual, only to get a more-than-deserved applause when he put the empty cup on the table.

He has never looked prouder.

All for drinking "chocolate milk."