This thing starts with 'ick'.

The zebra book won me a full out giggle today.  And here I thought it was pricey when I bought it - seriously, nine quid for a seven page cardboard book?  But great googly moogly, I'd have paid nine grand for that giggle.  I think I 'get it' now.

So it seems Rukai's love of black and white firmly charges on, which means dalmatians and pandas are very much next in line.  Now that I think of it, I suspect Ansel Adams photos and old movies would fit in there somewhere.  Then too, so would prison uniforms.  And Michael Jackson.  And Goth.  Good lord, all this from a zebra.  Maybe I should return it and just wave a copy of War and Peace at him.

Anyhoo, I thought I'd start setting up an evening routine by showing him the book just before his pre-bed Oilatum greasing - thanks to our local pediatrician we now know that 'crusty boo boo' has a name: Ichthyosis, which should be manageable by keeping the skin well oiled.  Grand.  Just what I wanted - something else to research.  I should get a fellowship or something, no?  Nobel prize?  Free scratch card?  Ok, at least a cold pint?

And how appropriate this thing starts with 'ick' - a skin condition named after the scales of a fish.  Peely brown patches caused by a build up of cells that don't flake off as they should do.  Although looking at it, I'm really thinking less Nemo and more giraffe or lizard.  Still, I have to laugh.  How appropriate for a kid from the dirty water pool, a kid who we call our little dragon baby, to have scales.  You couldn't write this.

Oh wait, I just did.

And here I thought it'd clear up over time, but it seems more likely to be something that will stick with him and ensure he's constantly in a state of greas-ed-ness.  I guess the bright side is I can stop trying new laundry detergent now, since that doesn't seem to be the cause.  And of this, I'm truly relieved.  I can imagine I'd have eventually run out of name brands and resorted to trying crazy potions off ebay made from croton oil and hydrolized yak butter to nil effect.  Appears as if this doctor visit malarkey has its benefits.

The good news is that, aside from dragon-itis of the skin, our wee man has once again been signed off with a smiley 'he's doing fine'.

Yes, he is.  Crusty boo boo, fire in the belly and all.