Since time immemorial, parents have been wishing that they could take pain away from their children, even if they had to suffer it themselves.

"I would do this for you, if I could."

Add me to the list. I mean, Penny's never seemed to suffer from her ear infections before, but this time, she's in pain. And I wish I could take it away. I'd do it for her if I could.

And I don't say that lightly. I've had ear infections before, and they hurt. I mean, a lot. When I was in labor, they kept asking me to evaluate the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, and only the actual delivery rated higher than about a 7. And the actual delivery took no more than about half an hour. Ear infections are a 10. Hot spikes being driven into your ear, for hours.

I would gladly suffer Penny's for her.

But before you get all misty-eyed over the sacrifices a mother will make for her child, let's clear one thing up: That willingness, on my part, is at least 75% selfish.

After all, I'm an adult. I comprehend pain, and the reason for pain, far better than Penny possibly can. I understand cause and effect, and therefore wouldn't fight the common treatments, like Penny would. I could hold still long enough to tolerate peroxide drops or a warm compress. I could find the least painful position and stay there.

If I have an earache, I'm suffering. But when Penny has an earrache, we all suffer.

Suddenly, the nobility of parents through the ages becomes just a little bit clearer - and, like so many clarifications, a little bit less beautiful.

(She did better last night, though. She was up at 9:30 and 10:15 and 11:30 and 12:15 and 12:45, but once she went back to sleep around 1, she slept solidly until well after 6. Another night or two, and the antibiotic should have started to work its magic, and maybe she'll go back to sleeping more normally.)

--Liz