Mom, will you look in my ear?

I was sitting at the computer checking my email and Carlee walks into the office to climb up onto my lap to see what I'm doing.  She is just talking to me and asking what my emails are about.  She reaches up to her ear and says, "Mom, I can't hear very well." 

I ask her if it's just clogged and if we need to get some earwax out.  She says, "I don't think it's earwax.  I think something is in my ear." 

I look and sure enough, I can see something whitish in color sticking out.  I am staring at it and tugging her ear back a little so I can get a better look.  I am thinking it is some big glob of wax but in a really strange color.  I poke it a little with my finger and it is hard. 

I ask her, "Carlee, did you put something in your ear?" 

She looks at me innocently and says slowly, "No."

I ask her again and explain that it doesn't look like earwax.  Her eyes fill with tears and she confesses, "Maybe." 

I ask her what it is and she said that she didn't know.  I explain that I need to get it out so she needs to be really brave and hold still so I can pull it out or we will have to go to the hospital to have Daddy take it out.  She promises that she will hold still like a statue, be brave, and not talk so I do what I've seen Joe do a million times--bend a paperclip to make a tiny loop, burn the loop with a flame to sterilize it and gently maneuver the object to the front of her ear hole and push it out slowly so I can grab it.   

I pull it out.  She gives me a big hug and says, "Thanks, Mom!  I can hear now and it didn't even hurt!"

We have the little talk about not putting things in our noses or ears so they don't hurt us or get stuck in our bodies where we have to get cut open to get them out.  (Yes, I believe in scaring our children a bit with the worst case scenario)  She gives me a kiss, professes her love for me, and runs off to play with her Barbies.  This child sure keeps me busy--putting make-up all over her face, cutting her own hair, and putting random things in her ear.  What a gal!

Still no clue what that is or where it came from!