Week 48

We started off the week with Buddy not feeling well.  He had a fever Monday night and fell asleep after Derek picked him up from daycare.  There was no preschool on Tuesday, so we just laid low the whole day. We decided to stay home Wednesday too.

We left for SD late Wednesday and didn't get there until close to midnight!

Thanksgiving was nice as I got to see my cousins who I don't see much.  Grandpa set up a scavenger hunt for the kids.  It was something fun to do and got the kids out of the house.  The little kids had a fun time!  The older kids said, "All that for a piece of chocolate?"  Ugh.

Friday and Saturday were spent in our pjs.  We decorated Grandma's house for Christmas (although she might want to spread out the ornaments on the lower branches of the tree and reorganize the nativity scene- not everyone has to be under the manger.).  We made Christmas cookies and that was a lot of fun to have someone who knows how to do sugar cookies well because I think they are a complete pain.  We hot-pooled, played cards and games and ate lots of leftovers.  :)  It was a good weekend.

The car ride home was uneventful but now I am not feeling well tonight.  Early to bed to prepare for the snow that is headed our way!

Week 47

It seems like we just can't quite catch up.  We are gone every night for activities and sometimes in two separate directions.  It's starting to wear on me, especially since there is no end in sight.  And since I worked both Saturday and Sunday, I am exhausted, missing my family and trying to ignore a messy house.  

Friday was a crazy day.  We noticed Buddy's rash had come back on Thursday and by Friday it was spreading to his arms, wrist, entire leg and foot.  So I took him in to urgent care again.

This time the doctor did not think it was contact dermatitis or poison ivy.  He thought it was acute urticaria (hives) from some type of allergic reaction.  We are not sure from what yet.  He was put on a 3 day steroid treatment that seems to be helping.  He's got a dermatologist appoint scheduled for mid-December for something unrelated, so if the rash is still around then, we will bring it up.  It is more annoying than anything.  Especially since preschool saw it and pulled me aside after class and asked about it.  They want a doctors note for him to go back.  No problem, just feel bad for my Buddy that people are noticing.

The steroids have been no joke.  They make Buddy super hyper.  It was actually quite comical to see him on Saturday night all crazy (more than his usual).

After the doctor trip, Buddy and I went to scho because I was the Mystery Reader in Punky's classroom!  She was so happy and so excited!  Her teacher gave clues about me that I had written.  (Her favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  Her family has one cat, one fish and two frogs.)  I was waiting in the hallway and could hear Punky squealing, "It's my Mom!"  When she opened the door, she burst into tears (and then I did too of course).  I read The Book with No Pictures and Spoon to the class.  

Her teacher asked to see me in the hallway when we were done and told me about an incident that happened at recess.  Punky and another girl were waiting to come inside and the other girl told Punky she could see her breath and she blew in Punky's face.  Punky said she couldn't see it and then asked the girl to stop blowing on her when she did it again.  Then the girl said "Not only can you not hear, you are as blind as a bat."  The teacher saw Punky crying when she came inside.  The other girl was sent to the principal and her parents were called.  Apparently it was not the first time there were problems with that girl.  I just can't believe that kid could say something that hurt so deep like that, and in 1st grade!  I'm still in shock and I could go on and on, but I will stop.  Punky was sad but felt better after she talked with Derek and I and her teacher too.  I was glad to hear about it at school because I came home and googled what to say to Punky!  What did our parents do without the internet?  Basically we told her it wasn't about you- that girl would've said something mean to anyone (and Punky has proof of that).  She was having a bad day or maybe she doesnt know how much that hurt you, or maybe she hurt you to make herself look better, etc.  Don't believe what mean kids tell you- you have lots of family and friends who love you and know you- believe them.  And finally, we reminded her to never be the mean kid.  She doesn't have to be friends with this girl, but she does still need to be nice.  After a few day, I'm glad this happened because we were able to have a really good conversation with Punky.  I know it won't be the last time someone says something mean.  But I want her to know she can talk to us and she will feel better after talking to us.  She is still young and looks to her parents for guidance.  Hopefully she will in Middle School too.

I was so relieved that Friday ended on a positive note.  There was Turkey Bingo at school that night so we made a sort of last minute decision to go.  We played for maybe an hour and on our very last game, Punky got a BINGO!  She won a frozen turkey!  It was so cute to see her shout BINGO and sprint to the front of the gym.  She was pretty excited!  There were two winners, so they had to draw numbers for the prize and Punky won that too!  (The other girl got candy.)  Punky's prize included a new book, free meals to Applebee's, Culvers, Arby's and a few places.  And of course the turkey!  Hahaha!  Now we will have to invite her BFFs over for a turkey dinner because they gave us their Bingo tickets since they got pink eye and couldn't come.  Sounds like a good deal to me!

Week 46

Punky was sick a good chunk of the week.  We first noticed her fever on Wednesday night.  She went to school on Thursday but when she came home she was burning up.  She skipped choir that night and stayed home from school on Friday.  Grandma came that afternoon for our annual girls weekend shopping trip, so I was able to go to work for half the day.  I guess there were 6 kids sick in her class and another that went home at noon.  She was still not feeling 100% on Saturday but she was doing much better, so I let her go to a classmate's birthday party at a karate studio.  She was exhausted afterwards.  She didn't eat supper and went to sleep early.  Thankfully, she woke up feeling great on Sunday!

All of this was fine, except for the fact that Punky struggles so much with taking medicine!  In our medicine cabinet, we had orange flavor, grape flavor, strawberry flavor, chewables and liquid medicine and every combination.  On Saturday morning, it took her 3 hours to drink 2 tsp of Tylenol.  She stalled, hyperventilated, counted down, and cried.  I sympathized, bargained and threatened.  I had had enough, so on Saturday night, I put her on my lap, pinned her arms down, shoved two chewables in her mouth and covered her mouth with my hand.  Boom!  She was done in two minutes!  She wasn't happy and I felt a bit guilty, but there was no time to waste!  She needed to get to sleep!

On Sunday, we headed to the MOA to attempt our shopping trip.  It just hasn't been the same in the last 6 years.  We used to shop from sun up to sun down.  Oh well!  In between a few stores, we visited Nickelodeon Universe, the Lego Store, American Girl, etc.  Next year both kids will be in school, so Grandma and I will be able to get some shopping time in for awhile at least!  

So we don't forget where we parked!

Poor guy wanted Rainforest Cafe, but it is still closed for remodeling.

Chicken on a bone and tablets to play on is nice too.

Grandma and I did the log ride- we didn't get too wet.  Buddy was scared!

Lego Store

Candy that Grandma bought and he didn't like.

IKEA!

Week 45

Another busy week- so busy in fact that I didn't take any pictures until today.

Derek's great grandma died this week.  She was 95.  We are so thankful that the kids had a great-great-grandma that they knew and will remember.

We got school pictures back this week.  We decided to skip the pricey studio where we normally have the kids' birthday photos taken and had Buddy take his picture at school this year.  The pictures at the studio are okay and we had only been buying a headshot pose anyway (for $80).  I am pretty pleased with the way they turned out- especially for $30ish total.

Buddy had his well-child check-up on Friday.  He got all his kindergarten shots and the flu shot.  Three pokes and no tears!  He did tell me he never wanted to do that again though.  I showed our pediatrician the small bumps Buddy has on his neck and armpits.  While at the appointment, I noticed the bumps had spread on his legs, feet and elbows. He confirmed that the bumps he saw on his neck were molluscum and gave us a referral to the dermatologist.  (Punky had molluscum when she was maybe 2 but it was only 1 or 2 bumps and it went away after a month or two.)  He didn't really look at the bumps on his lower half and I didn't think twice about it until Sunday when Derek and I were discussing that it looked different than the neck bumps.  Buddy complained a bit about the leg bumps itching and had never before about the ones on his neck.  Then I remembered that a girl at daycare had scabies and I started panicking.  We went to urgent care this afternoon and it turns out the kid got poison ivy (or poison oak or sumac- we don't know!).  They called it contact dermatitis since we don't know the cause but we are treating it like poison ivy.  Seriously, how does that happen?  He has been wearing pants, long sleeves and shoes.  And we haven't been in the woods, etc.  I would not have been surprised had this happened in the summer, but in November?  Whatever- I just hope it goes away soon.     

Week 44

Halloween was fun.  We had a late night at our friends' house and an early start today since Punky had to sing in the church choir at 8 am.  With the time change, we are exhausted.  So that is all for today.