Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Kid Funnies

Kid Funnies brought to you by Grammie:
 
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When discussing upcoming birthdays in our family, Hattie realized her birthday had already passed. So she declared matter-of-factly that her birthday was "last night ago".
 
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While driving home from the school, Cora exclaimed that she had made a paper game during free choice time. Grammie asked a couple questions about it to which Cora gave a couple of short answers and then there was silence. Grammie broke the silence with another question to which Cora queried "Do you want me to explain it or do you want to just let it be?"
 
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Lily looked lovingly at Grammie and said "I could stay at your house and have quiet time all day!" Thinking that sounded like a great way to babysit, Grammie brightened and told her that she is welcome to do that anytime she wants to. ;)
 
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After spending part of a day at Grammies, Mommy said it was time to go home for quiet time. Cora asked if she could stay at Grammie's for quiet time, to which mom said that she had to get permission from Grammie for that. So Cora promptly asked if she could stay and Grammie replied with " I suppose so". Cora looked a little concerned so she asked "is that a definite yes, or a definite no?"
 
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Hattie was exploring Grammie's bathroom and opened one of the vanity doors. She looked inside and exclaimed "we have garbage too!" Then wrinkling up her nose she asked in a very questioning tone "we don't play with garbage??" Grammie said "no, garbage is kind of dirty." She then exclaimed that her garbage is not dirty at her house.
 
 
 
 


Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Epi pens and Bee Stings

If someone told me years ago that I would have a child who needed an epi-pen, I would have been surprised. Now, if they had told me that I was going to have two children who would need these things, that would have been even more shocking.

Lily needs hers because of her peanut allergy. She gets peanuts on accident and it's massive, migrating hives for 72+ hours. Which is why is has only occurred once, by accident, and we keep vigilant about watching what she eats.

Hattie on the other hand...turns out her body doesn't like bee stings so much. Which is really of no major surprise since I don't do well with them either.

Rewind to August 27, 2015.

Let's set up the back story: I had taken Ben to BMX and left Jason at home with all the girls. It was a lovely summer evening and Ben had biked well. I had gotten a nice break just sitting in the stands cheering him on.

Upon returning home, I hear Jason say: Hattie, go show mommy your lip.

Oh great. What happened? I'm bracing for a scraped lip or please don't let it be another chipped tooth. (Another story all on it's own, but a quick recap: I went to Vegas for a long weekend with a friend. Upon returning I find that Hattie has a chipped front tooth. Apparently, Ben was helping her brush her teeth and lifted her up to spit into the sink. She slipped out of his arms and hit her front tooth on the sink base and the rest is history.)

I scooped up my baby girl and was met with a very swollen top lip. She had gotten stung by a wasp while I was gone. I was alarmed to say the least. This lip was huge and I really wasn't very comfortable going into the night hours with a reaction like this. Jason assured me that it was actually looking better. It wasn't nearly as red as it had been at the beginning. (Somehow, this was doing very little to alleviate the stress that was building in my gut.) I went to bed that night with Hattie by my side. There was no way I was going to leave her in her own room with this level of a reaction going on. I barely slept that night, watching the rise and fall of her chest and listening to her breathing.

I woke up to this the next morning:

Her lip was enormous and I was freaking out.

Notice how insanely large her top lip is compared to her bottom lip?!?




I immediately got out the benedryl and administered her some. We waited and after and hour plus it hadn't reduced the swelling at all. Not. At. All.

I quickly dialed the pediatrician only to find out that she was booked solid for the day. I politely mentioned that this was sort of urgent and that I was worried about a potential anaphylactic type of reaction to a bee sting. They got me in right away.

When Dr. Spandl came into the room, she was taken aback at how large her lip had become. I told her I was pretty sure I wasn't dreaming, that it had actually become even more swollen since I had called in.

Dr. Spandl looked everything over, including listening really well to Hattie's breathing. Hattie's lip was starting to split on the inside from all the pressure and swelling. Since it had only been about 18 hours since the actual sting and the swelling usually peaks around 48 hours, it was obvious that intervention was needed and that Hattie's lip couldn't handle any more swelling.

The Pediatric Allergist was called and instructions given that Hattie needed steroids, and she needed them quickly. We got a prescription called in and were told to head directly across the street to get them. Dr. Spandl gave me strict instructions not to even leave the pharmacy parking lot without giving her the steroids first. We ended up having to give her 3 days of steroids along with benedryl round the clock for that same time period.

We now have an epi-pen for Hattie and bees have taken on a new meaning in our family. This fall has been more stressful with the crazy amount of hornets and wasps flying around. The pediatric allergist concluded that since this was Hattie's first sting of her life and that she reacted so, so poorly that the next one could very easily end up putting us in an anaphylactic situation.


Monday, October 5, 2015

Sweet Memories

I have such a pathetic memory, so this blog is sort of my gateway to the past...and so I write.

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Hattie and I were snuggling at bedtime last night, like we always do. This girl is 2 1/2 years old and I still lay with her while she falls asleep each night. I know, I know...she's old enough to fall asleep on her own. And there are days that I really feel like that. Then there are those nights where we snuggle. She nuzzles her neck into mine and curls her legs up in a ball burrowing herself into me as close as she can get. She loves close contact and somehow, when she's that close to her mama, all is right in her little world. It's a quite the feeling to know you hold so much for one little person. That your simple presence holds so much.

Some nights we lay and talk. She tells stories from her day and I quietly listen. I breathe in the sweet smell of her hair. I stroke her face gently. Knowing that all too soon she won't need me in this same way. That all too soon I will hear the words "I can do it by myself, mom." And I will no longer be needed in that capacity for her. I sigh and try to take her in, I try to cement the memories so they won't be forgotten.

Last night was one of those nights. One of those "I don't ever want to forget this night" kind of night.

As we were snuggling and talking about our day, Hattie turned her face towards mine. I could feel her little breath on my cheek as she spoke.

"Mama, I like you..."

"I like you too, Hattie."

"I like your voice"

"I like your voice too, honey"

She then gave me one of her sweet little butterfly kisses on my cheek and hugged me tight.

And that, folks, is when you know you are truly loved by such a little creature.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Kid Funnies

There is never a shortage of funny quotes from the peanut gallery around here....

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Hattie: Does Lily only get medicine?
 
Mom: Yes, Lily is the only one sick, so she's the only one who gets medicine. She has an infection.
 
Hattie: I want a inflection! (infection)
 
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Dad: What time was mom born? (meaning what time of day)
 
Lily: A LONG time ago! That's true, right?!?
 
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I was quizzing Cora on her Spanish colors and she answered so many of them correct.
 
Mom: How do you say blue in Spanish?
 
Cora: Azul
 
Mom: How do you say red in Spanish?
 
Cora: rojo
 
Mom: How do you say yellow in Spanish?
 
Cora sat there deep in thought, trying to remember, she spoke up finally and said: awkward?
(it's amarillo, but close honey)
 
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Lily: (pointed to her foot and asked): Are these knuckle buns?
 
Mom: No, they are your ankle bones. :)
 
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