glad when Daddy's home

We are always happy when Matt pulls into the driveway (especially when there is still daylight and dinner and bathtime hasn't come and gone). Relief for ALL.

The girls have gone through the phase of proudly singing, "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home." As Meg explains it now, "Dad says his favorite day is Friday. My favorite day is Saturday, because then he is already home!"

The minute he hears "Daddy's home!" Tyler loudly drops whatever is in hand to race to our large front window or door. Having discovered the horn, today, I'm certain his excitement for the van (Matt) coming home will only grow.

the Rodeo

With tickets from a co-worker, we headed up to a rodeo at Ogden's Golden Spike Arena. I was eager to go, having never been to a rodeo. I was curious to see what kind of grasp and body whipping it took to get a good score.

General admission allowed us to pick whatever spot was open. Why not three rows up, just seats from where the gates open and the raging bulls charge out?

With time to spare before the show officially started, we watched as a handful of young little boys wandered the dirt floor of the arena or rode solo on a horse. Obviously they were the next generation of cowboys. It was easy to instantly see how this sport is very family oriented. Grown men huddled in circles, completely comfortable that their young uns' already (literally) can handle the ropes.

With our girls questioning aloud (like "Are these real cowboys?"), it was obvious we were first-timers. Graciously, a lady seated below us turned around. She explained how they were from Idaho and had come with several of "the riders." Turns out she was the wife of one of the bull riders. If I needed to know anything when things got going, I was to ask her! Wanting to understand, I shamelessly leaned forward countless times. She and a couple of her friends leaned back and oohed over our "cute kids." Glad we plopped down there!

From her, I learned how higher points are rewarded for use of the spurs, what "barrier" line was not to be crossed before the bell, how three legs of the calf need to be secured for 6 seconds, and how important 8 seconds are for a ride. I sincerely enjoyed her insight. I sat there realizing the countless hours of training and travel one (and the entire family) puts into a single shot at staying on a bucking bull or horse for 8 seconds...or hopefully even less seconds if your goal was to lasso in the shortest time. A lot of time for one chance with an animal.

Should have gotten a picture with our commentator. Should have gotten a picture of the American flag being galloped around the stadium during the opening anthem. The pictures I include are the fuzzy few that came out of my camera that was low on batteries: Meg nervous from a random bird mascot wandering the stands and the rodeo clown, Tyler peering over the rider's hat (Tyler loved the action!), and Matt joining the crowd with the girls for the "chicken chase"...

Just as I make sense of the bull rides and the barrier lassoing, I was to witness the "chicken chase." A break in action. Similar to a seventh-inning stretch, perhaps. Matt, having been told that they allowed kids down to try and catch chickens, of course that is what the girls were counting on. Too bad only four chickens were let loose for the HUGE mass of people. Paige ran off hopeful, oblivious of the bad odds. Meg would not put two feet on the ground...

Crazy! I had thought being trampled by a horse was dangerous...trampled by the numberless crowd was more real for the girls. I thought falling from the bull before a complete eight seconds would be disappointing...not getting arms around a chicken proved tear-worthy for the girls.

Ah well, pack 'em up. Time for the long drive home. We'd come and seen! We'd cultured ourselves. We'd had fun. We'd watched "real cowboys" while listening to great country tunes over the speakers! We'd lasted until the chicken run.

I wished we could have stayed until the bitter end to see the lady's husband ride in the last event of the night. But, the kids were done...the parents keeping tabs on the kids were done...my sneezing and running nose told me I was done with the horses.

no "Topical Rash"

One bonus of HAVING to drag all three kids along to the doctor's office for one sore ear is that the professional can peek into the ears of all present. Paige was very vocal last Thursday about an earache. We went in for one and came out with Amoxicillin in hand for both her and Tyler. Two with one stone! (From the color in their ear canals, it looked like Paige's was just 6-7 hours new. Tyler's looked 3-4 days old. Ah, sorry boy. Mom needs to be more on top of your medicine!)

I immediately started them both on the meds. Breakfast and dinner. Twice a day. Six days in, I noticed many small red dots on Tyler's belly and larger patches along his diaper line. By many I mean maybe twenty. Not raised. Not huge. Not itching. But, not normal! Could he be reacting to his meds, even though he has been on it for nearly a week now?

So I call the doctor's office and explain the details. After the receptionist told the nurse, who told the doctor, who told her to tell me the answer...I was told that they figured it was just a topical viral rash. I was "to watch it for 2-5 day." It should go down. Taking their word for it, I went against my gut and agreed to watch it for the next several days.

Well, I didn't even get in a day of observation. The next morning it was far worse. Spread all over! Matt's, "What is this?!?" exclamation when he scooped him out of bed for the day had me on the phone with the doctor's office again by 8:00 AM that morning. Please sneak him in before the long weekend hits. I know this is far worse than just a passing rash!

The three pictures following are how he looked at noon on Friday. It is what the doctor saw. The few spots on Tyler's face alone, even before I took off his shirt, were enough to have the doctor immediately recognizing an allergy to penicillin. The medicine he had been on for the last WEEK!

FRIDAY:

So, I left the office with medicine to treat the medicine.

How frustrating. Glad we caught it. Glad he is showing the rash reaction rather than the alternative struggling-to-breathe reaction. It wasn't until after the fact that I was told that my dad, aunt, and grandma were allergic to it. Should have checked family medical history? Granted, we wouldn't have known until it got in his system (Paige was on the exact same bottle of stuff this week and didn't react, and I'm pretty positive Meg had had more than just Augmentin). But, it had me questioning what we put in our babes to "help" them.

The next morning, after a second night of holding him for long stretches and having him on Benedryl, he was worse. Heartbreakingly worse. Spot that were pencil-top-small a day before were HUGE splotches. Past red spots were filled with awful grey and purple coloring. Poor babe.

SATURDAY MORNING:

So, I pulled out the additional prescription that doctor gave me "to use if his joints get so swollen he doesn't want to walk or move" and headed to the pharmacy. With hydro-cortizone cream and a steroid prescription in hand, I called my cousin's pharmacist husband and carefully listened to "what he'd do if it were his own child." His suggestion I'm following: use all three...go into an Instacare if it is worse in the morning (Sunday).

The anti-itch cream seemed to help (thank goodness!). I pray the short-term steroid will kick in quick...because below is what we were looking at all of today. Ouch! Painful for me to look at. Itching and hot for him.

Do I Look FOUR?

Big sister had Paige convinced that she didn't turn four until after she returned from school. I am not sure if that was an attempt to not miss the party, or if Matt had told Meg the timeline of the original birthday in the hospital. Either reason, Paige wasn't so sure how to answer people who questioned, "how old are you?" in the morning. Three fingers immediately shot up, with a hesitating pinkie wanting to join. Multiple times she asked me, "Do I look four? I don't look like I am four!" I think she may have expected to instantly be a foot taller...

She had a good birthday, yesterday. She selected the cake with the most pink frosting the day before. She helped get a half-dozen balloons to the car - that was a sweet shadow silhouette to watch on the parking lot's asphalt. She received several phone calls from family. She eagerly opened gifts from visiting grandparents. She enjoyed her requested chicken noodle soup and breadstick dinner. And, she held no grudge that the real party didn't get started until after 8:00 PM when Matt got home from a long day. Cake is still exciting. Zhu-Zhus and Squinkies, handpicked by sister, are still exciting.

Sweet thing. I am grateful to be kept on my toes by the loud energy in her small body.

Bound to Happen

"Oh no you didn't!" (in full Lakisha-from-the-hood swagger tone) was Matt's response to these pictures. The boy was more than happy to have something new to run around in. What else can be expected in a house full of tutus?!?

Independent in the Snow

With the sun shining, yesterday, we headed into this endless season of white. The girls independently built three snowmen! The first of this year. The boy tried to make sense of the snow through over sized mittens! Hurried footprints left as signs of his first real time out in the element!

Margaret

Atop each school paper brought home yesterday, Meg had carefully written her full name. Margaret. Phonetically sounded out. She claimed she wants to use her "big name" now, so we spent some homework time practicing. I wonder if it is just exciting to have more letters to fill the line.

She says friends can call her Meg or Margaret. She doesn't really care. I sometimes call her by Margaret...with a Spanish flare when pronouncing it. I doubt many even know that is her full name.

I swore I'd never be one of those parents who named their kid one thing on the official school rolls and then required the teacher to relabel everything in the classroom to match an unpredicted nickname. Look at what happened anyways!

Just six years in, I wonder if it might be easier to make the adjustment now. Doubt any change would happen immediately. She is still our Meg.

It will be interesting to see what name she decides to grow into. And when.

Suddenly Thought

Me (@ yesterday's lunch): "Paige, eat some more of your sandwich."

Huff!

Eyeroll.

Pause.

Paige: "Alright, mom."

Smile.

Bite.

Pause.

Paige: "I suddenly said that! I was going to say, 'Don't tell me what to do, Mom.' But, then I suddenly thought."

Pause.

I smile.

Paige: "I suddenly calmed myself down! Are you happy I suddenly thought to say that?"

We are working on Meg's ability to calm herself down and walk away from a situation rather than hit. Obviously Paige wants in on the calming action.

YES! I'm happy she "suddenly thought" out a better option B. Doesn't happen all the time, but when it does of course I smile. I should slow down and "suddenly think" more. Through that ironic method, my words would be less rash for sure.