You shouldn't sleep in instead of showering when you have to take your baby for an early morning well child check because...

...you just never know when you are going to be stuck there until mid-afternoon feeling grungy.

What started out as a regular well child check for Sis ended up as a marathon waiting session while she endured several tests to try to pin down why she had a high fever for the last 24 hours. 6+ hours later, she had gone through a urinalysis from a catheter, a blood draw (as well as one or two "less conventional" temperature taking episodes) and finally a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) and antibiotic shot when the first few tests proved inconclusive. Her doctor wanted to rule out meningitis since she protested anytime her neck was manipulated and there seemed to be no other clear reason for her high fever. Poor baby!

You should have seen the dirty looks she gave me after each procedure. It was hard to sit back and let it all happen even though I knew it was ultimately for her good (and yes, I do see the parallel in that even if I haven't gracefully accepted it on my own behalf yet.)

The meningitis test turned out to be negative (whew!) but we get to troop back in tomorrow to get her checked out again and go over any final results from her many tests. I'm so glad my sister was able to rescue Junior after Kindergarten and the boys were thrilled to spend the afternoon at her place (without a doubt, both boys would trade me straight across for Aunt Jen.) I was thrilled that Jen has a key to my house and made sure I came home to a clean place. Sis was thrilled to be done being a pin cushion and crashed for most of the afternoon. Now she is wide awake and ready to stay that way until further notice.


Can you believe after the day she had (and several rough face plants onto the floor from her sitting position), she still has a smile? I know I don't :-) Right now I am just begging the universe for a favor and hoping that my kids will all suddenly get tired and go to sleep. Junior violently and uncharacteristically protested bedtime tonight and once again has placed me on the bottom of his list of people to love (his father, ironically always being at the very top *sigh). Bubba won't stop calling out for things (water, a book, a new band aid, more light, Junior talked to me, etc. etc.) I'd love to be able to eat my dinner, which I made hours ago, but have not yet been allowed to ingest. Nothing managed to keep me from my diet coke, though. I'm addicted and I'm ok owning that. Recent caffeine critics should keep in mind that I would probably rather be swigging something more numbing like vodka. My self control is more awesome than you know...


Sis has learned that after the camera is pointed at her, a bright and startling flash often follows. This is the face I get the minute she sees it, long before I have pressed any buttons.

Nice drool...

Junior wants to be jumped on (notice Sis's "camera face"). Six year old boys are wierd (and if this picture doesn't convince you, wait until I post Junior's very own recurring cartoon series "Log and the Rock." It's all about a log...and a rock...)

Today, I was able to appreciate how hard it must be for parents with chronically ill children to have to stand by while they are poked and prodded for their own good. It reminded me that I would far rather endure pain to myself than to any of my kids. I had been thinking of Sis as my medically difficult baby since in her seven months she has had a hospital stay at one month, trips to Primary Children's kidney ultrasounds and one or two more to come as she grows a little as well as needing PT for her refusal to bear weight on her heels. In addition to the debacle today, I learned she needs another x-ray on her hips since she was a breech baby and sometimes things don't grow right. Neither of my boys needed this much medical attention, but when I think about it, it really isn't much. She is healthy in the ways that count and after today, I am newly grateful for that and in awe of parents who have to do this kind of thing on a regular basis. I'll take the running her around for x-rays and PT any day.

Now, I'm going to make a solid attempt to eat my dinner while holding the baby, while keeping her from grabbing it off the plate. And then I'm going to see if she is a 24 fan. Wish me luck!