Heaping It On

You guys. You guys, you guys, you guys. 

BIG SIGH.

Where to begin? 

Well, this week was more jam-packed schedule-wise than any other week in quite a long time. Christmas, in fact. I was prepared. We were going to do it ALL, and in style (or, just do it all). Then ...

BLOOD. BLOOD IN A DIAPER. THE DIAPER OF MY TINY BABY.

I've done this before (unfortunately), and honestly, I didn't see this one coming at all. Josephine, with her constant gut problems from the day she was born, started pooping blood at about two months, and that is what sent us to the hospital. When we got past the three-month mark with Genevieve (even though she has had gut problems this whole time), I was sure we would be okay.

While visiting my parents this week, I found blood in her diaper, and whoosh to the pediatrician as fast as my SUV could safely carry us.

When this happened with Josephine, we were at one of our bi-weekly "discuss Josephine's mystery illness and check her weight to make sure she is still gaining" appointments and were sent straight to the hospital. I didn't see it coming. This time, I saw the blood, and was mentally making a checklist in my head of what I would need to take to the hospital and what I would need to assemble for the Josie-tender. I was ready. 

I think you see where this is going.

Nope, no hospital. I am trying something the doctor advised and have a GI appointment lined up. At this point, I'm not sure which approach I like better: "Blood! Go to the hospital and have your baby tortured with 24 hours of no food then 24 hours of only pedialite and millions of needles jabs!" seems like too much and "Try this. Probably not a big deal" seems too relaxed, because BLOOD! BLOOD!

Sigh. So, we are dealing with that, and I am trying not to panic, and now I am seeing why the little biscuit could not stay asleep, because there must have been a whole hell of a lot going on in her gut for her to start pooping blood. I'd be looking for comfort, too. So, yes, to answer your question, she is still being coddled and held while sleeping and all that because what else can we do at this point? 

Then, THEN, on Thursday, about 15 minutes before we had to leave to get to playgroup (she went for the first time last week and LOVED it. It's a little mini-preschool set-up basically, and I had to drag her away, kicking and screaming, a half an hour after everyone else had left, so OBVIOUSLY we were headed back this week), I pulled off her pj top to find ... a mystery rash.

Well, hot damn. Playgroup cancelled. I called the pediatrician and they said if it was still there half an hour after giving her antihistamine, it probably wasn't and allergic reaction and she needed to be seen. Of course, I didn't have any in the house. I called my Mother-in-law to watch girls while I asked a friendly pharmacist which antihistamine I should try to give my angel baby if I am allergic to Benadryl (I KNOW) and am afraid of the girls being allergic as well (Here's a fun feeling: having the pharmacist cock his head to one side and say, "Hmmm ... that's a good question" when you ask what you can give your kid that won't kill her).

Half an hour after antihistamine dose (she didn't die!), rash remained. Off to pediatrician again! To be squeezed in! For the second time this week! Yeah, I'm pretty sure they hate me now.

Apparently the rash is presenting as viral and she likely is contagious (excellent!), and G's gut is still wonky.

Plus, there were a bunch of errands I intended to run today, including picking up Mockingjay from the library (I grossly underestimated how much I would like The Hunger Games trilogy once I finally got to start it and raced through the first two), sending out two packages I was supposed to send out before Christmas (I KNOW. I hate me, too), and grocery shopping (I started writing a grocery list, then got frustrated and wrote "EVERYTHING" and huffed about it), but Mystery illnesses! Fifteen (fifteen!) inches of snow that fell last night! Weird chuggy thing that the SUV is doing! (Sorry, Jeremy, I know you thought you fixed that, but ... um, nope). So, we sat inside today and I assembled eleventy billion cardboard blocks my mom got Josephine for Christmas.

That, my friends, is a lot of assembly.

Oh! I remember one of the things I set out to tell you at the beginning of this fun little adventure we just took together! Even though this was a heavily-scheduled week and we had two illnesses, somehow Josephine managed to see and fall in love with the two children's shows that I have forbidden in this home. Well, the first was forbidden, and I was just really hoping she wouldn't get into the second. 

First (forbidden): Caillou.  Seriously? A cartoon child with the whiniest voice ever in the history of children? THIS sounds like a good thing to put on TV? You think I want my child to hear and imitate that brat? NO THANK YOU.

Second (in an ideal world, Josie would not watch): Thomas and Friends. I know I'm gonna take some slack for that one, but my reasons are two-fold. 1) The theme song. ANNOYING. EARWORM. 2) Now we don't just need trains (which we have, thanks), we need THOMAS! TRAINS! which cost much more than a perfectly good train without a face upon it. Guess what she's already chanting?

Yup.

Damn.

In other news, I have not lost my talent for rambling narratives, excessive caps, and overuse of parentheses. Also, Jeremy suggested we have a CLEANING! ALL! THE! THINGS! WEEKEND, and YAY! but also ... blarg. 

Now someone come rock my baby so I can attend to all these baskets of clean, unfolded laundry.

Just kidding. I know you all have your own laundry to fold. Happy Friday! Don't spoil the end of The Hunger Games trilogy for me!