Why do kids love to do the same thing over and over and over again?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Not Me Monday!!!
Yesterday, I did not allow Max to keep doing this.......
......purely because he was highly entertained by it and not asking to be picked up!!! And then I did not proceed to continue to allow him to do it more because I wanted to take some pictures of him!!!!!
Just some other added bonuses this week:-I did not cry when Max got his first haircut (see post below for the WHOLE story)
-I did not let Alexis eat cupcakes for snack one rainy day (see post below!)
-I did not wear the same thing two days in a row simply because we were going two different places and seeing all different people
-I did not pick Alexis up from preschool late because it was raining so hard that I did not want to leave where I was and take Max out in the horrendous rain!
See ya next week, Not Me Monday!!!!!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Rainy Day
Today was a very rainy day so we did not want to go outside. (Secretly, I also did not want to take Max into public with his haircut). See post below if you don't know what I'm talking about. So I busted out a new toy that Alexis had gotten for Hanukkah. Yes, I know Hanukkah was 9 months ago and it's going to be Hanukkah again in 3 months. But we like to conserve new things. Especially since her birthday is usually about 10 days after Hanukkah, it is sort of like present overload. So we take about half of what she gets for both Hanukkah and her birthday and put it in the closet. That way on rainy days with nothing to do, she gets a new toy. It actually works really well. So today we busted out the Cool Bake Princess Oven while Max was napping.
For some reason, it was also necessary to wear this hideous hat while baking. Don't know why and I don't question some things.
I really do not understand how you can Cool Bake something. I mean isn't the whole idea of cooking that you need heat. Instead, we put ice cubes in the bottom of this oven and it is supposed to "bake" the cupcakes. I use the term bake very loosely because baking to me involves some sort of heating element. Man, these princesses really are magic. 
Miraculously they actually formed into a "cupcake" and I use that term loosely as well because they were a bit "gel-ish" and mushy. But she happily frosted them and put sprinkles on them. And then my dear daughter ate them for snack. She said, "wow, mom" because we NEVER eat cupcakes for snack. Snack usually involves something nutritious such as fruit or cheese, or if we are being really daring one day maybe even pretzels or rice cakes!!!! But on this special rainy day, cupcakes it is! Then, surprisingly to a stranger, but not surprising to me at all, she left half of it on the plate and threw it away.
That is just how Alexis is. But, when we have grapes for a snack, she gobbles them up. I guess that's why I have to buy her size 18 month shorts/skirts because that's what size fits her waist. I have relentlessly tried to find her a pair of jeans for this fall now that it will hopefully start to get cooler. I have returned three pairs because if they "fit" her waist (I use "fit" loosely again because seriously unless it is size 18 months it does not fit her waist), they are WAY to short. I know that someone will suggest the adjustable waist pants, but, you better believe I have tried those too. Imagine a billowing parachute, and that's what those look like on her because I have to cinch them in as far as they go and then her hips end up looking like a circus clown. Don't be surprised if you do not see Alexis in pants at all this year.
For some reason, it was also necessary to wear this hideous hat while baking. Don't know why and I don't question some things.
I really do not understand how you can Cool Bake something. I mean isn't the whole idea of cooking that you need heat. Instead, we put ice cubes in the bottom of this oven and it is supposed to "bake" the cupcakes. I use the term bake very loosely because baking to me involves some sort of heating element. Man, these princesses really are magic. 
Miraculously they actually formed into a "cupcake" and I use that term loosely as well because they were a bit "gel-ish" and mushy. But she happily frosted them and put sprinkles on them. And then my dear daughter ate them for snack. She said, "wow, mom" because we NEVER eat cupcakes for snack. Snack usually involves something nutritious such as fruit or cheese, or if we are being really daring one day maybe even pretzels or rice cakes!!!! But on this special rainy day, cupcakes it is! Then, surprisingly to a stranger, but not surprising to me at all, she left half of it on the plate and threw it away.
That is just how Alexis is. But, when we have grapes for a snack, she gobbles them up. I guess that's why I have to buy her size 18 month shorts/skirts because that's what size fits her waist. I have relentlessly tried to find her a pair of jeans for this fall now that it will hopefully start to get cooler. I have returned three pairs because if they "fit" her waist (I use "fit" loosely again because seriously unless it is size 18 months it does not fit her waist), they are WAY to short. I know that someone will suggest the adjustable waist pants, but, you better believe I have tried those too. Imagine a billowing parachute, and that's what those look like on her because I have to cinch them in as far as they go and then her hips end up looking like a circus clown. Don't be surprised if you do not see Alexis in pants at all this year.
Max's First Haircut
We decided it was time for Max to endure his first haircut. I personally liked the shaggy out of control quality it had begun to take on, but he often got called a girl. Surprisingly, the "boy" clothing didn't give it away. I really wanted to respond to those people, "do you think I would dress a daughter this way?" But anyway, we made the appointment to tidy him up. Here is his before picture.
I guess I can kinda see why he needed a haircut and not to wait until he turned 2 like we did for Alexis. Here is Max watching the person before him get a haircut. 
In complete and total awe. But still I had visions of Max screaming hysterically in the chair. The rule at the salon where I go is that children cannot sit on laps for haircuts because it is dangerous to have a scissor near the parent's neck in case the child should make a sudden movement. Logical! Here is Max getting in the chair. 
A bit of a different reaction! I think he liked seeing himself in the mirror!!!! Anyway, she asked what I wanted and I was SOOOOO specific that I liked his shaggy hair and I DID NOT want him to have a short little boy cut. I WANTED it to be long still, but just shaped and a little more under control. So, the haircut begins:
Max was highly entertained by touching his hair and by watching Ben blow it up in the air! So much fun. And no crying!!!
Big sister, Lexi, wanted to stand by him and hold his hand just to encourage him while he was getting his hair cut. I have to just insert here that she is quite possibly the sweetest sister I have EVER seen.
So adorable! But before I could realize it, she just kept cutting and cutting. I guess I was too busy taking pictures and should have been paying more attention.
And now he looks like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber!!!! I cried. Yes, I know it will grow back, but I cried. The back and sides are ok, although, shorter than I wanted, but the front is straight out of a slap stick comedy. At least, he won't need another haircut for 6 months. Here is an after picture:
Can you see the resemblance?????
I am just going to start calling him Lloyd. And, yes, I'm still crying. Ask me again in a month.
I guess I can kinda see why he needed a haircut and not to wait until he turned 2 like we did for Alexis. Here is Max watching the person before him get a haircut. 
In complete and total awe. But still I had visions of Max screaming hysterically in the chair. The rule at the salon where I go is that children cannot sit on laps for haircuts because it is dangerous to have a scissor near the parent's neck in case the child should make a sudden movement. Logical! Here is Max getting in the chair. 
A bit of a different reaction! I think he liked seeing himself in the mirror!!!! Anyway, she asked what I wanted and I was SOOOOO specific that I liked his shaggy hair and I DID NOT want him to have a short little boy cut. I WANTED it to be long still, but just shaped and a little more under control. So, the haircut begins:
Max was highly entertained by touching his hair and by watching Ben blow it up in the air! So much fun. And no crying!!!
Big sister, Lexi, wanted to stand by him and hold his hand just to encourage him while he was getting his hair cut. I have to just insert here that she is quite possibly the sweetest sister I have EVER seen.
So adorable! But before I could realize it, she just kept cutting and cutting. I guess I was too busy taking pictures and should have been paying more attention.
And now he looks like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber!!!! I cried. Yes, I know it will grow back, but I cried. The back and sides are ok, although, shorter than I wanted, but the front is straight out of a slap stick comedy. At least, he won't need another haircut for 6 months. Here is an after picture:
Can you see the resemblance?????
I am just going to start calling him Lloyd. And, yes, I'm still crying. Ask me again in a month.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Not Me Monday!
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.
This week I did not let Alexis fall asleep on the floor of my office because we stopped by there for a little while to do some paperwork on Thursday. She was completely fine when we arrived, but while we were there for an hour, she suddenly developed a 103 fever and crashed out on the floor. And I definitely didn't take a picture of it either.
I also did not allow her to watch TV all day for two days while she was sick. Surely, I could have thought of something else for her to do.
Max does not have a black eye again because of walking around our bedroom and falling eye first into the corner edge of the bed. I totally should not put some sort of foam on the corners.
I do not put the kids in the car in the mornings when we leave the house and then go back in and do last minute clean up in case someone comes to view our house. If they were still inside, it would be one step forward, two steps back in the cleaning process. Don't worry.....the windows are down and the music is on for them!!!!!
I did not let Max eat a quarter of a cupcake yesterday for sure. I mean Alexis didn't get cupcakes, cookies, etc. until she was at least 2 so of course I wouldn't let my second child have that horrendous food until 2 either.
This week I did not let Alexis fall asleep on the floor of my office because we stopped by there for a little while to do some paperwork on Thursday. She was completely fine when we arrived, but while we were there for an hour, she suddenly developed a 103 fever and crashed out on the floor. And I definitely didn't take a picture of it either.
I also did not allow her to watch TV all day for two days while she was sick. Surely, I could have thought of something else for her to do.Max does not have a black eye again because of walking around our bedroom and falling eye first into the corner edge of the bed. I totally should not put some sort of foam on the corners.
I do not put the kids in the car in the mornings when we leave the house and then go back in and do last minute clean up in case someone comes to view our house. If they were still inside, it would be one step forward, two steps back in the cleaning process. Don't worry.....the windows are down and the music is on for them!!!!!
I did not let Max eat a quarter of a cupcake yesterday for sure. I mean Alexis didn't get cupcakes, cookies, etc. until she was at least 2 so of course I wouldn't let my second child have that horrendous food until 2 either.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Wasps Nest
One day as we are walking up the driveway, we spot a dead bird on our lawn. Interesting....seeing as that is not a normal occurrence. Ben happened to go out to check it out and for some odd reason he decided to look up into the tree right above the bird. And there in the tree is a freakin' giant wasps' nest. Umm....I think we figured out what happened to the bird!
Ben decides that he is going to cut it down, but after receiving much advice from his dad about the proper way to do this, he decides to spray it with poison first. To be on the safe side, he dressed in long pants with socks pulled up over his pants, long sleeves, hat with ear coverings, gloves, scarf, and goggles.
The can of poison said it sprayed from up to 27 feet away. Whew.....a good safe distance. Now, mind you, he had us standing in the front door so he could run inside when 500,000 wasps swarmed him. He also made me have my phone handy in case we needed 911. Our neighbor was outside though and he is a firefighter so Ben all of a sudden felt safer :) Our neighbor and Ben pumped themselves up for this wasp fest that was sure to come tumbling out at the first spray.
It was a bit anti-climactic, seeing as the spray only sprayed about 10 feet and only about 4 wasps flew out, but I told Ben my true pleasure would be posting the photos on the blog.
Ben decides that he is going to cut it down, but after receiving much advice from his dad about the proper way to do this, he decides to spray it with poison first. To be on the safe side, he dressed in long pants with socks pulled up over his pants, long sleeves, hat with ear coverings, gloves, scarf, and goggles.
The can of poison said it sprayed from up to 27 feet away. Whew.....a good safe distance. Now, mind you, he had us standing in the front door so he could run inside when 500,000 wasps swarmed him. He also made me have my phone handy in case we needed 911. Our neighbor was outside though and he is a firefighter so Ben all of a sudden felt safer :) Our neighbor and Ben pumped themselves up for this wasp fest that was sure to come tumbling out at the first spray.It was a bit anti-climactic, seeing as the spray only sprayed about 10 feet and only about 4 wasps flew out, but I told Ben my true pleasure would be posting the photos on the blog.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Not Me Again!
Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. This was a very eventful week this week so there are a few things that I didn't do.
I did not allow Maxwell to rip up a magazine in the vet's office that belonged to the vet's office because they left us in the exam room for 1 1/2 hours with NOTHING TO DO. I mean, people, the vet's office is not like a pediatrician's office with a gazillion toys around. I figured it was better than allowing him to eat doggie treats.
I also did not have Alexis pee in the parking lot of a park because she could barely walk she had to pee so bad and I had no idea where the bathroom was. Oh well, no one actually saw her except for our friends that we were at the park with.
I did not change the whole "5 second rule" to a "10 second rule" while at the park because Alexis dropped her quesadilla on the ground and I had no other food to give her.
We did not go to lunch at Chick-fil-A on Saturday for the sole reason that we did not have ANY food in our house and we did not feel like grocery shopping. But, man, Chick-fil-A NEVER gets old. Seriously, I could eat it every day.
I am so not the worst mom ever because I lost Alexis's new Cabbage Patch Kid. We went to Chick-fil-A last week (see, never gets old!) and when we left I left it on the chair. Of course, when I went back to get it, it was gone. And I was SO not suckered into buying her a new one because I felt SO bad about it.
Ben's First "Not Me":
Ben did not try to hide his foul language since I was holding Max by saying a bad word in Spanish (word meaning female dog), only to have Max repeat the word in Spanish. We most certainly did not laugh our heads off either. If that was not bad enough, Ben did NOT say it again just to hear Max say it AGAIN. And, no, Ben was not referring to me when using the word!!!!!
I did not allow Maxwell to rip up a magazine in the vet's office that belonged to the vet's office because they left us in the exam room for 1 1/2 hours with NOTHING TO DO. I mean, people, the vet's office is not like a pediatrician's office with a gazillion toys around. I figured it was better than allowing him to eat doggie treats.
I also did not have Alexis pee in the parking lot of a park because she could barely walk she had to pee so bad and I had no idea where the bathroom was. Oh well, no one actually saw her except for our friends that we were at the park with.
I did not change the whole "5 second rule" to a "10 second rule" while at the park because Alexis dropped her quesadilla on the ground and I had no other food to give her.
We did not go to lunch at Chick-fil-A on Saturday for the sole reason that we did not have ANY food in our house and we did not feel like grocery shopping. But, man, Chick-fil-A NEVER gets old. Seriously, I could eat it every day.
I am so not the worst mom ever because I lost Alexis's new Cabbage Patch Kid. We went to Chick-fil-A last week (see, never gets old!) and when we left I left it on the chair. Of course, when I went back to get it, it was gone. And I was SO not suckered into buying her a new one because I felt SO bad about it.
Ben's First "Not Me":
Ben did not try to hide his foul language since I was holding Max by saying a bad word in Spanish (word meaning female dog), only to have Max repeat the word in Spanish. We most certainly did not laugh our heads off either. If that was not bad enough, Ben did NOT say it again just to hear Max say it AGAIN. And, no, Ben was not referring to me when using the word!!!!!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Just A Crazy Day
After the vet (see below), we dropped Riley off at home and went to a park about 45 minutes away to meet up with our friend Kimberly and her two kids. I should say that in the morning before we left, Alexis asked for a drink in her water bottle. It's a pretty sizable water bottle with princesses on it so I figured it would pretty much last her all day. When we got in the car the first thing that morning at about 8:30am it was full, when we got out of the car at 9:00 at the vet, she drank about 1/5 of it. Of course, she had to pee while we were at the vet. Ok, fine. Get back in the car around 10:40am. We are about 30 minutes into our 45 minute drive and I hear, "Mmmoooommmmmyyyy, I have to pee". Well, Alexis, there is really nothing I can do about it right now. I think we are almost there. Trying to take her mind off of it, we are singing and goofing around in the car. We finally arrive at the park.....a very large park......a very large park that we have never been to before so I don't know where anything is......a very large park at which I do NOT see a bathroom within running distance. I pull Alexis out of the car and she can't even walk because her legs are crossed and she is grabbing her crotch. Clearly, no bathroom in sight. Well, Alexis, we are going to pee right here. She just sort of looks at me like I am from Pluto or something. "Here, mommy? Like, next to our car in the parking lot?" Yup, right here in front of our car in the parking lot. I held her up and she peed. So much pee that I didn't even know her tiny little body could hold that much pee. Then she says, "mommy, that was fun". Of course, then I lift up her water bottle that was almost full before the car ride, and it now is empty. Hmmm....I wonder why she had to pee so bad?!?!?!?!?! Anyway, fun times were had by all:
As we are leaving the park, Alexis says, "Hey, mommy, who took us to the park?" Well, we took ourselves to the park, Lex. "Oh, well, thank you self", she says!!! I'm glad she is so polite to herself! We are almost home and she asks if she is going to Bubum's house tonight. (FYI - Bubum is my mom). Yup, we are, Lex. "Am I spending the night?" Yup, you are, Lex. "That's beautiful", she says. Ok, not quite the adjective I would have chosen, but I guess it works.
As we are leaving the park, Alexis says, "Hey, mommy, who took us to the park?" Well, we took ourselves to the park, Lex. "Oh, well, thank you self", she says!!! I'm glad she is so polite to herself! We are almost home and she asks if she is going to Bubum's house tonight. (FYI - Bubum is my mom). Yup, we are, Lex. "Am I spending the night?" Yup, you are, Lex. "That's beautiful", she says. Ok, not quite the adjective I would have chosen, but I guess it works.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
A Day in Our Life
Thursday was a beautiful day in which many blog-worthy things happened. After waking up early, we had to take Riley to the vet for her yearly checkup (which by the way, was supposed to be in May). But, I figure, if we are still in the same year, it still counts as yearly. So the four of us trek out of the house up to the vet. We arrive on time and quite promptly are shown to our room. BUT, 15 unnecessary minutes tick by before anyone comes into the room when clearly we were the only ones there since ALL the other rooms were empty. Picture Alexis and Max fighting over who gets to hold Riley's leash, Max opening cabinets all over the place, and Alexis chasing around Claw and Beep, her imaginary friends, because they were not being good listeners. 
Clearly, Alexis was winning the fight of who got the hold the leash for the above photo! Finally, the nurse came in, took Riley for her bloodwork, nail cutting, and whatever else in the back. Still trying to entertain two children in a little four by four EMPTY room, and 15 minutes later Riley comes back. "Ok" says the nurse, "now I'll let the vet know that Riley is ready to be examined". Fabulous! Almost done! 30 FREAKIN' MINUTES LATER, the vet comes in. By now, Alexis has come up with a thousand different scenarios about why Claw and Beep are flying around the room on scooters/going to school inside the treat dish/doing her hair for a party, etc., Max has torn apart the only magazine in the room while whining and crying because he is probably as bored as I am, and I'm about to climb up the walls. I explain to the vet that Riley has been peeing in her sleep and last time that happened she had a bladder infection. "Well, let's get a urine sample from her", she says. Ok, great. 15 minutes later, Riley comes back. "Ok, now we have to wait for the vet to analyze the sample", the nurse says. We waited about 15 more minutes, and now everyone is hungry, Max is tired, and I am just plain annoyed. I was just about to go out the other door and say we are just going to leave and have to come back for round two, when the vet came in and said that her urine was too watery to examine so we have to CATCH HER FIRST PEE OF THE MORNING IN A TUPPERWARE and bring it in. Are you kidding me????? Ummmm.....that's going to be Ben's job. Finally, after 1 1/2 hours and $228, we leave the vet.
For the second, third, and fourth blog-worthy things of the day.....
Ha! The suspense will kill you, I know!!!!
Clearly, Alexis was winning the fight of who got the hold the leash for the above photo! Finally, the nurse came in, took Riley for her bloodwork, nail cutting, and whatever else in the back. Still trying to entertain two children in a little four by four EMPTY room, and 15 minutes later Riley comes back. "Ok" says the nurse, "now I'll let the vet know that Riley is ready to be examined". Fabulous! Almost done! 30 FREAKIN' MINUTES LATER, the vet comes in. By now, Alexis has come up with a thousand different scenarios about why Claw and Beep are flying around the room on scooters/going to school inside the treat dish/doing her hair for a party, etc., Max has torn apart the only magazine in the room while whining and crying because he is probably as bored as I am, and I'm about to climb up the walls. I explain to the vet that Riley has been peeing in her sleep and last time that happened she had a bladder infection. "Well, let's get a urine sample from her", she says. Ok, great. 15 minutes later, Riley comes back. "Ok, now we have to wait for the vet to analyze the sample", the nurse says. We waited about 15 more minutes, and now everyone is hungry, Max is tired, and I am just plain annoyed. I was just about to go out the other door and say we are just going to leave and have to come back for round two, when the vet came in and said that her urine was too watery to examine so we have to CATCH HER FIRST PEE OF THE MORNING IN A TUPPERWARE and bring it in. Are you kidding me????? Ummmm.....that's going to be Ben's job. Finally, after 1 1/2 hours and $228, we leave the vet.For the second, third, and fourth blog-worthy things of the day.....
Ha! The suspense will kill you, I know!!!!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Battle of the Allergies
Get ready folks, this is a long one!
We have suspected for about six months that Alexis has a nut allergy...not peanuts, just other nuts. She happily snacks on peanut butter and various other peanut products! But one day about six months ago at a friend's house, Alexis ate her first nut, a pistachio, in fact. At the first crunch, she started screaming that her mouth hurt and her stomach hurt. Thinking that she just didn't know how to express that she didn't like it, I down played the whole thing (also sort of embarrassed that she might puke at someone else's house!). Luckily, she did not puke and after drinking 85 loads of water and eating something else, she finally calmed down. This, however, was not enough to convince me. About 2 months after that, she ate another nut....same thing happened. You would think that my brain might get clued in, but, oh no, not yet. Fast forward to July 4th. After the Peachtree Road Race, they were handing out Lara Bars. We took a couple and Alexis ate one when we got home. Since this time she liked the taste, she ate the whole thing. You can use your imagination here folks, but what happened was not pretty. Just close your eyes and imagine ALOT of puke, ALOT of screaming, and ALOT of mouth hurting. Fun! You may even think fun enough to GET A FREAKIN' CLUE that she might not be able to eat nuts. But, no, not yet. Fast forward to sometime in August when we have run out of milk (oh the insanity). I decide to give Alexis a glass of Almond Milk instead. I'll let you use your imagination again. FINALLY, I GOT A CLUE. Hmmmm.....there seems to be a pattern here. Fast forward again to the end of August and we are at the pediatrician. I happen to mention these incidents and the doctor says immediately she must go to the allergist. She refers us to someone and we make the appointment for yesterday.
So up until the appointment, we hear from everyone we know who has had allergy testing how HORRIFIC it is. Great, thanks for the undue stress and imagining of possible scenarios occuring in my head. I decide to opt out of bringing Max especially since they said the appointment could be 2-3 hours. So Alexis and I arrive promptly at 9:10 and we talk to the dr. about what has been going on. He says he is going to do skin testing with 16 pokes. She must lie stomach to stomach with me with her shirt off. They tell her it's going to feel like a pine cone poking her back. Like she knows what that feels like. Who has ever poked a pine cone on their back??? Anyway, she doesn't even cry as they push the plastic little boxes on her back. She has to sit for 3 minutes with the liquid on. Everything going smoothly until it starts itching and she can't scratch it. After 3 minutes, the nurse wipes off the liquids. Still must sit for 15 minutes and NO SCRATCHING. Insert MUCH screaming here. The nurse comes in and says a good remedy is to blow on it or fan it. So I start fanning Alexis's back (which by the way, she calls "winding" her). Ahhh, screaming stops. 15 minutes later, hydrocortisone applied, we are back to being happy. The doctor comes back and says that she is highly allergic to cashews. Also, pistachios and almonds (duh, could have called those). He says the cashew allergy is enough to warrant carrying around an Epipen in case of accidental ingestion. No more eating anything with nuts, anything that has touched nuts, NO MORE NUTS. Oh, and they were also testing for egg since when Alexis eats whole eggs, she gets sick (not anything with eggs in it, just whole eggs like scrambled eggs or egg salad). The egg mark only came up slightly so he wanted to do some bloodwork for any sort of confirmation on it or if it's just an egg sensitivity. Oh goody.....bloodwork. He wants to see us back in two weeks so we better get that bloodwork done ASAP which of course you can't do there and you have to go to some lab somewhere else entirely. After we are done, Alexis wants to know if she can go to school. Sure, girlfriend, whatever works. Dropped her off at school!
Fast forward to today. Pick her up from school and head to the lab. Get lost, call lab, finally find lab. Oy, not a good start. When we get there, Alexis reluctantly sits in the big gray lab chair. Gets all settled in and then, "mommy, I have to go to the potty". Ok, great. Let's go. Get to the potty and NOTHING. Head back to the big gray chair and the screaming begins. Did I mention that I am also holding Max during all of this. She is screaming and running away from the chair (not that I can blame her). I put Max down and give him some food (food makes him happy). Get in the big gray chair myself and hold Alexis in my lap. I am holding her other arm with all my might as the nurse is pulling her blood-giving arm straight to wrap with a rubber band and begin drawing blood. Alexis was already screaming so much that she didn't even notice when the needle went in. As the vials are being filled, Max decides to stand up. He trips and falls and hits his head on the chair. Awesome. He starts his pass-out cry. Awesome. He passes out underneath the chair while I cannot move to help him nor can the nurse who has a needle in Alexis's arm. Awesome. The nurse looks at me with this very questioning glance. I tell the nurse that he does this pass-out thing when he is mad or hurt. The nurse asks if he is okay. I say, "He will be, I hope". Many times after he passes out he falls asleep. So there is Max passed out on the stone cold tile floor at a blood drawing lab and is now asleep on same stone cold tile floor. Awesome. Does somewhere have a candid camera somewhere? I mean, really. Finally, she gets done and reaches down for Max while I am calming Alexis. She picks him up and of course he wakes up and starts crying. She immediately hands him to me. Two crying kids, one in each arm. We start to walk out the door. The once empty waiting room now has about 8 people in it staring at me. Awesome. As I'm walking out carrying both kids, I hear a woman say, "I wonder which one it was?". My question is "I wonder what kind of drink I will have when I get home".
We have suspected for about six months that Alexis has a nut allergy...not peanuts, just other nuts. She happily snacks on peanut butter and various other peanut products! But one day about six months ago at a friend's house, Alexis ate her first nut, a pistachio, in fact. At the first crunch, she started screaming that her mouth hurt and her stomach hurt. Thinking that she just didn't know how to express that she didn't like it, I down played the whole thing (also sort of embarrassed that she might puke at someone else's house!). Luckily, she did not puke and after drinking 85 loads of water and eating something else, she finally calmed down. This, however, was not enough to convince me. About 2 months after that, she ate another nut....same thing happened. You would think that my brain might get clued in, but, oh no, not yet. Fast forward to July 4th. After the Peachtree Road Race, they were handing out Lara Bars. We took a couple and Alexis ate one when we got home. Since this time she liked the taste, she ate the whole thing. You can use your imagination here folks, but what happened was not pretty. Just close your eyes and imagine ALOT of puke, ALOT of screaming, and ALOT of mouth hurting. Fun! You may even think fun enough to GET A FREAKIN' CLUE that she might not be able to eat nuts. But, no, not yet. Fast forward to sometime in August when we have run out of milk (oh the insanity). I decide to give Alexis a glass of Almond Milk instead. I'll let you use your imagination again. FINALLY, I GOT A CLUE. Hmmmm.....there seems to be a pattern here. Fast forward again to the end of August and we are at the pediatrician. I happen to mention these incidents and the doctor says immediately she must go to the allergist. She refers us to someone and we make the appointment for yesterday.
So up until the appointment, we hear from everyone we know who has had allergy testing how HORRIFIC it is. Great, thanks for the undue stress and imagining of possible scenarios occuring in my head. I decide to opt out of bringing Max especially since they said the appointment could be 2-3 hours. So Alexis and I arrive promptly at 9:10 and we talk to the dr. about what has been going on. He says he is going to do skin testing with 16 pokes. She must lie stomach to stomach with me with her shirt off. They tell her it's going to feel like a pine cone poking her back. Like she knows what that feels like. Who has ever poked a pine cone on their back??? Anyway, she doesn't even cry as they push the plastic little boxes on her back. She has to sit for 3 minutes with the liquid on. Everything going smoothly until it starts itching and she can't scratch it. After 3 minutes, the nurse wipes off the liquids. Still must sit for 15 minutes and NO SCRATCHING. Insert MUCH screaming here. The nurse comes in and says a good remedy is to blow on it or fan it. So I start fanning Alexis's back (which by the way, she calls "winding" her). Ahhh, screaming stops. 15 minutes later, hydrocortisone applied, we are back to being happy. The doctor comes back and says that she is highly allergic to cashews. Also, pistachios and almonds (duh, could have called those). He says the cashew allergy is enough to warrant carrying around an Epipen in case of accidental ingestion. No more eating anything with nuts, anything that has touched nuts, NO MORE NUTS. Oh, and they were also testing for egg since when Alexis eats whole eggs, she gets sick (not anything with eggs in it, just whole eggs like scrambled eggs or egg salad). The egg mark only came up slightly so he wanted to do some bloodwork for any sort of confirmation on it or if it's just an egg sensitivity. Oh goody.....bloodwork. He wants to see us back in two weeks so we better get that bloodwork done ASAP which of course you can't do there and you have to go to some lab somewhere else entirely. After we are done, Alexis wants to know if she can go to school. Sure, girlfriend, whatever works. Dropped her off at school!
Fast forward to today. Pick her up from school and head to the lab. Get lost, call lab, finally find lab. Oy, not a good start. When we get there, Alexis reluctantly sits in the big gray lab chair. Gets all settled in and then, "mommy, I have to go to the potty". Ok, great. Let's go. Get to the potty and NOTHING. Head back to the big gray chair and the screaming begins. Did I mention that I am also holding Max during all of this. She is screaming and running away from the chair (not that I can blame her). I put Max down and give him some food (food makes him happy). Get in the big gray chair myself and hold Alexis in my lap. I am holding her other arm with all my might as the nurse is pulling her blood-giving arm straight to wrap with a rubber band and begin drawing blood. Alexis was already screaming so much that she didn't even notice when the needle went in. As the vials are being filled, Max decides to stand up. He trips and falls and hits his head on the chair. Awesome. He starts his pass-out cry. Awesome. He passes out underneath the chair while I cannot move to help him nor can the nurse who has a needle in Alexis's arm. Awesome. The nurse looks at me with this very questioning glance. I tell the nurse that he does this pass-out thing when he is mad or hurt. The nurse asks if he is okay. I say, "He will be, I hope". Many times after he passes out he falls asleep. So there is Max passed out on the stone cold tile floor at a blood drawing lab and is now asleep on same stone cold tile floor. Awesome. Does somewhere have a candid camera somewhere? I mean, really. Finally, she gets done and reaches down for Max while I am calming Alexis. She picks him up and of course he wakes up and starts crying. She immediately hands him to me. Two crying kids, one in each arm. We start to walk out the door. The once empty waiting room now has about 8 people in it staring at me. Awesome. As I'm walking out carrying both kids, I hear a woman say, "I wonder which one it was?". My question is "I wonder what kind of drink I will have when I get home".
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