Do NOT google "swollen knes and red spots on shins -children."

Do NOT google "swollen knes and red spots on shins -children."

Just don't do it.

Then go to the ER.

Let's back up a bit, shall we?

Wait... first let's fast foward.... everything is fine.

Ok... now back.

Friday afternoon Sweet Boy was complaining of sore knees and sore feet. I, of course, assumed his snow boots were small and he'd fallen on his knees while playing on the snow peak in the yard. That night I felt his arches and they were spongy and painful. I worried a little but secretly just planned to hit the big weekend clearance sale at a local sporting goods store.

Saturday he had no complaints and was his usual bouncy goofy self. I measured his foot in his boots and they fit. (Size 2 by the by.... he IS a laborador puppy.)

Sunday afternoon he started going up and down the stairs like a seal because it hurt to bend his knees. Then he wanted to put his face in his bowl to eat his dinner because it hurt to bend his elbows. By Sunday night he was piled up on the couch with icebags on his knees. It hurt to touch below his knees (And I'm wondering if a 5-year-old can get Osgood-Schlatter's??). We tested the faker-factor by poking and prodding him after he fell asleep. He winced a lot. Suddenly I realize his knees are the size of oranges and I can't see his knee caps. I worry outloud and plan to make a doc appt the next day.

Monday morning he is fine. Bouncy. But I notice a few tiny red dots on his shins. Hot drops him off at school and talks to his teacher and asks her to keep an eye on him and call if anything changes.

Monday after school he is sore so he snuggles up on the couch. When I try to get him up at 4:30 to go to Nana's he can't put on his shoes and almosts cries when he walks. But Hot and I had somewhere to be at 5:30 so he got tought and went to Nana's couch. We picked him up a little before 8 and his ankles were now huge and looking bruised in spots. We loaded him up and headed for the ER.

The ER.

There were very few people there but we still sat for over 4 hours in a little room. H0t had to carry Sweet to the bathroom and hold him because he couldn't walk or stand. The adrenaline wore off and I was tired and realizing I hadn't eaten since lunch. Sweet was a champ. He didn't cry during the IV (and watched... just like I do). He was polite and calm. The ER doc said it looked like an autoimmune disease, maybe RA, but that wasn't his specialty and we needed to talk to the pediatrician first. The pediatrician said it probably wasn't RA. Then she came back and said he tested positive for mono.

WTF?

Mono?

Who has he been kissing? And, since it is an antibody test he's had it for a week at least. I review the history of the last few weeks... the doctor visit for Bugsy, the doc visits for all of us, the sore throat.....

Turns out he probably has Henoch-Schonlein-Purpura. An autoimmune reaction to an infection. And we have to keep an eye on his kidneys.

He got admitted and got some good steroids. By then I realized Hot was not leaving his side and there was no point for Bugsy and I to stay all night so we went home and took care of the critters. Tuff stayed at Nana and Papa's and in the morning I took both girls to daycare and went back to the hospital.

By the time I got there the pediatrician had been by and said his heart murmur was much better and the swelling was going down. He could walk to the bathroom.

He was playing with a game boy.

So we read and did a bit of work on the computer. Later in the day our regular doc came by and talked with us about what was going on and said he'd rather Sweet recover at home so we got discharged.

Sweet rode out of the peds wing in a little red wagon pulled by a college football player/nursing student wearing purple scrubs.

We picked up the girls and hit McD's for a celebration. Then home for the kids to watch movies and me to veg out watching the Olympics and cleaning up the house for the delivery of the dishwasher today and nervousness about my mom's surgery today. Hot went to Parent-Teacher conferences and then went to bed about 7:30.

Sweet has a doc appt on Friday for follow up and Hot is home with him today trying to keep him simmered down and resting.

And all is well.

SEVEN.

Bugsy 7 months

Dear Bugsy-

You've been in this world more than seven months now.... so what do you think?

You love to clap your hands and smile.

You just figured out if you turn your head way around in the car seat you can see mama. Every time I look back big dark eyes are looking at me.

Target-brand diapers do not agree with you. What I saved in diapers I paid in Oxyclean and Shout.

You love food. You love apricots and applesauce and prunes. Peas make you have a full body shudder (you are daddy's girl). You love anything your siblings are eating. You do not like the texture of mashed up bananas. (Don't worry... I don't either.) You like holding the spoon and feeding yourself. Avocados and sweet potatoes are fun.

You like to drink out of my water glass.

You crawl. Sort of. For someone who doesn't really crawl you sure do get across the living room quickly. I think you are a snow frog. I have to get it on video.... words don't do it justice.

You like to style your hair like a kewpie-doll. Then everyone spends all their time trying to smoosh it down and you have to fluff it up again.

You are long and lean. 40th percentile for weight.... 90th for height. As of right now you are weighing in at 16lbs, 5oz.

You love the exer-saucer. You like to bouncy-bounce in it. And you have discovered the "I'll throw it on the floor and watch you pick it up" game. You love it.

Your favorite toys are the black & white ring, the tab book, the pink fuzzy dog blanket and the pink/brown fuzzy ball.

You've just started to show interest in a pacifier. You've never really used one up until now. But you like it for nap time and car rides.

Nap time. You aren't much of a napper but you sleep really well at night. Still in the co-sleeper and, lets be real, often snuggled into mama's arm pit.

You love to watch your brother and sister. LOVE IT. And they are quite happy to dance around and entertain you.

You are the sock Houdini. Shoes and socks do not stay on those little monkey toes of yours.

You make the most serious face in the world and then you announce, "Dah. Dah, dah, dah." But it comes out all baritone and ferocious. I think it is from imitating your sister when she sings opera baritone.

You love it when your dad waves to you. Even if he isn't going anywhere....

I love you baby girl.

Dude.