Happy Birthday Vivian!!!

My Baby is 2!!! We officially celebrated her birthday tonight. She was 2 on Friday, but we planned her birthday party around potato planting season.

She was so funny tonight. Every time she would open a present she would say "TA-DA". She was so excited for "present time." We are so glad we have both families so close and our friends Jim and Jan to spend birthdays with!

Marilyn was such a sweetie to make Vivers a birthday cake. Vivian immediatly recognized it as "THE MOUSE!" Thanks for taking the time Mares. . . we love you!!!

POKA DOTTY OH SO SPOTTY

On Monday, Lyndsie woke up with a rash. It wasn't too bad, but I kept her home from school anyway. I figured I would run her to school as soon as the rash went away. As the day went on, the rash didn't go away. At about 4:30 p.m. she came to tell me that her foot was hurting. I didn't look at it to hard because I was busy. About 15 minutes later she came to tell me again. When I looked at her foot, this is what I saw: Yes, her foot was obviously swelling. After a couple of phone calls, I decided to take her to the clinic. By that time, she couldn't even put weight on her foot.

The doctor was not quite sure how to diagnose the problem, so he ordered a few blood tests and let me know that they would be testing for Rheumatic Fever and also for a couple of other options. He also thought it could be an allergic reaction to penicillin, which she was on for strep throat. He sent me home with my motrin and Benedryl for the night.

The next morning we awoke to find that her swelling in her foot had gone down, but where the swelling was, she was bruised. Her rash had about tripled at this point.

We decided to take her back to the doctor. There were 4 doctors who saw her and finally came to the conclusion that we wouldn't know for sure untill the blood results came back, but they thought it was an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin she had been on. They diagnosed her with HSP which causes the blood vessels to leak blood (that is what caused the bruising.) Again, sent her home with more motrin and benedryl. By 6:00 that night, both her feet were swollen and she couldn't put any weight on them. Spencer let me know that he would be coming home to give her a blessing.

The next morning, she was able to walk again, her feet were still quite swollen, but the bruising is what was breaking my heart. Here are some of the pics of her legs.

She healed quickly from there. She was able to go back to school on Thursday. We still have to take her in 1 time a week for a month to check if she has kidney damage and to look at her blood pressure. Her first appointment back will be tomorrow. We hope all looks good. No more penicillin for her ever ever ever again!!!!

BLOG THE DOG

Meet FRANKIE. . the stray dog. No, seriously. We took a nice walk/bike ride to Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's house tonight. We were so kindly greeted by this sweet little doggie. I asked Nicky if they got a new dog, and she said he was a stray. . people often drop dogs off out here in the country if they don't want them anymore. Needless to say, Abby named him Frankie and before we knew it, we had a collar on him and he is now in our fenced front yard. I never thought I would be getting a dog today. . or ever, but he is already trained and so good with the kids so....why not? We hope he doesn't get nervous over night and leave, or my Abby will cry some serious crocodile tears in the morning. He seems like a good dog. He can play fetch, and sit. I suppose he will be a great addition to our little family if he will stay!!!

HICKEY HEAD

So, the other morning was one of those typical mornings when you are running like a crazy woman trying to get all of the children out of the door by 8:00. I tell the kids to go to the bathroom to brush their teeth, (which is the new favorite thing due to the fantastic suction cup toothbrushes I just bought). They girls all come out of the bathroom with their toothbrushes stuck to the front of their foreheads. I laugh a little and tell them to hurry up. We get in the car. I turned around to talk to Abby when I realized that she had a GIANT toothbrush hickey on her forehead. . . I never thought that my 5 year old would have a hickey. . . hillarious!!! This pic was take like 2 days later, so the pic doesn't do the hickey justice!!!