The Joys of Parenting

Birth is just the beginning. It's the easy part, even without the epidural. I should be grateful that we've not had anything major happen to the kids. No broken arms, no hospital stays. We just get the annoying things. Like this morning, when Piper came downstairs before school complaining of an itchy head. And during the brushing of her hair, when little bugs fell out. And at the doctor's office where she confirmed that Piper has headlice. Yippee!!!

After buying the shampoo, we came home and I went through her hair with a comb, trying to get out as many lice as I could. Then I put the shampoo on. Directions say to keep eyes closed until the shampoo is rinsed out. It was funny watching Piper bump her way around the house for ten minutes. Then we rinsed out the shampoo and I began the tedious task of combing through it again. But half the little buggers were still alive! So I took a hairdryer to her head because heat kills. And according to one website, I also found out (later) that you shouldn't use a hairdryer because some of the shampoos have flammable ingredients. Oops!

It appears that no one else in the household have acquired the little suckers (pun intended) though I did make my mom check mine. It doesn't shock me that Piper was the one to get it. Let's just hope this is the last we see of them!

Once bitten, Twice shy?

Today I bring you some news that could have been very serious. Yesterday, Caelyn was down playing in the cul-de-sac with her friends and her friend's mom let out her dogs. There is an electric fence around the yard. But that doesn't keep the dogs from barking at the kids. So, I guess Caelyn asked the mom if she could come into the yard and meet the dogs (two pitbulls - I think- and a terrier). Kelli said okay and Caelyn stepped into the yard. The terrier came over and unfortunately, Caelyn happened to be standing right on the electric fence line. So, when the terrier came over, she got a shock and lunged at Caelyn and bit her inner thigh. We cleaned it out and put neosporin on it and I called the dr to see if we needed to come in. It was more of a scrape than a puncture. He wanted to see her in 48 hours, but we're leaving tonight for Florida, so he prescribed antibiotics as a precaution. It looked much better this morning, not as bloody but more black and blue.

The neighbor of the dog owner went down to animal control to ask some questions (they have a problem with the dogs and their girls are very scared of them) and I guess they were told that the terrier bit Caelyn. So, the doorbell rings and there's an animal control officer on our step. Because the bite happened within city limits, I was legally bound to file a report. Part of me was like, it was an accident, it wasn't a bad wound, but the other part was what if it happens again and they don't know about this incident? So, I filed the report.

The dog owner came right down after the incident and made sure Caelyn was alright, made sure I knew her dogs had all their shots, was very apologetic. She's already called her fence company to relocate it to the backyard. I'd post a grotesque picture of the wound, but it's in a very private area.

So, we're off to Florida after school. I'll be thinking about y'all as we're playing in the sand and surf!