and apparently leap year leads to risk taking behavior…

8 years ago today*, he took himself off jdate…and we’ve never looked back

*we’re so freaking old…and so freaking lucky

i’ve read enough new-mama blogs to know that at some point, we would be making the inevitable trip to urgent care.  i just didn’t know it would be this past weekend.  to get it out-of-the-way – little miss EBN is absolutely fine.

now…for the details.

on saturday night, after my long run (long for me!) and our family trip to the zoo, i decided the perfect end to a pretty rocking day would be a mama/baby bath.  i filled the tub with BUBBLES, dumped all the bath toys in and stripped my little girl down.  i noticed she was a little red and raw behind her ears but, no biggie; we’d been out in the wind my little one is sensitive (aren’t we all).

we had the music pumping and the bubbles a-blowing and ABN even joined us in the bathroom to snap a few photos

yes, she put the soap on her head herself

and then i noticed that her back was covered in tiny, red bumps. and her tummy too.  and her legs and her arms…they were everywhere.  in a moment, we were out of the bath and into the shower and waiting to see the bumps fade.  but they didn’t really fade.  they weren’t getting worse – but i wouldn’t say they were any better.

my first thought was that the bumps were a reaction to the soap.  sure it’s that super-expensive-super-hypo-allgerginc stuff but you never know.  she didn’t seem bothered by the bumps and didn’t have a fever so she had her bottle and a couple of books and went peacefully to sleep.

at 5:30 on sunday morning she was up and not too happy about it (we’ve all gotten comfortable with her 7am wakeup).  i brought her into our bed for her bottle because it was just so.early and then when she was REALLY ready to be up we went into her room to change her diaper.  the red dots were everywhere – EVERYWHERE.  on her cheeks, her ears, her fingers, they covered every inch of her back.  still, they didn’t seem to really be bothering her and she had no fever.  deep breath – to google i went.

10 days before, when we had taken her in for her 15-month check up, the doctor had warned me that some babies get a rash, up to two weeks after their MMR vaccination.  i was prepared for a reaction but i never imagined it would look at awful as it did (if you are interested go ahead google MMR rash and look at the images – see the redest baby?  EBN was worse).  never one to ONLY trust google i called the on-call nurse to verify.  she suggested that because EBN had been on antibiotics earlier in the week for a sinus infection, it might be an allergic reaction and, to be safe, we should bring her in.

i had a picture in my head of what urgent care would look like, and it was not at all what i found.  i had assumed crying babies, crying mamas, sickness, germs.  while i’m sure the germs were…everywhere, everyone seemed so healthy.  i’m still confused.  of course EBN entered the scene and waved and clapped and blew tons of kisses.  typical.

the doctor thought the rash was probably a virus (rather than make its debut in the form of a cold, it announced it’s arrival in the form of spots)…for the record, i completely disagree.  i’m sticking the reaction to her vaccination.  we gave her benadryl on sunday night because she had gotten rather itchy and today she woke up on the med.  i’d still rather her have fewer spots but, it doesn’t hurt to look at her like it did before.

so, one more right-of-passage to cross off the list.  after the last couple of weeks, i’d be okay if things slowed down just a bit.

you guys – doesn’t it look AWESOME around here?!?  it all started way back when CHELSEY decided she wanted to go to alt summit.  while it wasn’t in the cards for me this year (oh man, those conferences look so fun and inspiring) i was all about helping another blogger get there.  she was offering up banners and ad space for those who helped make her trip a reality.  my blog was in real need of some love and chelsey took it on.

and here’s the final result.  i’m obsessed.  i feel legit – yo!  inspired by my new banner, ABN put in a few hours this weekend to wrap up some bloggy blog details (i don’t really understand but i pretend that i do) and now i’m back and better than ever.

the ABOUT ME page is now up to date and FAQs (as well as an updated blogroll) are right around the corner – so check back often

thank you CHELSEY for the awesome banner!  every time my blog loads i get butterflies inside because i’m just so excited to see the page.  if you are interested in having some blog work done – or art work in general – you should check out all that CHELSEY has to offer in her SHOP.  that is one talented lady.  it should also be noted that she taught me how to create the NO HEAT CURLS – STAM – changed my life forever .

currently digging:

• BRAIDED VOLUME HAIR courtesy of the paper mama (she’s currently working on my new blog banner and button – very exciting times)
• DIY BABY BELLBOTTOMS?…i think yes!
• THIS fantastic list of toddler to-dos…now, where do i find a giant role of contact paper?
• making mini crocheted animals for EBN and all her new friends (is it just me or are babies popping out everywhere!?!).  i’m in a crochet group as part of my local mama’s group and i’m going a bit nutty – they are just so quick and easy and you know, i have so much spare time…i kid, except it’s not really funny.

like these:

these:

and we all know EBN would freak with delight over these:

sometimes i feel like i live in a world where only mama, dadda, nani, boka, yesh, uh-oh and now ruf exist (and mama is said with a bit of a french accent – short 1st syllable, long 2nd syllable).

today we crossed a major milestone (basically right up there with walking) – i took a shower after ABN left for the office but before EBN went down for her nap.  typically i’m a sleep-time shower-er – or i shower when there is another adult on duty.  but today, the kiddo seemed interested in spending time in the bathroom throwing all her clean wash cloths on the floor – and so i took the opportunity to get clean myself.  there’s nothing quite like a shower that involves a 15 month old banging on the shower door and waving – and of course, when i got out, she tried to get in.  sure, the shower lasted all of 120 seconds and i still have 4 day old hair (hi sunday night) but the rest of me doesn’t smell…much.

one of our new favorite activities is to knock on doors.  she wanders into our bedroom (next to the kitchen) and closes the door behind her.  she knocks and then i come over and knock back and we go back and forth for a while until she stops knocking and the quiet is too quiet so i go in to find her in my underwear drawer.