Strep and Shingles

Test results for Drew came back. He was Shingles and an ear infection. Because his ear was already compromised, the Shingles settled in his ear. Sam and I got the Chicken Pox shot, which protects against Shingles, when we were little. Drew was too young to get the shot, so he ended up getting a mild case of Chicken Pox as a baby because Sam and I were contagious from the shot. Because he got the Chicken Pox, he didn't ever get the shot, but that meant he wasn't protected against Shingles. Usually older people get Shingles, so it's weird that Drew has them at 13. We've never been normal medically though. We have weird genetic appendicitis that doesn't show up on any of the normal tests and I was the 15-year-old that no one believed really had blood clots.


hospital: day 2

Drew had tubes put in his ear today, so hopefully he will start getting better. He might be able to come home tomorrow, if he doesn't need an IV anymore. Owen is still home-bound, due to the sores on his face, and he is really missing his friends. I worked hard to keep him entertained, but throughout the day, I kept noticing his fascination with getting taller. He stood against the wall and measured himself no less than 15 times today. So I decided to ask him about it.

Me: Owen, why are you measuring yourself. Owen: To see if I got taller. Me: Why do you want to be taller? Owen: I want to be bigger than all my friends. Me: Why's that? Owen: I just want to get taller, so I can be a grown up so I can unlock dad's iPad because his has a password.

I tried getting kids to help clean once they got home from school, but we didn't have much success. Ainsley was beside herself because I was a meannie who made her clean and she just wanted Jessica (my roommate) because she would be nice to her and let her do her hair and not make her clean anything.

Owen has really been into rhyming for a while. He is particularly fond of the letter D. Examples:  Ains-a-Dains, Fin-a-Din, Kens-a-Dens, Sam-a-Dam, Owen-Dowen, Mom-a-Dom. But he runs into trouble once he gets to Drew or Dad.

I sense prescriptions in the near future

We in the Smith household live by the phrase "go big or go home." We don't get sick super often, but we like to make a show of it. Drew had an ear infection last week and now his eardrum has burst. Instead of feeling better, as is usually the case, he is still in pain and his ear is dripping. He went to an ENT and had a nasty amount of fluid suctioned. He got a really bad bloody nose, so he had to have his nose cauterized. Everyone has been feeling kind of icky and missed at least one day of school last week. I fear that this is the beginning of the "Smith Sick Show: Winter Edition."

dinner conversations

Dad: what exactly is onomatopoeia?Me: a word that sounds like its definition. so animal sounds. or boing. snap. crackle. pop. Sam: bark? Me: yeah. Ainsley: quack? Me: yeah. Drew: so onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like its spelled? Me: no. that's just a word.

we bought a zoo...pass

We went to the zoo. I swear every other resident of the Salt Lake Valley did too.
This kid? We call him bear, but he really loves giraffes.
Left: drew hugging an elephant statue Right: grandma Bodily's favorite!
Left: the carousel makes a great meeting place in the event that a certain 6-year-old gets lost. Right: hmm...wrong color to be Hedwig
baby elephants remind me of Tarzan
Left: watch out. that elephant statue sneezes. Right: see, they do get along sometimes
the park and duck pond were possibly his favorite
After she got lost, he refused to let go.
Right: we call Ainsley the squirrel, remember? Left: polar bear cannibalism
oldest giraffe at the zoo
intently watching the sea lions
new polar bears! the last one choked on a glove :(
Drew Bear
Zaboomafoo!
Right before we realized Fin was missing...
Do camels shed?
Owen: I want hand sanitizer! Sam: Then you have to touch the cockroach!
"awkward turtle, panda, duck, panda, duck" am I the only one whose heard that song?
the slide is more fun when you're 3.
before she got lost...