Happy Halloween 09 - Preparation

Poor Nora, she deserves a break. She has had a terrible head cold and is very sick of a sick nose. Add on her ear infection from last week and now...Roseola. [Note the rarity of the disease in patients older than 4!] Poor girl hasn't felt very well since last Friday (10/23). Kids got their flu shots and I chalked it up to this. Gavin had a mild fever early in the week with no other symptoms. She had been irritable this week but again, head cold and ear infection - I cut her some slack. Either way, she woke from her nap on Friday afternoon with a rash which proceeded to continue to come out through Saturday morning. After an unplanned trip to Pittsburgh to visit our pediatrician, which is only in the city not the suburbs on the weekend, we knew what we had. I was grateful to have to go to the emergency room. Thank you GIL Pediatrics.

We actually were concerned that it was Chicken Pox on Friday evening. There was a little boy in preschool with Nora diagnosed this week but I quickly knew we had some thing else. Why would I know that? You might say, Nicole, you aren't a MD. Well, it wasn't because she was vaccinated, that would make too much sense. No, it was because I had Chicken Pox when I was 20. The memories are too vivid. We were also very worried because Pete and parents have no recollection of him having Chicken Pox as a child. Of course I discovered this when I was 20 and didn't see him for a week or so. He lucked out (??) at that time because he hadn't seen me in a few days when I was contagious. My numerous dorm-mates took care of me since they were normal humans that had experienced this terrible disease as carefree children unlike me and Pete.

So, after we got home, Nora picked out her pumpkin design and thanks to Papa, she too had a Halloween pumpkin to enjoy (kitty face).

While Nora and I were at the pediatrician's office, for the entire Saturday morning, the boys were home with my house full of people. Gammie, Papa and Gpa and Gma Vitale were all visiting. Daddy held down the fort and Papa carved pumpkins. It was a rainy, wet day so all the guys hung out in the basement and garage. Somehow...Daddy's desk chair ended up in the garage so the boys enjoyed a seat together. I guess Dylan thought that was funny.

Dylan's pumpkin is on the left and Gav's on the right. Gavin drew a face for Papa on paper and Papa did his best to recreate it in pumpkin form. Awesome job guys.

BOO!