Banana's, Bugs, Bad Food and BFF's

Ok, so MAYBE I might have over-reacted just a TAD...but I'd rather err on the safe side, right? How am I supposed to know what an allergic reaction looks like? I've really got to calm down when it comes to bug bites. I promise I don't have a phobia. I'm not afraid of bugs or them biting or stinging or even crawling on me. I'm a girl who loves nature and all it has to offer. We live in the country so critters are constantly making an appearance and not only am I not afraid of them, I welcome it! So you'd think by now I wouldn't respond so impulsively to bug bites. Let me back up.

Last summer, when Sam was just a few months old, I went to change his diaper and low and behold I saw, what to me, looked like the most horrifying sight. A certain part of his anatomy (let's just call it his doo-dah-day for the sake of not offending anyone out there) was extremely red and swollen and I thought he MUST have some horrible disease!!! So I rushed him to Children's Mercy Urgent Care. I remember the doctor coming in, taking a peek, looking at me very seriously and saying that Sam DID have a “condition”...(you've no idea the thoughts running through my mind)...and his “condition” had a name...(I was sitting at the edge of my chair waiting to hear the verdict...the pause was very dramatic and I remember saying, “Just spit it out! What is wrong w/ my son???”) ...and the doctor, straight faced and serious toned says, “Samuel has 'Summer Penile Syndrome'”. I gasped. “OH NO...WHAT DOES THIS MEAN???” Then w/ a smirk he told me...”It's a chigger bite.” I think I laughed the entire drive home. That was an expensive $50 diagnosis. All for a chigger bite. For the record, that IS a real name for it.

Fast forward to today. Charlee and I decided to take a quick trip to the store. We needed banana's. I swear my kids are part monkey because we eat about 10 every 4 days. Anyway, on the way there I looked at her in my rear view mirror and notice and funny looking bump on her cheek. By the time we got to the store, it wasn't just a bump...it was a VERY LARGE bump that seemed to be growing before my very eyes. And then another one appeared on the other cheek...and then her ear started to swell. I kept asking her if something stung or bit her, but she just shook her head 'no'. By the time we were in the check-out line, I was getting nervous. Her face was swelling FAST...and it wasn't pretty, peeps. I couldn't imagine something stinging her and her not crying, but what else would make her swell like this? Thus began my drama. By the time I pulled into the Walgreens (urgent care) parking lot, I was convinced it had to be a brown recluse spider bite. Her face was red, swollen, and she was saying “Ouchy”.

30 Minutes later we were in to see the nurse practitioner and she was looking better. As quickly as it appeared it was now fading away. Strangest thing. It wasn't a sting and it wasn't a brown recluse spider bite...so who knows? But I hope I can chill out whenever I see bug bites on my kids. Sheesh.

To celebrate the fact that she still has a face w/out flesh eating spider bites, we hit the McDonald's down the street. What is it about McD's fries w/ ice-cream? I know I've been eating “clean” now for months and I always say I don't miss the “bad” food...but wow, that tasted soooooooooooooooo awesome. And you know what else? We had a pretty fun time, just us gals. I love that kid.

Of course, since we were in the neighborhood we popped by Nana's house and then her BFF's house, too. I got to hear her squeal w/ delight as she ran around w/ flushed cheeks. What a great night...all because we needed some banana's.