1. Hives.
Oh yeah, we're talking legit toddler-sized hives. The munchkin was helping her Grandma make a birthday treat for me. (Here's where you'd probably think I'd feel really bad that this all happened while they were making something for me...but that's not gonna happen. The treat is still being enjoyed and it's sooo good.) Anyway, so Brooke was handling peanut butter, something we had a sneaking suspicion she might be allergic to but we hadn't made a big deal of it. Well, the peanut butter fought back and the little one broke out in hives. Here she is an hour after it started.
(This picture really makes it look super dramatic, fyi.) They were gone within another hour or so, just in time to be seen at the pediatrician, of course. But I remembered my camera, so at least they could see what I was talking about & that I wasn't just a crazy 1st-time mom making up hives. She checked out perfectly fine at the doctor that morning. Because she's had a reaction that we are fairly certain was food-allergy related (duh), we'll be setting up an appt with an allergist in the coming weeks. (Man, we're really going to get our money's worth in insurance this year, no?)
2. Brooke's 18 Month Check-up
So, 2 days after the hives incident, we were back at the pediatrician for her 18-month check-up. And thank goodness I took my mom with me because between my illness (this was Day 2 of the Severe Exhaustion leg of my sickness) and Brooke's reluctance to be there, it was tough. (Did I forget to mention that the hives day was also the day she spiked a 103 degree fever for no reason? When it rains, it pours.) The trip to the doctor a couple days before did NOT go so well - we were seeing a different doctor than normal, she had the fever, and, quite frankly, the doctor just isn't good with kids (...anymore. She was my pediatrician when I was a kid and I had no problems with her. As a parent, though? We won't be seeing her ever again.) So long story not-short-enough, Brooke was apprehensive just getting weighed/measured at the check-up, way before we even saw the doctor. There were lots of tears throughout the appt.
Stats at 18 Months - 31 lbs and 33.5 inches tall. Of course, these weren't easy measurements to get, so these are ballpark-ish. She was the picture of health, once we were able to get her still enough for the doctor to really look at her. Developmentally, she's still a rockstar. Diet, vocabulary, sleep patterns - all are right on track or way beyond where she needs to be. Physically, she really is slimming down, only gaining 1.5 lbs since her 1st birthday, but growing a few inches. Thank goodness, too, because I originally thought I might have a 40 lb toddler when Baby #2 came around. Other than the allergy thing, we're not scheduled to see the doctor again until she turns 2!
3. Her Half Birthday!
It still saddens me that I couldn't make more of a big deal of her half birthday. Her actual half bday (well, the day I go with since there is no June 31st) was Thursday, Day #1 of Severe Exhaustion & also the day I finally went to the doctor myself. It was a rough day, friends. So we ended up celebrating the next day, which was a slightly better day for me (but still not great.) There was half a cake, which I surprisingly did have a hand in baking, but I take no credit for the decorating (thanks again, Mom.) And there was a present, too. She got a pretend doctor's kit (a few hours too late, unfortunately!) and some magnetic ABC's so she can start learning words. It was a very pathetic little celebration, but she did get to munch on some cake (guess who loves cake now, more specifically the frosting?) so I guess it wasn't a total loss. Happy Half Birthday to my Big Lady!!
Mmmm frosting :)
The "say cheese" face. A beauty, isn't it?
I still owe Brooke a proper 18-month post about how freaking awesome she is and all the fun & crazy things she's getting herself into these days. Give me a few more days, mmmkay? Thanks.
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