taking time to stop and smell the Roseola

My little baby was sick this week. It all started with a 102.4 fever on Sunday night, which led to an unsatisfactory visit to the nurse practitioner in Alpine on Monday which led to antibiotics which led to no change which led to a trip to Odessa on Wednesday and a blood culture and urine analysis and another shot of antibiotics and then on Thursday night she broke out in a rash. Turns out it is/was most likely Roseola, a very common thing caused by a herpes virus. Three days of fever and then when the fever breaks here comes the rash. Though the rash is only supposed to stick around for twenty four hours, her's has been here now for more like 36, I guess maybe the rash's watch is broken. Time to go Mr. Rash!

While we were in Odessa, we took her up to the NICU to visit the doctor. In retrospect we feel kinda like jackasses taking a baby sick with who knew what (at the time) to the NICU, BUT it's not like she was in the vicinity of any little babies, and no one touched her. So I guess it's not that bad, but still thinking back to last year when we were there, I would have thought "get that baby away from the nurses and the doctor!" Oh well.

I feel better today, but yesterday I was like the walking dead. I was so tired. You know that feeling of burning eyes, and a general "bleh" kinda stuffiness in the head feeling you have when you are tired? I was like that all day, and I have been like that too many days lately. Something has to change. I need to get sleep. It is time for night weaning to begin.

I totally agree with Kristen that the sleep thing is totally a personal, "do what works best for you" situation. My reason for wanting Sara out of our bed is purely 100% just so that I can sleep. I can only sleep on my stomach, and I can't sleep on my stomach with a baby next to me. Even on a king sized mattress (which we are temporarily off of while waiting for our new bed to show up) I couldn't.

Also, the best way to describe sleeping next to Sara is: it's like sleeping next to a rotisserie chicken. She rotates and rotates and rotates all the time. I don't know what is up with that. Iffy's got a three day weekend coming up, so I'm going to try something different this Sun/Mon/Tue night.

But I think that cutting off the mom and the boob all at once would probably be too much, so I think it would probably be better to do one at a time. I'm just not sure which. Should I let her sleep with us, just not nurse? Should I go to her and nurse and put her back in the bed? I think I am going to go with option A at first. She can have me but no milk. Because I feel like that is the root of the issue. She needs that to fall back asleep.

On an unrelated topic, let me just express my annoyance at the number of totally unnecessary after hours calls that Iffy has had to respond to lately. Here is a public service announcement for all you potential park visitors out there: NOT FEELING GOOD IS NOT A 911 EMERGENCY!!

I think people freak out because we are so far from anything here. Two nights ago Iffy had to respond to a woman who "just didn't feel good". Then yesterday he went to a 20 something woman who had thrown up and hadn't eaten much or drank much that day and had hiked a bunch. I suppose that was a bit more serious, but still, not a life or death thing that would require an ambulance transport.

My personal favorite so far has been the guy with the "snakebite" about 3 weeks ago. In December, it was Christmas Eve actually. He was out hiking during the day. Many hours later he noticed some little prick marks on his ankle and called 911. Let me also say that he had no recollection of seeing a snake, being bit by a snake etc. But he saw two little pinprick marks on his ankle and was sure that he had been bit by a snake. Turns out, upon closer inspection, there were actually three little marks, coincidentally resembling the injury one would receive if they brushed up against a cactus.

I would never make it as a park ranger, it's also why I didn't care for fire too much. When I come home from work, that's it, I'm done for the day. I don't want to have to think about it again until the next morning. None of this having to get called out anytime nonsense!

Anyhow, here are some pictures. Adios for now

In Home Depot picking out some hardware.

Mini sink plungers are super cool awesome toys!

Happy baby who is glad her straps are no longer cutting into

her neck thanks to the super cool dog covers

Monahans TX apparently has yet to take down their festive

Chistmas decorations. Check out that stocking!

One of west Texas' redeeming qualities: Big skies.