RED HOT

According to his daycare teacher, James was fussy on Friday afternoon, and just wanted to be held. That was our first clue. Then we discovered a couple of strange, scaly spots on his skin that evening. On Saturday afternoon, he suddenly developed a red, raised rash over every inch of his body and was running hot (99.9). Sunday the rash was no better, and he had a low-grade fever most of the afternoon (100.8). He didn't eat much, or even drink as usual. If his fever had been higher, we'd have taken him to the ER, but it wasn't. And other than acting a bit lethargic and not eating well, he was his normal self. By this morning though, we were convinced we needed to take him to the doc. Even though he didn't have a fever (at all) upon waking, his skin was flaking off (in a sensitive place) and his lips were extremely chapped with sores in the corner of his mouth. Here he is telling me where it hurts:

Doc Smith took a good look and listen, and ran a strep test, because apparently strep often presents with a rash in kids. When the test came back positive, she also pronounced him as having scarlet fever. So he got a shot of penicillin and a sucker. And some Bactroban for the sore spots in his rash. He's still not eating much of anything this afternoon (note the whole cookie, just sitting in his hand, not a nibble taken). We actually had to convince him that the milkshake we bought him on the way home from the doc was safe and wouldn't hurt his mouth. But at ;east he's drinking plenty of fluids. He's staying home today and tomorrow with his Mamaw, since he is contagious for 48 hours after the start of the fever, and we want to be careful not to get any of the other kids at daycare sick. If only EVERY parent would keep their sick kids home, maybe we wouldn't be such frequenters of the clinic...

Hopefully we can keep his Sissy at a distance. Though she may already be doomed, since she stole his sippy cup on multiple occasions this weekend. And got bedtime kisses and "I sowwy" kisses a few times...

Speaking of Cora, she came along to the appointment (since it is logistically difficult to pump at 9:00 while in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office), and graced me with a diaper blow-out (What is it with my kids having diaper blow-outs at the doc? And in Jean's presence?) Of course, I was totally unprepared. 1) Because it was Monday. 2) Because our diapers don't blow-out. Like, ever. Even when they are FULL, they contain. Oh, was it ever gross. At least her legwarmers and bow stayed clean: When she got bored and fussy and tired, Mamaw got creative. After some bouncing and singing, she fell asleep like this. Oh, and for my records, I was surprised to see James hit 31.2 lbs on the scale today. I thought kids were suppose to slow down on the weight gain at his age? The boy has gained 1.5 pounds in less than a month!