A Rash Independence Celebration

We celebrated July 4th as we typically do each year. We spent the day with D's family, the kids played in the pool, and everyone complained about the oppressive heat. I vote we move July 4th to the Spring from here on out. I'm working on a plan for it. I'll have to get back to you on the details at a later date.

I love taking pictures of the kids in the pool. I have so many and after a while they start to all look the same. But as soon as I take one picture, the next scene/smile/dive/pout/whatever is better than the last. Or so it seems until I sit down at the computer and look at hundreds of pictures of a head floating in blue water. I'll show you what I mean.


Here's the best smile ever. It speaks to me. It tells me what a great time he's having. Keep on grinning, dear one. The braces go on in a few short weeks!


This picture screams to me that Daddy tickles while protecting. They love swimming together, if that's what you'd call it. It looks more like the bouncy baby--tired Daddy underwater shuffle. I'll stick with the word swimming for simplicity.


This picture shows the preteen angst/boredom look I'm seeing so much of lately. Will you make it go away, please?



So what does the title of this post have to do with swimming on the 4th? (Point, meet Stacie; Stacie, meet Point...) Back on track now, I've been fighting a nice little rash on M for almost a week. A week for a rash with no other symptoms is my limit before I turn it over to the professionals. I noticed it was worse after the weekend swim, so off we went this morning to the doctor.

His rash is actually three rashes. First, there's a nice uniform and bumpy heat rash. Then comes the longer lasting viral rash thingie (that's formal medical terminology--you can look up like I had to if you don't understand it). For the icing on the cake we have the red, bumpy, easily identifiable to everyone but me, and much hated Chicken Pox. The doctor politely but firmly made us exit the back door to prevent spreading and sharing the good fortune.

Now I'm tasked with calling everyone we've come in contact with the past few days and warn them to be on the lookout. There were a lot of kids in the pool. My nephew spent most of last week with us. We had friends from out of state over for a visit. We went bowling a lot. It's such a social time of year!

I've called most of them and not a single one has cursed me out...at least not to my face but my ears are really burning.

Now my next task is to run away. Far away. You see, I just realized there was something I forgot to do 30 years ago. I forgot to catch Chicken Pox myself!!


Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Spot Emerges."