Weekend Plans Cancelled...

Well, we were all set to return to Schuyler County this weekend to attend the Downing Appreciation Days, but now those plans have been cancelled.

My little Dakota was pretty fussy last night, but I couldn't figure out why. He wasn't running a fever, but you just couldn't seem to make him happy. I was up most of the night with him (by myself as my husband works the night shift). I kept rocking him, walking with him, feeding him; which all seemed to work for a while, he would go back to sleep, then wake up an hour or two later crying again. It made for a long night, but when getting him ready for daycare this morning, he was still not running a fever and he was out like a light.

I bundled him up and dropped him at daycare around 6 am. About 8:15 daycare called me to tell me he was really fussy and was running a temperature of 100.1. Therefore, I made the 30 minute drive to daycare to pick him up, then made the 30 minute drive back to town to get him in to see his pediatrician. I was honestly pretty worried with all the swine flu going around. Well, we finally got in to see his doctor, and his doctor said he had a little bit of congestion (he thought), so he sent him for a 2-view chest x-ray. They also decided to do a nasal swab (which he hated) to test for the flu. The doctor was pretty confident he didn't have the swine flu, but just wanted to rule it out.

My husband met us at the doctors office. I returned to work when everything was done, and he took my car and Dakota home. They'll come back for me this afternoon, and then I'll go home to take care of my baby. The doctors office has already called me back. They said the chest x-rays looked good, no trouble there. However, he did test positive for flu "b". I asked what the heck that was, and the nurse said there is 2 main types of flu they are testing for "a" & "b". The nurse said flu "b" is the lesser of the 2. So, I guess if he had to get one, this is the one to get. They said the only thing to do is regular systematic treatment (try to keep the fever down and keep him hydrated), and it will run its course.

So, nothing too serious, but we've decided we're not traveling 7-8 hours with a sick baby. So, our weekend plans are now cancelled. So, those of you that I normally see, we'll try to catch up with you some other time.

Weekend Plans...

Well, Labor Day weekend has come and gone, and man was it a busy weekend. We managed to get everything accomplished that we had planned. Here is the low-down:

We entered Dakota into the Uniontown Old Settlers Reunion baby contest. I have to say, theirs was conducted differently than any I had ever been to. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't impressed with how they ran theirs. For starters, I think every baby contest I've ever been to was broken up into 3 month categories; well Uniontown broke theirs into 6 month categories. Secondly, on all the contests that I've attended, the judges set out in front of the babies, and they come up and interact with them a little. The judges were always separate from the people that registered the babies. Well, in Uniontown, the judges were the same 2 women that registered the babies into the contest. Also, they were seated behind the babies, and they never came up and looked at them or interacted with them at all. I have to say, I didn't care for how this baby contest was conducted. Now that I've ranted about that, I will say that Dakota did win 2nd place in the 0-6 month boys category.

The daycare that Dakota attends, "Imagination Station", entered a themed float into the Uniontown Old Settlers Reunion parade. The theme for this year was "pride & progress". The daycare requested that any child that was available to ride the float to please do so. So, after the completion of the baby contest, Dakota and I walked the 3-4 blocks to the bus barn where they were lining everyone up for the parade. We rode on the float with all the daycare teachers and approximately 15-18 of the 30 kids that are enrolled into the daycare center. It was very foggy here during the baby contest, and that made it pretty cool weather wise, but about 20 minutes before the parade started, the fog cleared and it got really hot & humid. They had us out in the open waiting for the parade to start. There wasn't any shade anywhere around us. I tried to keep Dakota out of the sun as much as I could. He did get a slight sunburn on his cheeks and nose, but it was gone the next day, so luckily it wasn't bad at all. Dakota decided he was just plain wore out - its hard work waiting around you know, so he fell asleep and remained asleep through the entire parade. When the parade was over, he decided it was now time to eat. So, that sums up our Labor Day. By the way, the daycare's float won 1st place, which earned them $100.

As for this weekend, I can hardly wait. This weekend we're coming back to Schuyler County. We're coming back up home to attend the Downing Appreciation Days. I'm taking Friday off as a vacation day, so we will be leaving Kansas about 5 am, and depending on how many times we have to stop with Dakota (this is our 1st long trip with him) then we should be there by 1-2 pm. I'm sure I'll see a few of you lingering around. I normally run into at least Andrea, Kristina, Kenny, Nick, Crystal, Mandy, Ember & Leah, but I may catch a few more. I try to always make it back home for Appreciation Days. It is the last time that I see my family for the year, and so we try to make the rounds and visit with everyone. This year we'll be entering Dakota into the Appreciation Days baby contest too. Whether he wins or not, we'll have a good time. Hopefully, it won't be too hot, and if it is, I hope I can keep him out of the direct sunlight. So, we'll be up that way by Friday afternoon, and then we'll be leaving to come back home sometime Sunday morning as my husband has to work Sunday night. So, whatever your plans, if I see you, I'll be sure to say hi. If I don't notice you, but you see me, say hi too. See ya soon - maybe!!!

A Necessary Evil...

I can't begin to tell you how much I'm dreading this afternoon. I'm leaving work at 1:45 today so that I can drive out to daycare (20-30 minutes away) and pick my son up and bring him back to town (another 20-30 minutes) for his 2-month appointment with his pediatrician where he will be weighed, measured and given his next 4 shots.

I know that these immunizations are necessary and that its in their best interest to get them vaccinated, but at the same time you just can't help but feel really terrible to make them go through it. Shots don't bother me at all, so if I could, I would get them all for him. What's sad about the whole situation in my opinion, is that I know oh so many adults that are absolutely terrified at getting a shot (I mean they are really babies about the whole deal - no pun intended), and most of them are only getting 1 shot. Yet these poor little guys (or girls) have to suffer by getting multiple injections (in places close together) all in the same day. How is that fair?

I just hope my little guy handles them alright and that they don't give him much trouble. I make sure to always give him a dose of Tylenol before we go, so that it has time to kick in and work prior to him getting the shots (kind of as a preventative measure). Then if needed, follow-up with an additional dose later on. He didn't have any problems with his 1-month shot, but it was only the 1 shot. I hope the same can be said when we get the 4. I guess we'll see!

Oh well, I've got that off my chest now. Sorry for boring you if you read clear through to the end.

Am I Going Overboard???

Alright ladies, tell me in your honest opinion, am I going overboard?

The situation is, my husband thinks I'm crazy and that it isn't necessary as Dakota is too little to understand or care about books. The daycare that we chose to enroll him in is partnered with the Southeast Kansas Headstart program (we don't qualify for Headstart as we make too much money), but you still get some of the benefits. One of the primary benefits in my opinion, is that since it is a preschool as well, we receive the monthly Honeybee Scholastic Book Order catalogs.

We received the first catalog last month, and should continue to receive them monthly. I went ahead and placed an order for a few of the "educational books". Things like numbers, letters, colors and several short books that are "touch & feel". I'm reading them to him, even though he doesn't understand or care, and on the touch & feel I run his finger/hand over the textures. My reason (in my own mind), is that I love books, but I didn't always, and I want my son to have a love of books and reading (prior to getting into school). I also want him to have a variety of books or his own little "library" that he can choose from as his love of books grows as he gets older.

So, my husband believes it's a waste of time to read to him at this age, but I don't see it that way at all. In my opinion, it's not hurting anything, and it is just another thing we can do together. Therefore, in your honest opinion, should I put it all off for a while, or continue on as I have been? How early did you start reading to your kids? Even if they don't understand, what does it hurt? In short, am I going overboard in reading to my son while he's this young?

You can be honest, if I'm nuts, just say so!!!