Week of June 25, 2003
Owen is two.Scott and I took the day off ("holiday!" says Owen). It was the nicest present we could think of, though we also had a figure 8 of track laid down to greet Owen upon waking. There's a tunnel, and we have his little signal tower (with lights and whistles) set up in front of it. Owen was delighted! He spent hours, moving trains through the tunnel and through the signal, then sitting back and enjoying all the action. The signal has a magnetic switch, so it activates when any train goes through. Scott had run out and acquired a Gordon the day before, and that was also waiting for Owen on the track. Such joy!
At Christmastime, Owen was nonplussed by the little oval of track we had set up for him as his present from us. He got the concept, but he either lacked the dexterity or the interest in running his engines on it. It was much more fun running them on the end of the couch, or on the floor. "Oh no!" he'd say, after each accident. He used only two engines/trains at a time, and endlessly fiddled with their magnetic connections.
What a difference 6 months makes! He can now make trains as long or short as he desires, and while it's fun to take his trains off road, the track is pretty nifty. He spends a lot of time on the floor with his trains, going eyeball to eyeball with his little friends.
The night before his birthday, we noticed his wrist swollen and red, when we were in the bathtub. Scott asked if he'd fallen when I'd taken him to the park ("no!" I defensively replied, while wondering if I had somehow caught his wrist in his car seat strap). We set aside our anxiety as best we could since he was obviously using his wrist and not much bothered by it.
By the next morning, the red, swollen patch had spread. We called the nurse from the park (what did we do before cell phones?). She said it was probably a bug bite, and not to worry unless it started to spread. All morning we eyed his wrist. It spread! It was swollen! It got more red! Owen got progressively crabbier and it obviously bothered him. Oh no!
We'd made a trek to the Children's museum in Holyoke in the morning. Holyoke is not an area I've ever really visited (well, beyond the Mall), and it was interesting seeing a factory/manufacturing center taking a turn at being redeveloped. Who knew Volleyball started in Holyoke, or that there's a Volleyball Hall of fame? The Children's museum is next door. We arrived just as it opened, grateful for its air conditioning. Owen is a little young for the place, so it was no great hardship when he lost interest after half an hour and said "I want car." On the way out, I noticed a climbing structure several stories high. I think it would be the fantasy of many a child, but all I could think was "are those just bungee cords keeping them the kids from falling?"
Using our trusty cell phone, we'd made a Doctor's appointment for later that afternoon. Phew, piece of mind. Sure we're anxious parents, but it was red! And spreading! We tried going to the Mall, but our hopes of a celebratory lunch were dashed quickly. Owen ended up in tears, and I was holding one of those children you dread - the kind going completely to pieces, where you're both annoyed to be experiencing it ("what are those parents thinking!?") and grateful you're not that parent. I suspect that part of the problem was we'd entered the shoe store. My timing was awful, but we were there, and Owen now pretty much goes to pieces every time we cross the threshold of the Stride Rite store. But sadly, his feet are wide, so we there we must go. To help his sweaty feet, I was set on getting him some sandals (preferably shoes he could get wet). Scott wasn't happy to be experiencing this, but we survived and the next day when all was calmer, we were grateful for the sandals. At the mall, however, we were both barely speaking as we fled as quickly as we could. Owen settled down as we drove toward home.
The verdict, after this long day? A bug bite! Okay, we felt low, reacting to such an ordinary thing. But it was hugely swollen! And red! The nurse seemed impressed with his swollen wrist, and we were comforted by the fact that his pediatrician couldn't find a bite. We bought some benadryl, and headed to town with the hope of getting Owen a birthday cookie.
Benadryl is a miracle, Owen's wrist slowly started to improve. It was bruised for several days afterward, but clearly, the diagnosis was right. And Owen's mood seemed to improve as well, after the benadryl. In retrospect, I think the heat could have contributed to the misery quotient for us all. None of us manages well in the heat and it was a hot, sticky day. By the time we left the center of town for the air conditioning of our apartment, we were all ready for some cool vegging.
Our celebratory dinner consisted of Owens' favorite, pierogies while Scott and I shared Indian food and thought about the evening 2 years before. And at the end, we all shared our traditional Pepperidge Farm coconut cake. "Cake! Cake!" said Owen. "Holiday!"
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