Camping Pt. 2 and a Drew update too

Before I move on to the more pleasant part of our camping trip, let me update you on the status of Drew's hands. (The picture is courtesy my sister shortly after the hospital visit).

We got into his pediatrician first thing Monday morning. Drew HATES the doctor's office and the screaming commenced when we entered the parking lot and neared the building. It continued until Daddy and Drew left toward the end of the appointment.

The doctor said the hands were not as bad as he expected so he was happy with that. But he said the healing to take more like 2-3 weeks, and not the 10-days the ER doctor told us. We are to continue doing what we're doing, keeping his little blistered hands wrapped in the burn cream until they're healed. We can stop giving him the liquid vicodin too, and move to Motrin (of course go back to Vicodin if needed.) We go for a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks.

OK now onto the fun stuff!!

We arrived at our favorite place, Gold Country Campground around lunchtime on Thursday, and began the grueling process of setting up 2 tents and a trailer (Aunt Lisa, Jimmy & Cousin Kady were there with us too). The temps were pushing 90, so we managed to have a few beers in the set-up process.

OK so we didn't let Kady have much more than the condensation, but hey she should enjoy a cold one too.

How did Drew pass the time after setting everything up? As any toddler would do - playing in the dirt of course!


Grammy came to our rescue with some good clean fun - bubbles!


Other fun things to do - chase balls! We were smarter this time, and found a campsite that had either a fence or a screen room to catch the balls. Last trip they went about 300 yards or more downhill. Kady was just itching to play too.


Later on Thursday night, Uncle Matt and his girlfriend Rana and her daughter Adrina came up. It was a mellow night of enjoying the calm, and campfire. Dave was still at home since he had a Friday meeting at work. We all had a nice relaxing night.

Then came Friday... the day started out really calm and and easy. Some playdough, conversation and cards. Here Matt's girlfriend Rana & her daughter Adrina play Go Fish.


This photo was snapped just moments before Drew took a dive into the firepit. I happened to be capturing a few candids while Drew was happily chasing a ball up and down the campsites. I'll have the final look at our trip for tomorrow's blog.

Camping Casualties - Pt 1

Camping started out fun and exciting on Thursday afternoon. But rather than go through our trip chronologically as I normally would, I'm going to start with the most traumatic events and work our way to the happy stuff later this week.

As you can see from this picture, Drew had a little mishap on Friday morning, sending us to the ER in Jackson. For those that didn't hear about it on Facebook or by phone, Drew fell into the fire pit while chasing after a ball.

The good news, the fire embers were from the fire we made the night before. The bad news, it was still smoldering hot, and he suffered first and second degree burns.

The moment it happened, I was snapping a shot of my sister Lisa and her boyfriend Jimmy. But I heard my Mom, who was sitting right next to me, yell my name in that "stop everything you're doing"tone. I didn't have to look at her, just panned to find Drew and saw him going hands first into the fire pit.

All I remember is making the maddest dash from my chair to him in milliseconds. And yelled at him as I was pulling him out, and running into Mom & Dad's trailer, to wash his hands off praying all the while it was just some ash on his hands and he was freaked out, just as I was. As the water hit his hands, and cleaned away the ash, I saw the blisters coming up, and I calmly said, "we need to go to the hospital". I asked for some ice, and we sat on the couch in the trailer so I could inspect his hands a little more - and to catch a breather for myself as everything was starting to sink in, and I was feeling a little woozy.

We tried to apply the ice, and that wasn't going over so well - it never does for bumps and bruises either, so why should this be any different. Much of what I remember during this time, was how amazingly calm I was despite Drew was hysterical. I just gathered him up, got his diaper bag (which had my wallet) while Mom got her keys and we loaded into the truck.

I strapped Drew into the carseat at first thinking, it was the safest thing while I sat alongside of him. We didn't get 1/2 a mile down the road before I just pulled him out and cuddled him. We were on our way to the hospital anyway (about 15 minutes down the road), so if we got into an accident... well we wouldn't be much worse off than we already were. And Drew REALLY just needed consoling. I think this was when the pain started to set in on his tiny little hands.

We got to the ER at Sutter Amador Hospital and they knew instantly he hurt his hands, based on how he was holding them. I filled out the entry paperwork, and Grammy took Drew outside. He has a phobia of doctor's office and hospitals, and all he kept saying was "I go Bye-bye" over and over. So rather than traumatize all the other ER patients, we pacified him while we got everything in order. Within 5 or 10 minutes of our arrival they called us back to triage, and put some numbing cream on his hands and got his first round of "gloves" on his hands (just some gauze to hold the pads).

There was a minor mishap on the weight and we had to have a do-over since the nurse pegged him at 20 lbs when the doc and I said he weighed more than 24 lbs. We were right, but they needed the weight to be exact since they were going to give him some demoral to calm him down enough to check his hands. That demoral kicked in fairly quickly only Drew was still pretty hysterical - it took him perhaps 30 minutes to nearly knock out, and then the nurse and doctor came in.

Good news - they were only first and second degree burns. Not the 3rd Degree which would have sent us to the burn unit for treatment. So the nurse bandaged him up and we were on our way. Poor kid was so upset that he had that "hyperventilating" breathing thing while he slept on the ride back to camp and for a good 2 hours of the nap that followed. Poor baby would wake up and say "all done, no more" in his sleep. This was what he kept repeating as they were putting the bandages on him.

Grammy & GrampC drove back down to town and got Drew's liquid Vicodin prescription filled, and Daddy who wasn't due to come up until Friday afternoon anyway showed up, and I finally was able to relax a bit.

When Drew woke up, he was a true champ! He adjusted to his "gloves" so well and only asked us to take them off for the first 2 hours after that nap. I think he's asked maybe one other time. He's a real trooper. He's maneuvering things around with his thumbs, and still wants to play, pick up toys and rocks.

We decided to stay up at the campground since everything we could do there, we would do at home. And up there, we had extra help and assistance from everyone! It was the right decision, and Drew managed to keep his white gloves pretty darn clean.

Sunday was the first time we had to take those bandages off and clean the blisters. The right hand is definitely worse than the left, and looks like one large blister with five fingertip blisters. We will go to his doctor today and have them take a look as well (I look at it as one less dressing change I need to do).

This was by far the most traumatic camping trip I've been on, and I'm hoping the last time something like this happens. But Drew's a real trooper, and the ER doctor thought he should be all clear in about 10 days. Thank you to everyone who has sent healing prayers our way. Please keep them coming.

'Pinners

Last week I mentioned Drew's fascination with "purple fowers", but that's only one of the things that get him all excited. Another... "'pinners". Now what is a 'pinner you ask?

Well you and I may call it a windmill, but in the mind of a 23-month old, it's a 'pinner.

Occasionally a 'pinner can be a "fand" (aka a fan), or a pinwheel, but lately he's intrigued by windmills. He has a train set at home that has a windmill.

Going through the Altamont Pass or over Vasco Road, there are "'pinner" farms, and he sees a multitude of them. (Those who live outside the area, the Altamont Pass is what we go over to get to I5 which takes us to LA, and Vasco, well it's the "shortcut" from Grammy's to the Livermore wineries). So over the weekend after we picked Drew up at Grammy & GrampC's, Dave thought it would be fun to take him to see the 'pinners and pick up our wine shipment. So we did! Problem was, this was the view Drew had of the outside attraction:

Apparently we stayed a bit too long at Grammy's and he decided to catch his nap right as we hit all the 'pinners!

We I have paid for it ever since too. He has asked to see the 'pinners everyday after I pick him up from day care. Guess we'll have to plan another trip to see the 'pinners soon, so the kid can get his promised fix.

That's Enough

When I pick up Drew from Ms. Stephanie's house everyday, she gives me a little sheet about his day - when he ate, what he ate, when he napped (if he even did) and notes like when she needs diapers or wipes.

On Wednesday, she was telling me how Drew told one of the other babies she watches, "That's enough Baby Drew". Yes, she is watching another Drew and yes, our Drew was bossing around the baby.

The things our kid mimics... yes we tell Drew "that's enough" when he's incessantly whining, crying etc for no reason. It's just amazing to see him using the same terminology and at the appropriate time.
*sigh*

Weekend at Bernies...er.. Grammy's

Before I start into today's blog... can you believe in one month from today, Drew will be 2?!

OK back to the purpose of today's post...

Over the past weekend, Dave and I went into San Francisco to attend a wedding for his former co-worker. Grammy and GrampC were put on alert months ago that we needed to have an overnight sleepover for little Drew.

Problem is no one expected he would've been sick a few days before and causing Mommy & Grammy to get sick during this planned sleepover. (see here for the back story). Grammy being the trooper and earning Mommy Badges of her own in her day - agreed to let Drew still come over, since when we spoke at 7am, she was feeling better.

As the day wore on, the symptoms of this vicious bug reoccurred, but Grammy braved it out. Until she tired out. GrampC sent me this photo from his cell phone while we were at the wedding.... Poor Grammy fell asleep before Drew (I've been known to do the same thing).

By the wedding, Dave was feeling back to his normal self, but I was still pretty miserable. Our poor friends, I kept my distance from them and couldn't congratulate them properly, for fear they'd spend their honeymoon getting to know each other a little "too intimately" in a not so fun fashion.

By Sunday I felt a million times better - although not 100%. The beauty of technology - you can keep up with what Drew's doing from your cell phone. Just email/text GrampC and you get all the scoop. Including this photo, which was received when we were about 1/2 a mile from their house.


Apparently Drew was waiting "patiently" for us to return, by the front door. He loves his Grammy & GrampC, but I don't think he was feeling 100% yet, and just wanted some special hugs and kisses from his parents.

Photos Courtesy GrampC

The Bad Side of Sharing

At nearly 2 years old, we're really working with Drew on his sharing skills. The problem is, how do you explain that it's not so nice to share everything!

Thursday last week, Drew came down with a 24-hour stomach virus that made it's way around day care. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but needless to say we were up all Wednesday night/Thursday morning with Drew. In the middle of the night I emailed Grammy to see if she would be available to help us out on Thursday - knowing Drew couldn't go to day care (this was before I knew Ms. Stephanie had come down with the same vicious bug overnight).

Thankfully Grammy was able to step in, and Dave and I were able to go about our extremely busy days.

Then Friday night hit... Daddy was nailed by the bug. His symptoms slightly different than Drew's, but bad nonetheless. Drew did return to daycare, with only some ugly diapers (and a nice diaper rash to boot). But at least the vomiting stopped.

Friday night/Saturday morning - Grammy & Mommy get hit!

So tell me, why is it he won't share the things you want him to, but share the things you don't want him to? Is it possible for a nearly 2 year old to understand the difference? If so please shed some light because Daddy's tired of this kind of sharing (he was hit by Drew's Tonsillitis over the 4th of July too - after going 10+ years without an illness - other than a cold).

Tunnel Vision

I mentioned briefly on Friday, that Drew's fascinated with anything he would describe as a "tunnel". Case in point - my legs during a workout last week. In addition, after stepping out of Olive Garden for Dave's birthday, there was an awning. Drew was so excited that he was in a "tunnel".

Last week, I was an awesome mom and brought him out of his afternoon funk with none other than a tunnel (ok so most of us would call it a fort, but work with me here).

Exhibit A - our first attempt at a tunnel.


Daddy saw just how excited Drew was, so we built a bigger and better model.

Exhibit B


OK so you don't see the above view of this awesome tunnel, but the expression on Drew's face, shows he LOVES it. He spent a good hour crawling back and forth, rolling balls and just hanging out in there. We had to force him to come out and eat dinner.

When he woke up the next morning he immediately asked for his "tunnel". Guess we have a new hit!