Hello Monday – Eliza’s Early Birthday Celebration and More Allergies

Hello Monday, we’re ready for ya!

This is our last full week of school (and then we have three more days after Memorial Day) and while I’m ready for summer break to begin, I’m also wanting these last days of school to slow down just a wee bit.  In the fall Henry will be in 6th grade (middle school!!!), Eliza will be in 4th and Jane will be in preschool two days a week!
I just can’t wrap my head around it!
Luckily we’re having lots of fun lately, it’s been crazy busy and exhausting, but fun nevertheless.
I’m linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday!  Thanks for hosting, ladies!


To start off, we celebrated Eliza’s 9th birthday ten days early.  Her actual birthday falls smack dab on Memorial Day this year.  So given that most people have plans on Memorial Day I knew we needed to celebrate another time, but once the kids are out of school we’re heading on vacation, so it’d be mid to late June by the time we’d get a chance to have a little party.
Eliza wanted to do what Henry did for his birthday, a visit to the local arcade and then back home for cake and gifts.  I’m not going to lie, I sure do miss throwing Henry and Eliza more decorative parties, but I try to go along with it.  I may have to do something next year for both kids…something a little, more…well, creative!
Eliza had an awesome time, so of course that’s all that matters.  She did have a little theme – Star Wars – just like Henry.  I did try to brighten it up with a few purple and pink balloons. 
Also, her Rey dresses have been getting used a lot lately…
 
This child should NEVER be allowed inside a casino – she’s straight up addicted to acquiring tickets.  LOL!
Same with this one…Haha! 
Walmart Star Wars cake with purple frosting for the win! 😉
On Saturday we woke up and we hit the ground running, quite literally.  Jon went to a local track to get in some running and once we came back home I got in a great run, too. 
I did some laundry and cleaned up a bit here and there.
Around 12:30 we started getting ready for Eliza’s first of two dance recitals.
I got her to the theater around thirty minutes early.  We would’ve been a little earlier but poor girl was having a moment over the fact that she couldn’t wear undies under her costume.  She later realized that the tights come equipped with an area similar to undies…oh the things we’re learning…
Anyway, I dropped her off and then swung back around to pick up Jon, Henry and Jane.  The boys had attempted to get Jane ready, and while I appreciated all that they did…well….let’s just say….
I changed her entire outfit.  LOL!
A for effort though.  😉
The first show was filled with the most lovely locals!  So many beautiful faces were in attendance!  I loved seeing all the support for the dancers from so many people who I know and love…seriously, it made me all warm and fuzzy.
Eliza did great, as did her friends.  She took Acro this year and she really grew – she went from not even being able to do a cartwheel, mom fail on my end of things, and learning how to do a backbend to nailing all of her backbend flip overs in both performances!!!!  In fact, at rehearsal on Thursday, Eliza was told they couldn’t rock out of their flip to get back up, they just had to do it get up quickly from the backbend position.  Eliza’s response?  Panicked, she thought, “But that’s how you taught us?!”  Hahaha!  I don’t blame her for thinking that, but for just being told they couldn’t rock out of a backbend to lift back up, you never would have known!
My sister and her family and Grandma Terri and Grandpa George attended the 3:30 show.  When Eliza nailed both backbend flips… I looked over at my sister and she was just as excited as I was!!!  I loved it – it was such a great moment!
A potty break between performances…
Our little theater.  It’s such a gem.
My girl after one of the shows…

Our three little loves…
Eliza and a bestie of hers, Ashlyn.  Ashlyn did hip-hop this year and she rocked it!
My sister and her family…and Jane…and her daughter/my niece is hiding behind everyone!  Haha

My peeps…
Jane and her two “sister mothers” as we jokingly referred to them.  These two lovely ladies, Katy and Amy, are the best!  My girl, Sara, was there, too, and I kick myself for not having her get in the picture.  Jane loves all of these women so much!

Grandma Terri and Grandpa George…
On Sunday morning Jane came into our room early and she was being sweet by bringing us books and snuggling.  I was in and out of sleep as she was snuggling here and there.  I took her to go potty but I was still very sleepy eyed and then we headed back to bed.
A bit later Jon got up with her and moments after he left the bedroom he came back to tell me to go look at her face.
I jumped out of bed and, sure enough, I saw her little face and eyelids completely swollen and red.
Back in February of 2020 Jane had an anaphylactic reaction to hummus, more specifically, the tahini/sesame within the hummus.
She now goes to the University of Michigan’s allergy clinic yearly in regards to her allergy.
Given the fact that she had an incredibly terrifying moment two years ago, we weren’t about to risk it.  Jon and I stayed calm and discussed our options.  This situation didn’t even come close to the sense of urgency of the hummus and she was breathing fine, thank GOODNESS!
We also both agreed that there was no use in giving her epinephrine, BUT we did decide to take her to the ER.  It was slowing spreading.  Jon and I wracked our brains as to what it could have been and I did a quick Google search.  I mentioned to Jon that she had been rolling in the grass just the night before, which was weird because the weekend before she was all over the grass without a single symptom.
Sure enough, she was seen by a Doctor and they confirmed it was a grass allergy.  She was given a steroid and Benadryl and then she and Jon had to stay for two hours.  
Had she never had any other reaction in her three years, I very much could have seen us assuming it was a grass allergy and just given her Benadryl.  However, Jon and I still think it was wise for us to take her to the ER.  
This poor child, between allergies, stitches and more allergies… I just feel so bad for her… my goodness.

A nurse remembered her from two years ago.  For reference, I’ve included some pictures below from her first ER visit back in 2020 for those of you who are new…
The itching from the hives all over her little body…
….and now from this past weekend…
Oh my sweet allergy girl…
The redness spreading down to her neck and arms were concerning to us.  Fortunately, the steroid and Benadryl helped and she was home by late morning.

Whew.  Welp, that was our Sunday morning.
I did manage to get Henry in for a much needed haircut and I went for a run once I knew Jane was okay.  It was more of a destress type of run.
After lunch, I put Jane down for a nap.  She ate all of the things, she was probably starving from the steroid, and then was completely zonked out moments after I read to her in bed, most likely from the Benadryl.  
While she slept I went through books, books and more books.  I’m really trying to declutter the house.  We’re also participating in a garage sale on Saturday and while we don’t have a ton to sell, I’m definitely looking at it as a motivator to get items out of here!
Jane woke up from her nap and was immediately looking for Henry and Eliza.
They had just gone out kayaking.  She said she wanted to go, so I grabbed a life jacket and she was off.
Jon and I watched them like hawks and we have very strict rules on where they’re allowed to kayak.
I was surprised with how relaxed she was, but happy she was getting comfortable with the water.  In fact, I was impressed by Henry and Eliza, too!  
It’s a tricky thing, living on the lake.  We want them to stay calm and be comfortable in and around the water, but never enough to have the water entice them.  
We are constantly telling the kids life jackets, life jackets, life jackets.  ALWAYS LIFE JACKETS.

Jane then got a turn with brother.  Everyone was so happy and the calmness of being out on the lake was just what we all needed after a hectic start to the morning.
It was a great weekend, sans weird allergy.
Cheers (with my coffee), to a nice and slow and productive week ahead!
Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Monday to you!
Marie 🙂

Similar Posts

6 Comments

  1. Oh what a fun party for Eliza- the girl knows how to work a theme! So glad Jane is better- how scary! Overall, life still looks beautiful 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *