3

Nope, this isn't a birthday post..  I don't even have one close to 3...  I SHOULD, but then again, by MY family plan, I should merrily be preggers with #5.
But back to 3..
It is just my number lately I guess..
It is the number of cubs that showed up to Pack Meeting the other night..  you already know how much I love that (read sarcasm), then to have 3 boys and 3 leaders show up. 
It was great.
:P
Then there was last night..
We were enjoying another nightly holiday activity, frosting our sugar cookies, when Peyton, aka "Little Climber" named appropriately for her newly acquired skill, pushed her chair up next to Merrill and began her ascent to the counter top..
She enjoyed playing with the frosting tips and couplers for a good, long while, and then, at some point quickly thereafter, she fell.
Onto the hardwood floor.
On her right side.  (You know, the one with the arm was previously broken?)

She was acting guarded and funny with her arm.  She wouldn't reach for anything with it, not even her beloved binky, and that was when I made the decision to go to InstaCare.
Again.
That made it my 3rd trip to this particular facility.
In 3 days.
3.
We had no wait, saw our favorite doctor (love you doctor C!!) who also happened to treat her for the buckle fracture in August, and by the time he sat down and started his evaluation, she was using it.
He guessed soft tissue damage as she didn't act like she was in pain when he squeezed it in various places.
There were no x-rays taken because too much radiation exposure to children in these developmental stages (she has had 3 x-rays in her life these past few months..) isn't good on the bones.  So he sent us with orders for x-rays, in case she acted differently today.
She hasn't.
So far, 3 still happens to be my number.
I am praying it doesn't roll over to 4.
I am questioning it though, as last night, she capped her evening of activity off with a new trip, up the chair, pushed so expertly to the counter, to get to the chocolate covered cherries Jaclyn dropped off while I was visiting the doctor's office for the 3rd time (thank you Jacks!!), and found Peyton attempting to open the box of yumminess with a steak knife..
Pray for me!! 

Hello, again..

We took another trip to the InstaCcare last night.. made our hectic evening that much more..
I had a bridal shower to be to.. I was one of the hostesses, kinda had to be there.
I was gathering everything, needing to get there to help set up.
Ashley had been on and off with a fever for the last day, so Merrill was going to stay home with her, but he calls, he's locked his keys in his office. I have to run him the extras.
I am gathering kids, rushing to get everything done, and there on time... find Ash, asleep, and wake her up. She is hotter than hot. I take her temperature. First shot, the digital thermometer reads 106.8?!
Another try.. 104.9, still, not good.
I give her Motrin, and get on our way.
Merrill takes her to InstaCare.. I take my stuff to the shower and he promises me with updates.
Now let me back up to a couple of very important points..
1- Merrill HATES the doctors, hospitals, etc. He gets so ill.. that might be a contributing factor in the size of our family. It was such a miracle he was up to taking her himself instead of substituting for me at the shower!
2- Ashley had said, this whole time that she's been running a temp., that she feels "fine". She is totally herself, nothing hurts, she's running around and playing, but somehow, needs an afternoon nap... she was getting so annoyed with me, repeatedly asking her if she felt okay, if anything hurt.. "NO mom.."
So we are at the shower, just getting into a game, and my phone rings.
"They have been running tests, they can't find anything, they need to draw blood."
Merrill + needles + blood + the subject being one of his offspring = a gihugant disaster... his family knows this. HIs mom keeps Lynn, Peyton is a whole other ball game, she comes with me, after she's covered me with something black.. oh, and her too.
I speed.
I get there right after the blood was taken.. they are both doing fine. :)
Ashley is just laying there, with her hot pink bandage, making fishy lips, giggling. She tells me every detail.
"I had to go tinkle in a cup, but I couldn't go, so they gave me apple juice, and after I drank it, I went tinkle.. then, they took the shot needle, and it kinda hurt, but I didn't cry.. I didn't even say ouch mom!"
She is so tough!!
Merrill was pale. He just nodded his head.
"I was trying to distract her, keep her focus on me, but she wanted to look. She seriously didn't even say 'ow'."
She is amazing... this is proof that she really is mine, despite who she physically resembles.
The doctor basically said that she has a "fever without a focus". They couldn't find anything wrong. The only diagnosis we got, was that it is probably Roseola..
I am amazed at Merrill, that he held a cup while his daughter peed in it, that he was well enough to relay information to me, and to the doctor, and most importantly, that he didn't faint, when the needle came out, or when it went in.. love you Mer!!
As for the diagnosis, we'll just have to wait and see.
Blotchy rash, anyone?
Until then, we'll just be kicking it at home, quarantining ourselves! :)
We've already gone through two bottles of ibuprofen between little miss "P" and Ash..
Good times at the Pitcher's!

** Lynn and I went to my softball game last night, after all was well. Lynn sat, bundled-up in the dugout, while we played our game in the on then off again rain, and the thunder, and the lightning... that was fun!

Events of the day..

So here's how the day went down..
Preschool.
Kindergarten.
Haircuts!!
I repaired some bracelets for my friend Alesha, earned a free cut, got a coupon for my B-Day, got one for half off.. nice..
Lynn was the first to get in "the hot seat".. she was quite nervous over her two inch trim.. she has hair to spare!!
Ash went next.. yup, that's "Alvin the Alligator" with her.. she is so "I don't care".. I had free reign to have what ever I wanted done with her hair! It is now even.. her last haircut, back in April, wasn't so even.. neither was mine.
Peyton found a new place to play..
My closet!
I now have pics of all three of them around this age enjoying my closet..
Me and my girls, kinda a shot of our new cuts.. I sorta already miss my inch of hair that is now in a trash can :(.. but Merrill likes it..
Now everyone is sleeping.. ahhh. let's hope it stays that way.. I need some!
Love Ashley's little laugh pic..
We went to Kaitlyn's Lakette family performance, they are going to regionals tomorrow. They did so good! It's always fun to have Grandma P. crack us up too.. afterward, as we were driving home, past the InstaCare, I looked, I am so sick of this ongoing cold. My throat started to hurt so bad during the last dance, I had to check out the InstaCare. TWO CARS.
I was going.
Good news, no wait.
Bad news, not so fav doc there.
Good news, he gave me a free sample of a steroid inhaler, I just don't need a prescription, the last time I used my inhaler, 2002, before I even got pregnant with Lynn.
No strep, but thank heavens he listened to me and didn't do a culture..
Just a nasty virus.
He gave me an antibiotic to help, he said that if it's gone on for this long, it might be the onset of something bad.
He kept asking me if there was anything else he could do. If I wanted any tests, if this was the outcome I had hoped for.
Gee... maybe he was bored?
He also told me to get rest, that's what I need to get better.
To which I replied, "Can you prescribe a sedative for my kids? " ;)
Hee hee..
Other good news, my insurance, get this, paid for my prescription.. granted it was only $4.. but hey, I'll take free any day!!
Maybe IHC heard it was my birthday this whole week :)
Now I am off to enjoy a nice bubble bath with some coconut lime gel that someone got me :)
Good luck tomorrow Katie!!