Today at Build-A-Bear, the sweet girl hosting our party asked me, "Is it hard? Watching her grow up and turn 7?" As I watched Jujube and her friends playing carefree and fought the lump in my throat, little did I know that my cell phone was going crazy in my purse. The excitement of the day was about to go up a few notches.
As the Build-A-Bear portion of the festivities was drawing to a close and I made my way up to the register, I check my phone. Lots of little alerts, missed calls, texts...all from home where the Bedards were watching my youngest 3. The gist: Ella had ingested some peanut butter disguised in a pretzel. (I will take this blog space to insert that when MFS came home with those things, I had a uneasy feeling about them.) Symptoms: projectile vomiting, red rash and coughing. (But still playful Ella.)
The sweat beads appeared out of nowhere. My nurse brain was trying to think, think, think standing in the middle of a crowded store talking with Lauren about the situation at home. Did I mention that MFS is away? I gave the green light on the Epi Pen and to call me right after administration, not the paramedics. If her allergist saw this blog, he would scold me right now. Again, my kids are stuck with a nurse as a mom, but I knew Ella was in good ICU nurse hands with Lauren and the Crozet paramedics are moments away. The injection did the trick and the party did not have to be cut short. I am happy to report that when we returned home Ella looked the same, if not better than when we left.
Lauren did say though Ella was a champ through the whole ordeal, baby girl was playing her when she was trying to assess her breathing. Lauren told her, "Ella, you are a ham."
Ella's reply, "I not a ham. I human."
Before bedtime, Ella also told me, "I not like pretzels anymore. They no good."
With good health restored, we moved the festivities to Red Robin. Julia's friends are as amazing as she. They are sweet, funny and well-behaved. I am grateful to one of the mothers that stayed. Not just to help keep an eye out for the kids in the middle of the peanut crisis, but a calm presence to talk me down from my internal ledge. Actually, after conversing with her (the beauty of 7 year olds) I wondered why I never befriended her before because she rocks.
Warming up the hearts
Making a wish
Julia and "Frosty"
We filled ourselves with food and Angry Birds cupcakes before Julia opened her gifts. From the presents she received, I can see that Julia's friends know her well. Origami, painting and bead kits as well as stuffed animals. She was in heaven and ready to crack open every art kit at home. Everyone had a great time, especially my beautiful birthday girl.
At this moment, we are breathing easy and all is right in our world. Thanks be to God.
2 comments:
Only you could so beautifully and calmly handle that situation. What a story...and what an incredible Mama you are!
The B-a-B party looks like a blast. Corena saved up her money and right before Xmas she got that same polar bear. :)
Happy Birthday Jujube! 7 years. Sigh...and yeah!
Sounds like an eventful day! Glad everything turned out OK in the end.
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