Lady Sassafras the Speckled

I thought Emma was having a little eczema breakout yesterday when this rash started. As you can see, it got pretty bad pretty quickly. Poor little speckled mite. Went to the doctor this morning, and we're now operating under the assumption that Emma is allergic to the penicillin she was on for her ear infection.

Other happy news: Not only is her ear still infected, but they're now BOTH infected. Grrrrrr. We're not having such a good time of it healthwise around here.

In the for-real happy news: The rash doesn't seem to overly bother her (especially now with some Benadryl), and she's in really good spirits. There's also no sign of any anaphylactic problems from the allergy. Phew.

P.S. Kandi, doesn't she look like Sage with her face all big and swollen like this? The Sager lives!

Hard at Work

Cooties

Cousins Kennedy and Vincent are visiting this week, and they have been a welcome change from the sea of pestilence that has been our lives of late. It started with Libby getting the stomach flu a week and a half ago and evolved into a cold with ear infections (two for Libby, one -- her first -- for Emma) and then overcame Martin and I, who have been laid low since about a week ago. Nothing but sunshine and smiles around here, people, let me tell you.

You know, on second glance, the pestilence actually started several weeks ago when both girls got colds that turned into a hospital stay for Libby for mild pneumonia. Just wanted to be sure the record clearly showed the monumental crappiness of our recent times.

Here -- a record of happier moments:

My quest to get a great picture of the girls together continues. This one is pretty darn cute, though. (FYI: Libby's Band-aid is purely decorative.)

We've been watching "The Muppet Show" on some special Fridays as part of our family pizza-and-movie party. As you can see, the whole family is entranced. (And Emma now sings a great "Mnahamnaha" ... or at least the doot-doot-doot parts.)

Here's to non-cootie-laden springtime ahead!

Sassafras

Emma's sassy new walk has earned her the new nickname of Sassafras. (It brings to mind that walk through the fields that Oprah did in "The Color Purple.")

Here, a video of it for your enjoyment. (Also notice one of her other new developments: "I doooo." This is Emmaspeak for "I want to do that." or "I want that.") mn.