Overnight

It seems 3 things have happened here overnight...

1) My last blog was all about the Insect Kingdom. I was telling you what a wonderful trip we had and how I had such a great time with my youngest, spending a little quality time with him. With the way my kids have been acting lately, I really wasn't sure how a little outing would turn out - for me. Going out in public places with both boys has not been my favorite activity lately. So, you can imagine how elated I felt when everything went smoothly...

...until we got home. We had dropped Brandon off at school for the rest of the afternoon, but since Ryan has had a harder time adjusting to school, I decided to keep him with me today. So, we head home and I had been telling Ryan it was nap time so he wouldn't be "shocked" into it. For some reason, Ryan's blanket had recently smelled like urine, so I had the ayi clean it in the morning. Since we have yet to receive our washer/dryer, she put it out on the clothes line like everything else. When we arrived home, the ayi mistakenly showed Ryan his blanket on the line, which was still wet. And since it was still wet, he couldn't have it for his nap. While the ayi was showing him the blanket he couldn't have, I was getting his towel (to temporarily substitute) upstairs. Ugh! I heard him start crying before I finished walking down the steps. I figured he beyond tired since he had such an active morning and he had a belly FULL of food, so I take him into a bedroom and try to lie down with him. Ryan proceeded to throw the BIGGEST tantrum I have ever seen him throw. In fact, it very closely mirrored Brandon's episode from the week before. He was crying, screaming, and GROWLING. He was trying to kick, hit and head butt me! It lasted for over an hour! I couldn't believe it! I tried to sing to him, talk in low tones with him, but I knew that no matter what I did...I couldn't give in to this. I had to stand my ground to make him understand that this kind of behavior was unacceptable. As I'm watching my youngest baby boy growl at me (no more tears after the first few minutes), I couldn't help but feel that this was a culmination of some kind of pent-up aggression towards this transitional period. And I'm hoping beyond words that he let most of it out already. I know he's two. I know he'll be acting two for a while...and probably more aggressively than Brandon ever did...but wow. Again, I hope this was a "release" of some kind and I will only see milder versions of age appropriate tantrums from now on...I can't believe I'm saying this! haha

Anyway, FINALLY, after quite some time, he began to get tired and acquiesced. He ended up asking to be picked up and when I picked him up, he held on tight while I rocked him, rubbed his back and sang softly to him. He never did end up taking a nap, but once I let an appropriate amount of time go by while he sat quietly and patiently, we both walked out of the room together. I was EXHAUSTED!! At least this happened in the company of ONLY our ayi and driver, instead of a mall full of people. I guess.

2) Brandon woke up with what looked like very large mosquito bites on his leg...about 5-6 of them. We were thinking that maybe a mosquito got caught underneath his bed canopy and feasted all night. He wasn't complaining about them or even scratching them, etc. By the time we were driving to the museum, I noticed several boils on one of the bites. By the time we were done at the museum, they had popped and released some puss. By the time he came back from school, another one of the bites had boils on it. He still wasn't complaining about them..they didn't itch or even hurt until they popped and he had an exposed wound. He didn't have any fever. What had bit him? Was he having a reaction to the mosquito poison or did something else bite him? I immediately shook out his bedding. I still don't have the answers, but I'm keeping a very watchful eye on it, just to be sure.

As I mentioned before, our ayi is extremely watchful and immediately came over to inspect it herself. She looked grieved for Brandon's discomfort and she immediately called May (our previous hostess)...I didn't even know our ayi had May's number. May then called Allen who was driving home to inform him that the ayi suggested a certain kind of medicine and where to get it.

After ointment was applied and then a cute bandage, all was well with Brandon. But, not with mom. What if something like this happens again and I need medicine? Where do I go? Will I be able to read any labels? So, I went first, to a pharmaceutical store and everything is in Chinese...no name brands except for Band-Aid. I had to call an interpreter to translate what I was looking for...rubbing alcohol, Neosporin, other topical treatments, Band-Aids (sizes) and I also was looking for children's medicine for flu/colds, Benadryl, etc. Nothing. At least, no "name brands". Crap. The lady behind the counter kept pulling stuff out for me to look at and some of the packaging had a little English...but I'm not really sure what I was looking at, exactly, and if it is very effective. The hardest thing to translate, for some reason, was hydrogen peroxide. That was the only one I knew the chemical name for (hydrogen and peroxide)...and they had no idea what I wanted. Ugh! It was then translated to me that they don't have anything like that because it's too hot and the government won't let any into the country because it's such a high alcohol content. What?! So, I asked if they will have it in the winter...? 'No' was the answer. Sooo frustrating.

I will have to do more research. But, along with Sweet Chili flavored Doritos and Chocolate PB Ice Cream...my Christmas list has expanded to things like Neosporin, feminine products, Rubbing Alcohol, Purell hand sanitizer, Benadryl, and Robitussin. Ugh! You don't really think of these kinds of "essentials" until you can't find them. At least I can scratch 'tuna' off my list now! :)

3) Our dog has been savoring a rawhide bone the past few days. This morning, he looked normal. By tonight, one side of his face is swollen! That eye is even half closed! What is going on around here!!??? He was acting a little neurotic about the bone because he couldn't bury it. Did he eat it too fast and cut up his gums, thus the swelling? Or did something bite him? I don't see evidence of either scenario, but sure as day, his face is swollen! Aaghh!

All of this...just OVERNIGHT!!!