The Spiderman Popsicle

We have our annual trip to Florida coming up. I have a million and one things to do. Things to pack. Things to buy. Laundry to wash. Clothes to organize. Hair to be cut. I was at home with the boys on Thursday, rather than working, thanks to my going into the office on Monday. I figured I could knock off my to do list one by one - and have it all done by the end of the day. Game on.

Instead of packing, we spent the morning outside collecting rocks and analyzing drains residing in the mile radius around hour house. We collected a lot of rocks. Who knew there were so many drains? I figured I could recapture my productivity during nap time.

The joke was on me because no one napped. Aidan got off the bus from school and I figured we could at least cross hair cuts of my list. Hair cuts done. We stopped for ice cream. Brennan opted for some over processed, over dyed, manufactured spider man ice cream Popsicle instead of just a normal ice cream cone. I should have said no. I should have pushed him towards some normal Perry's ice cream. I didn't.

And that is how we came to spend our Thursday evening in the Emergency Room.

Brennan had an allergic reaction to the over processed goodness of that damn Popsicle. He started coughing, and at first, we thought he was faking. (I need to write that again. WE THOUGHT HE WAS FAKING.) It took some serious wheezing and some nice face swelling to bring it home for us. (We are parental geniuses us! We are!)

Brennan stayed calm throughout the whole allergy attack, the probing by the nurses and doctors, and in the face of his mother's hysteria. He even managed to maintain his composure while he vomited all over the hospital waiting room. (Hi Ms. E.R. nurse? When parents yell they need a bucket? Yeah, we need it like NOW, not in ten minutes, Okay?)

After an eternity in the waiting room and then the examining room, my sweet little three year old turned to me with swollen eyes, a little red puffy face and through his wheezing garbled to me, "Mom, this is taking forevah!"

It did take forever, but he is good and recovered now. I am terrified every time he eats, scared it will happen again. We knew there was a strong possibility one (or all) of our kids would have to deal with allergies, thanks to Chris's childhood of an allergy to, well, practically anything and everything. But this still threw me for a loop. A big, scary, terrifying loop.