Late Summer

Late August to late September according to my phone.

A visit to the zoo.

Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park with friends. We keep it local - we shared mac and cheese and burgers at this international event.

Camping with Grandma and Grandpa. Look at C, midair.

Luke picked up the girls in the morning at the campground and took them to school. At the end of day Josie was breathing quickly and we rushed her home for albuterol treatments.

Meanwhile, Luke's best friend, his wife, and their kids arrived from Seattle for a visit.

Meanwhile, Elise was admitted to the hospital to deliver her first baby.

Meanwhile, we made an offer on a house.

She didn't improve much and I took her to the emergency room. In the ER she received nebulizer treatments and IV steroids and magnesium. She was comfortable throughout, watching a movie. My heart sank when the doctor told me he was deciding between admission to the floor and admission to the pediatric ICU. It had only been three weeks since her first admission for asthma.

Luke took C to school when it opened and joined me in the ER. I stopped into my office then drove to our satellite campus where I was scheduled to work. I had a little time before the first surgery and stopped at Chick-fil-a for breakfast. I took my biscuit and coffee to the car and started to cry - fatigue, fear, guilt.

Fortunately I was required for only one early surgery and after I processed that specimen, I hurried back to the hospital where Josie had been admitted to the PICU. (My group graciously allowed me a personal day - thanks, everybody!)

Josie and I spent three days in the hospital. My dad joined us early Friday morning, allowing Luke and me to step away for a bit.

Meanwhile, Luke and Clementine had fun with our visitors.

Meanwhile, Elise had her baby.

Meanwhile, our house offer was accepted.

All of it seemed very far away as I spent the weekend with this little girl, this large window, the same clothes, the same movies on repeat (Princess and the Frog, Brave, Tangled).

Josie had a great time during her stay - toys and games and a full-size Moana doll! from Child Life, pizza, pancakes, and lots of attention.

She refused to wear any pants and ran around in too-small underwear with one cheek escaping. Especially funny when she showed the nurses her favorite yoga poses, downward dog and trwee pose!

When she was able to maintain good oxygenation on room air while sleeping, she was discharged. Refusing pants AND shirt, she consented to leaving the hospital in the only other garment from her backpack, her swimming suit.

Josie now is under the care of a pediatric pulmonologist and takes daily meds. Skin testing showed that she's allergic to cats and dogs. We're rarely around cats but the dog allergy appears to be well controlled by Zyrtec and Singulair (exactly the medications I take. Genes.)

The next day was Labor Day, allowing us some time to regroup. The girls and I went to see Leap! which they Loved.

With my mom in Chicago with the new grandbaby, I accompanied my dad to a farm-to-table dinner in Washington later that week.

Pajama Day.

Back to the zoo!

Doughnuts before school.

At Starbucks, C surveyed the case of baked goods and told me "I want the muffin like the heart of Te Fiti!"

I was/am so amazed at her cleverness.