dealing with the residual of strep

Week One of strep is over.  Seven days of increased whining, fit throwing, non-compliance, OCD, and heightened anxiety.  One more day of antibiotics and hoping to kick this infection out the door.

The weekend brought a few challenges...We were originally going to all go to Target as a family on Saturday, but poor Peyton tripped over the train table and fell into the TV stand as we were getting coats and shoes on.  He has the biggest black eye.  I just feel horrible!  I knew it was going to be bad when I looked at it and it was immediately swollen and discolored.  Our little Rocky has taken many falls, with his quick movements and playful nature, but this one takes the cake.  OUCH!

I was just going to take Paige to run some errands, but Hunter really wanted to go, so I chalked it up to a therapy outing.  Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to take him, but with the recent relapse, I wasn't sure I was up to the challenge.  We had to go to a few stores to get some supplies for Peyton's second birthday party.  I took the kids into three stores before Target...and all was fine!  Hunter was in charge of paying and Paige was in charge of finding the items on our list.  When we started checking off the items at Target, we were doing great...until we hit the toy aisle.  I told Hunter he could pick out one small McQueen car.   When we got to the aisle, he exclaimed he wanted the large box with four cars in it.  I repeated his choices ("Either one small car or nothing.") and we sat for ten minutes while he contemplated and complained.  Finally, he told me, "I want nothing!"  So off we went.  I knew I would be "that parent" in the store, with the screaming child, but I would rather someone see that then me give into his request.  His therapists have ingrained in my head if you are going to give in, do it the FIRST time.  Otherwise, the child learns the power of manipulation and the tactic is SO hard to extinguish.  So off we went to get a few groceries.

His fit actually was shorter than I had anticipated, and we made it out and home with no major problems.  Both kids fell asleep in the car on the way home, and when he woke up, the first thing he said was, "I didn't get a McQueen car!" We took him inside and he sat and the stairs and repeated at least 50 times, "I didn't get a McQueen!  I didn't get a McQueen!"  We haven't had that type of OCD behavior in at least a year.  I can distinctly remember a similar scenario at our old house, with him repeating a phrase over and over again.  Once he calmed, we had a fairly quiet rest of the day.

Here are a few weekend pictures from this and last weekend.  Still trying to maintain normalcy, but really needing this strep to leave us...for good.  I'm ready to get back to the "easy" life!

I found Lizzy the Lizard!

Bought some carrots at the Farmers Market..."Don't eat the leaves, Peyton," Hunter told him.

Rest time snuggles on the couch

So happy!  (Pre-black eye :))

Our favorite new park...this swing is amazing!

Practicing my name and other small words.  My fine motor skills have improved so much!

Spilled water all over my shirt...for the first time, I didn't have to change it.  I got upset, but I kept it on!

Tomorrow I bid this strep good-bye.  The crazy thing is that one minute he is perfect, and the next is a crying mess.  Not sure if that is a sign of the infection trying to clear itself, but that is going to be my mindset for the next couple days.  Here's to no more night waking (this morning at 4:50- was able to get back to sleep), no more excessive OCD,  no more tantrums, no more throwing (this behavior had extinguished for the last few months- just came back again during illness), no more yelling, and no more illness.  With recovery, I know there are times when you will go one step forward, two steps back. 

Walking backwards is for the birds. 

Well, I actually googled it and no animal walks backwards naturally, but you get my drift.

:)