Batgirl

We took the kids to Wal-mart and let Anna pick out costumes for both of them a couple of weeks ago (Sorry, Will, next year you will be old enough to tell us what you want). She picked Batgirl for her and Batman for him. Today, she gets to wear her costume to dance class. I've never seen a cuter Batgirl!!!

Pumpkin Patch 10/11/09

We had a great time at the pumpkin patch yesterday!!

Acanthosis??

Warning - this story won't be nearly as interesting to those of you who aren't in the medical field, but I think you will still enjoy how it ends. For those of you who treat kids, this is something you will definitely want to read - I learned and you will too I would be willing to bet!!!

I had a 8 1/2 year old white girl come to see me a couple of weeks ago. She complained about a brown spot in her suprasternal notch that appeared about a month prior and had spread to circle halfway around her neck. Also started to appear in her navel. Mom thought it was dirt and made her get back in the shower and try again to get it off. When she couldn't, mom tried and succeeded only in turning the poor kid's neck red from all the scrubbing. On exam, it looked exactly like acanthosis except that it was in the front instead of the back. Well, I thought this was weird because she is white and skinny (BMI ~5%). My partner examined and completely agree with me - so we looked it up.

According to up-to-date, acanthosis is caused either by insulin resistance or malignancy, nothing else is even mentioned. I did a fasting insulin which was normal. So, then I was starting to get a little worried. I even consulted, by phone, Hem-Onc at Childrens. They were just as confused as I was, as acanthosis usually only comes with adult-type malignancies such as lung and colon cancers. They suggested that I send her to derm for a biopsy to make sure this is what we were dealing with. I called the dermatologist, explained what was going on, and made an appt.

So, last week she went to see dermatology. The dermatologist examined it closely . . . then started laughing. She got a makeup remover pad, soaked it in alcohol and wiped off the "acanthosis". I was shocked!! Apparently this is something this dermatologist sees at least once a week in kids. She said that no amount of scrubbing with soap and water will get it off, you have to use alcohol.

So, lesson learned for me - before diagnosing a kid with acanthosis, try treating with Alcohol!!

The mom and I got a good laugh out of this, although we were both embarrassed that we didn't recognize dirt!!!!

The Things Kids Say

So, Anna has been praying for months now for another baby brother and another baby sister. Friday night we were talking, and I told her that they aren't in mommy's tummy yet. She said, "So how will I know when they are in there" and then "oh yeah, mommies' tummies get big when the babies are in there". Then came the big question - mommy, so how does God put the babies in the mommies' tummies. And all I could think to say is "a very special way". Her next question - "Is it a fun way???".

Saturday Anna and Joey and Will were outside putting up Halloween decorations and she got a lot of bug bites on her belly and side. This morning, she came out and said - Mom, I know what the red spots are - I have the "chicken pops" so I can't go to school. Of course I explained to her athat they weren't chicken pox, they were bug bites and she did have to go to school. She continued on with "Mom, I know what I am talking about - they are the chicken POPS". Finally, as we were getting ready to walk out the door, and she was refusing to put on her shoes because she CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL WITH THE CHICKEN POPS. I said, well that means you can't stop at McDonald's on the way to get pancakes. So, she runs upstairs to get those shoes on and then says, "Mom you were right, they are bug bites - not the chicken pops". And that was the end of our battle with the chicken pops.

By the way - We have a boy - Will had his first ER trip for an injury. Anna helped him bring the tricycle to the top of the hill of our driveway. Then, he rode it down and into the back bumper of the Yukon, hit his head on the bumper, flipped the tricycle and landed on the back of his head on the driveway. He cried for a couple of minutes, then started saying "OUTSIDE" wanting to go play again. That afternoon, he started throwing up so we took him to the ER. So glad it wasn't a bleed (like Anna had at this age) but just a concussion.

War Eagle, Anna

For those of you who aren't originally from Alabama, here you must be for either "Roll Tide" or "War Eagle". Well, Joey is Roll Tide and I am War Eagle. Last year during football season, Joey offered to buy Anna a Roll Tide shirt and she said "No - I want a War Eagle shirt". Since then, she has been for War Eagle.

She has the day off school today, so she and daddy are having a day together. He decided to "go against everything he knows" and take her to Auburn for the day. They got into the stadium and she got to run up and down the grass. They got to see a Tiger statue, but she was disappointed that the Eagle is no longer open to the public.

Afterwards, they went for a burger. Anna was so excited that when she drank her chocolate milkshake out of 2 straws, that the chocolate came out really fast "and that was the cool part".

Anna's Haircut

Anna hates having her hair brushed and wearing it up in a ponytail or braid. So, when she asked to get it cut up to her ears, Daddy and I agreed for her to get it cut to her shoulders. She loves it, and said that "If it grows back, we are going back there to get it cut again!!" It looks so much cooler now - I don't know how she could stand having all that hair on her back and in her face with it being so hot!!

New Car

A couple of weeks ago, Joey drove my Accord and realized that it was overheating badly. Looking back, it had probably been doing that for about 2 weeks and I hadn't noticed. So, he fixed it and decided that he should probably drive that car so he could keep an eye on things. We bought me something more reliable - a new Honda Pilot. Here are some pictures of the car, and of the kids helping Joey wash and wax it.