Dax's Journal

Lumpy Lumperson of the Clan McHive

As I've mentioned here before, Dax has this weird skin condition that causes him to break out in hives at the slightest touch. It is no longer concerning to those of us who are familiar with this tendency but it can really freak people out sometimes.

For example: The other day he had a bit of a collision with someone at karate and got an enormous lump on his head. Only it wasn't really a lump. It was a hive and it went away within 15 minutes. But his teacher and several parents thought he really must have gotten knocked pretty hard so they were impressed with the fact that he wasn't even crying.

Today he took another bonk to the head and got an actual lump but that lump also hived up like crazy so that it was so huge that it actually made his hair stick out in back. Even I had a moment of concern but it is half the size it was earlier and he seems to have forgotten all about it.

The other day at the gym one of the Kids Club employees pulled me out of class frantically explaining that Dax had a horrible rash. She neglected to check his file in which I had them place a note explaining that even his own sweat will cause him to break out in hives. I went on in and checked on him just to make her feel better and reminded them again that they could pretty much count on him being riddled with hives every time he came there since he was both sweating and taking a few bumps while he played.

It's possible he may outgrow this (and I hope he does). In the meantime, it is mostly just a hassle. He isn't self conscious about it and it doesn't seem to bother him other than the fact that sometimes it makes him itchy (and then we give him benadryl).

Of course, if he's anything like I was as a kid (and he most definitely is), he will learn to use this to his best advantage. I'm sure there will be many "Get Out of Gym Class Free" moments ahead.

Mother's Day

I forgot to tell you about my Mother's Day. Not because it wasn't worth talking about. It was. It was a lovely day.

First of all, I got this beautiful gift from Dax. He decorated the pot and planted the flower at school. Now he helps me take care of it.

I also got a handmade card and some weight lifting gloves (which I totally wanted so don't think it was a strange gift). I slept in. I did nothing. It was awesome.

At one point Dax, apparently tired of mommy getting all the special treatment, asked when kid's day was. Cat, wisely, pointed out that "Every day is kid's day!"

Dax's first job

We have the most awesome grocery store. You may think that you do but you would be wrong. Our grocery store is a Nugget Market and it is better than any other Nugget Market anywhere on earth.

Just ask Dax. He'll tell you.

Our Nugget has huge sunflowers painted around the doors so you can pretend you are a bee going into a flower. They have a big sculpture of planet earth hanging above the international foods section and you can walk around it and identify the different continents. They sometimes have fish heads and octopi in the seafood section. They have fruit punch in their fountain drink machine. They will give you a free cookie in the bakery. They sell quail eggs. And everybody knows your name. If you are Dax, they do.

The best part of all? The very most awesome, fabulous, wonderful thing? They let Dax help scan groceries at the checkout. He's become rather good at it and, at our last visit, they made him an official "New Associate in Training" and gave him a nametag.