Busy Afternoon

Well, we've had an eventful afternoon.  Madeleine had her first round of immunotherapy for her allergies, and so we spent a chunk of time at the ENT office.  She got allergy drops under her tongue, and we waited the requisite 20 minutes to be sure she didn't have a reaction.  Consequently, we were late to pick up Julia and her friend from Select Choir, but luckily it's a 50 degree day so they weren't freezing their butts off waiting outside the school for us.

When we returned home, Julia was beside herself because she DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER TIME given that she couldn't watch tv.  The public school system declared today an "Unplugged" day, assigning no homework so that all the kids could do something of quality at home, provided it was not watching tv, using a tablet, computer, or cell phone.  I offered to play some flute duets with Julia during the half hour we had before swim, and she was super grumpy and tweenagery about it.

JULIA: But I don't *want* to play my flute. I *want* to watch tv.
ME: But you're not supposed to watch tv.
JULIA: I *want* to watch tv.
ME: Well, it's not fair if you watch tv and Madeleine doesn't.
JULIA: Madeleine CAN watch tv.  She has FREE WILL.
ME: I think she wants to follow the instructions from her teacher.
JULIA: It's NOT her teacher's decision.  It's MADELEINE'S decision.
ME: Why don't you get your flute?
JULIA: I don't *wanna* get my flute.
ME: Okay, well, I'm gonna play my flute.  (getting some music and taking my flute out of the case)
JULIA: (stomping stormily over to the couch with her flute to join me and playing in a slumped position with a scowl on her face)

Eventually she lightened up and I even recorded one of our duets.  I'm not in the public schools so I'm allowed to use technology today.




Afterwards, it was time to drive Madeleine to swim.  I told her to bring her EpiPen just in case she felt any delayed reaction from the shots.

MADELEINE: Well, Mommy, it's a good think I'm not allergic to water or chlorine!
ME: Yeah, that would stink.
MADELEINE: And Mommy?  I feel SO sorry for ALL those poor people in the world who are allergic to WATER.

Yeah.  All those poor people who are allergic to water.  What??  Is that even a thing?

We got to swim and were hurrying in the front door when Madeleine's toe, exposed because she was wearing flip flops, got caught in the door and got gashed open.  She was leaving a blood trail as we hurried out to the pool deck to get some lifeguard assistance, and was crying in pain despite trying to control herself.  Lucky for us, there was absolutely nothing of help in the First Aid cabinet, so the coaches were stuck pouring cold water over her toe and wiping it with paper towels.  The bleeding eventually stopped so she was able to get in the pool, but this poor kid is having a rough afternoon.  Between the allergy shots and the no television and the gashed-open toe, she's dealt with a lot of roadblocks.

Given that the last time she saw the allergist, she wound up with Norovirus, Madeleine was quick to blame the allergy drops as the culprit.

MADELEINE: (leaning in conspiratorially to whisper to me as I held a paper towel to her toe) Mommy.  It's the CURSE of the allergist!

It was definitely a no-fun afternoon for Madeleine.  At least she has the great fortune of not being allergic to water like all those poor people in the world!!