eczema

a few days ago, as i was elbow deep in splashing, bath water holding onto a slippery baby for dear life, i felt a few little bumps on the side of jake's belly. it was curious. but i didn't think much about it. then a day or so later... bumps. red bumps. all over the babe's belly. there was even one under his right eye.

now, being the responsible mom i am, i went to my most trusted resource. that would be the internet. and that would most definitely be a joke. buuuuuttttt. you can get some answers/advice/stories/experiences pretty darn quickly that way. and it usually calms me down because i find out i'm not the only mom out there to have the same question. and usually i find that i'm given the answer of,  "don't worry. its normal. take your finger off of the speed dial for 911."

so i type in, "little red bumps all over stomach." the answer? possible diagnosis: scarlet fever, chicken pox, measles, mumps, heat stroke, allergic reaction, eczema.

and all i could think as i read on and on in those silly baby mama forums was, beth from little women died from scarlet fever. instant phone call to the pediatrician. in the doctor's office an hour later.

of course, the mom in me is freaked. and the cristine in me always gets freaked. so it was pretty much parental pandemonium inside this bod of mine. but jake's as happy as a clam. naked down to the diaper. working on his abs in the baby weight contraption.

the cranky nurse comes and goes. then sunshine-sally doctor walks in. she checks jake over, asks a bunch of questions that you're never positive you've answered correctly, and laughs at jake's eager hands wrapped tightly around her stethoscope.

and....eczema. she assures me. so a trial size aquaphor and co-pay later, and we're back home. ok ok. i bought sparklers then we went home. because keeping a "beth" experience out of my family's life deserves a little pyrotechnic fun.

sayonara bumps.