Lous-y ... and better

So, Friday morning, I was LAST-MINUTE-FINGER-COMBING Bucket's hair at the bus stop and I noticed that her scalp was pretty dirty.

Then I saw a bug. And another.

And the bus came. And I was THAT parent who panicked and let her and Bruise go on it.
Then I ran back with Bubbles and jetted off to Target for shampoo.

(And, while we were out, I also opened up a savings account for the new kid.)

Then Bubbles and I came home (Mom, who I had called to warn ... since she had been up here earlier this week, called back. Her head was clean. I didn't see ANYTHING on Bruise's after I found stuff in Bucket's hair. Bubbles was clean. I tried to check my own hair [NOT EASY]. And, when Michael got home, he was clean, too.)

I worked at vacuuming, spraying, and washing the house ... so far it's worked well!

Michael and Bruise ran some errands (like getting blank DVDs so that we have a hard-copy back-up of ALL the kids' baby pictures, since the external HD is FULL [of back-ups. *sigh*]) while Bubbles napped and I used the special shampoo on Bucket's hair and combed out TEN more bugs. Ew.

I emailed their teacher to let her know about the situation. Since head lice is NOT a laughing matter.
(Being the daughter of a teacher, whenever a case reared up in ANY classroom, Mom and I would check each other's head. While surreptitiously itching just by the power of suggestion.

I now get to check Bucket's head EVERY DAY. So far, so good. Her scalp is clean, clean, clean. No nits, no adults. Phew.

(In researching how to clean a house and home remedies, I came upon a theory of WHY head lice exist -- they can be part of a mutually beneficial partnership with humans. Humans provide food and shelter ... lice provide a immunity boost. But with the invention of modern medicine and clean water and all that, lice are no longer needed in a first-world country.)

I also worked at treating Bruise's dry, dry, dry skin. Rubbed up his  head, face, and body with olive oil. Exfoliated around his eyes, ears, and temples. Worked at exfoliating his scalp. His skin is looking better.
Yes, I'm still checking his hair, too. JUST IN CASE.

Freyja peed on our bed. So she got put in kitty-time out (the cat carrier). And she also got a bath.
We're not allowing her in the bedrooms now. And we're still working on getting all the clean laundry put away sooner.

Yes, it WAS a weekend FULL of laundry. Why do you ask?

Sunday, we went to church. And Bubbles and I came home after Sacrament meeting. I was exhausted. She was asleep in the car seat, so she and I napped (after I read a few pages of my library book). For about three hours.

And I made it to Ward (congregation) Choir for the first time. It's something that I've been meaning to do. Since I do like to sing. And I'm glad that I went.
Bubbles was pretty ticked off by the time I got home. She had gas and Michael had to feed Bruise and Bucket instead of JUST focusing on HER needs/wants. Oh well.

The kids don't have school today. I'd really have hoped that I'd have been able to sleep in. But no. After a GREAT sleep Friday night (a SIX HOUR STRETCH!) , Bubbles had a couple three-hour stretches last night. And was fully awake before 6:45. As were her siblings.
So we're just hanging around. We might go to the park if I get ready. ^_^

So, I really hope that no one else is dealing with having a LOUSE-Y time. I don't know how I'd handle it happening again.
But, well, at least I know how to deal with an outbreak. And where to find the louse-killing shampoo kits at the store. (In First Aid. Not with the other shampoos or in the anti-itch sections. Who knew? I didn't. ... But it made me feel a little better that the PHARMACIST had to look for a couple minutes to find it.)

Besides all that, Michael and I are working our way through Season Three of Castle. Good times.
And he teases me that I have a crush on Nathan Fillon.
I can't help that I adore that man. Seriously ... he's hilarious.
Maybe it's because he's a lot like Michael?

That's got to be it.