Itching, Coughing, and Snowing

First and foremost, allow me to acknowledge that my life it pretty fabulous. And I hate to be a big baby whiner, but I am feeling a very strong urge to vent.

I have a rash. On my neck and throat. It's not like raised bumps. Just red and incredibly itchy. And sometimes my eyebrows itch, too. How very annoying! It started while I was in Virginia, and it flaired up again yesterday. I am slathering hydrocordisone on like it's some sort of skin-soothing crack. Here's the saddest part, the only cause I can figure out is that maybe I am having a reaction to ... red wine. Gasp! How can this be?! What will I do? My body of evidence is minimal at best. It's more of a hunch really. I drank my fair share of red wine at my friend Heather's house where Happy Hour is pretty much a daily and delightful occurrence. After being home for a few days, the itching subsided. Last night, I had red wine again (served with my friend Tammy's scrumptious spare ribs) and within an hour I was itching like crazy. Could it be?

Natalie is coughing. Not during the day. But late at night. For the past three nights, she had a coughing fit about 3 hours after she falls asleep. And I just feel awful for her. She cries out in pain and only wants her mommy. I hold her close, offer sips of milk, dose her with a little ibuprofen, and rock and rock and rock until she calms down, stops coughing and falls back to sleep. As I hold my baby girl, she clings to me, tries to stifle the coughs, fumbles for her binky when it gets coughed out of her mouth, and seems just miserable. Oh, I how I hate when my sweet Natalie doesn't feel well.

The weather sucks. And I am so over it. Enough with the rain already. Easter was soggy and cold and gray and dismal. Ugh! Today was even colder and cloudy and rainy. The short burst of snow-like precip late in the afternoon pushed me over the edge. I mean, come on, it's April for crying out loud! And don't give me that "April showers bring May flowers" cutesy excuse. It has been raining since October. Six months of gray skies and soggy ground. I am tired of wearing my down vest and scarf and hood and clunky shoes. I am tired of drinking warm beverages at all hours of the day just to fight a chill. I am ready for a little sunshine. I am ready for temperatures above 50 degrees. I am ready to play at the park. I am ready to put this winter behind me. Where is spring already?

Okay, I think I feel better. Thanks for letting me vent!