What could be more fun ...

Ok, I'm busy this week. We have plenty of stress with out poking the little ones. Somehow I thought today it would be "fun" to see some tiny blood cells. Actually, this story starts about a month ago when my DC friend, Amira, who lived just a couple blocks from me disapeared from the park for about a week. She had taken her baby to his one year check-up where they tested him for elevated lead levels. The results were so high that they STRONGLY suggested she not return him to their rented house even to gather his things. This was Monday and by that Saturday they had found a place in Arlington and moved. After that I began to notice more and more that our rental was hardly, shall we say, lead abated. They say the signs of a contaminated pre-1965 house are paint dust in the window sills -- check; pealing or bubbling paint (especially at kid eye level) -- check; and, of course, any water pipes in Washington DC -- again, check. My kids are older than the most vulnerable growing period when exposed to heavy metals (pre-natal to 2 yrs.) but why wonder what if. I had done a little research and felt sufficiently worried enough to go in for testing.

What I didn't know was that Utah hospitals don't offer the less accurate but much easier "finger prick" test. I got to the lab with my two brave Guinea pigs where the phelebotomist informed me they were going to have to draw a full 4cc of intravenous blood. I nearly fainted. We put on a happy face and told Xanny that he got to see his red-blood cells go on a ride through the curly tube. He was eager to meet these cells he has read so much about and was excited to make more blood in his "blood factory" bones afterwards. (If you don't know already, Xanny is a little of a medical knowledge freak of nature. He just might tell you he wants to kiss you on your zygomatic.) I am proud to say that the kid didn't even FLINCH! Then, not to be out done by her brother, Babes pretended not to even notice she was being gouged by a sharp metal object. I was amazed and made sure we ALL got lollipops on the way out the door. In the end, I was much more traumatized than my children. Because what could be more fun than getting poked with a sharp needle?

Editor's note: Test results should take several days but most of any lead they might have in their systems should dissipate significantly over the next 30 days. Also, no, my hair is not pulled back in the pictures. On a whim I chopped it all off yesterday with Katie. It really is this short and I love it.