Firsts

Veronica went to NJ for the first time last week, she also went to the ER for the first time!  Actually, I have taken her to the ER twice before, but both times we left before we were treated.  One time she burned her hands on my straightener and another time she poked her eye with a fork but she was fine.  This time, she had a fever of 102 and croup and she was coughing and coughing and not breathing well.  I was so worried she was turning blue or something but I couldn't see because we were lying down in the dark.  It was a crazy, crazy visit to the hospital.  We went to the hospital in which I was born, it was ROUGH. They took her temperature rectally, they had to give her a Tylenol suppository because she wasn't willing to take it orally (that's two bum invasions, for those counting!), I held her for the breathing treatment but the nurse threatened her that SHE was going to hold her if she didn't behave herself, sheesh!  We all coerced her into drinking her the steroid, in apple juice, and right before we left she vomited all over both of us.  She threw up all over my sweatshirt but I couldn't take it off because I was only wearing the tshirt that I had gone to bed in.  It was an experience, but as usual, I was grateful to walk in and walk out of the hospital.  They ended up giving her a steroid shot and although we had to go home early, she really has recovered well.

Before she got sick, we had a great time!  Veronica really loved the beach - she didn't fly into the ocean the way Maria did, but she wasn't scared, either.

Veronica enjoyed visiting my cousin Lisa in PA on the way in.  Lisa's daughter Sasha was super nice to her younger sister and young cousins, Veronica had a high old time playing with their stuff.

And of course we ended our trip down the shore with some ice cream.  Veronica really branched out and got black raspberry with rainbow sprinkles, or jimmies, as we called them when I was little.  Except for her sickness, she was a great travel companion.  They both tried so hard to be good and they were plucky as hell as we drug them around the great state of NJ.  They are good and sweet girls and I was really proud of them.