"Strepped" of his award!

Recipe added below for Laura & anyone else:)
(No. I did not misspell stripped, not this time anyway. he he!)
For the last 146 school days, Rhett has been up, excited and ready to go to school. He loves school and never wants to miss. AND he has been pretty healthy this year, not even having many asthma issues. Around Christmas, Rhett started talking about getting a perfect attendance award this year. Now this is something that I don't think has happened to anyone in our family... ever. We are just not cut out to be perfect attenders. It's not in the genes. So the fact that Rhett might actually have "Perfect Attendance" this year, his first year of school, was exciting for all of us. But I promise there was absolutely no parental pressure on him. We only wanted perfect attendance for Rhett because he wanted it. And... he almost made it.

This morning around 9:30 the school nurse called to ask if Rhett "has ever had Strep throat without running fever?" Oh, only about a dozen times. She explained that Rhett had come in her office saying his throat really hurt and it was really red. She didn't see any sign of drainage though. She also told me that her son, who is Rhett's best bud, had strep last week and that several other kids in their class/grade have had strep recently. Rhett's temp was 99.4, which for anyone else is not fever but for Rhett, who is normally in the 96.9 to 97.6 range, it is fever. I hung up with her and immediately called to get Rhett in with our pediatrician. With a 10:30 appointment secured, I hurried to dress Ella Kate, ran a brush through my hair, grabbed a diaper bag and we were off.

Rhett's first question when he saw me was if leaving meant he would be counted absent for the day. No. We were informed that he had been there long enough to be counted present for the day. He was really relieved until I told him we were going straight to the doctor for a strep test. As much as he hates throat swabs, he was more worried about missing school tomorrow. I told him that I thought he had to wait at least 24 hours to go to school after taking medicine if he did indeed have strep throat. "What if I get a shot?" I was not sure about that so I said we'd have to ask Dr K.

Well, the strep test was positive right away. Dr.K told Rhett that even if she gave him a shot today he could not go back to school until Friday at the earliest. She wrote the school note for Monday. Rhett was crushed. He tried to be brave, but his lip started quivering when he heard he would have to miss school. He buried his head on my shoulder and quietly cried "But I just had 34 more days to go Mom!" It broke my heart.

Dr. K felt so bad for him that she volunteered me to get him whatever he wanted for lunch and supper. She listed snow cones, ice cream, milk shakes, chocolate pudding, mashed potatoes ANYTHING! (thanks Dr. K!) She also said he could play soccer Saturday if he feels like it. She was really sweet. I'm not sure it helped Rhett's feelings much though as he seemed to be feeling sicker and sicker by the minute. As we drove away from the doctors office Rhett started throwing up (in my Bush's Chicken free refills cup no less!) By the time we got home Rhett had a temp of 102.4. He has slept most of the day and feels pretty miserable when he is awake. He has also thrown-up quite a bit. The pharmacist said to wait until he could keep Sprite down for 30 minutes to give him his medicine. He is not there yet. We maybe going in for that shot after all.

I hate this for him! I always hate it when my kids are sick, especially if they are hurting or feeling really bad, but this is even worse. He was so excited about that Perfect Attendance Award! I am so sad for him. We're going to have to make the next two days at home as fun as possible. (Which is really messing up my plan to do nothing for the next two days but clean-up and clean-out! But what can I do? :)

When his stomach troubles pass, I'm going to make him some chocolate pudding from scratch just the way my Nana used to make it for me when I was sick. (or for any occasion really) After making the pudding Nana put it in cute little crinkle dessert cups in the fridge letting a top "skin" layer form as it cooled. When the pudding was really cold she served it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. There was/is no better pudding in this world! It was worth being sick just to get some of Nana's pudding! I hope it will cheer Rhett up.

AND... Maybe we'll rent some PlayStation games and move a TV in his room? I also think I'm going to make him a certificate or give him a "Near Perfect Attendance" award. It won't be the same as getting one at school in front of all of Kindergarten graduation, but mine will come with pudding, and maybe a few crisp dollar bills! (Maybe one for every six or 9 weeks he did have perfect attendance? ) What could possibly compete with Nana's pudding, free hours of PlayStation play, crisp George Washingtons and a doting Mama? Take that you ol' perfect attendance award!

Nana's Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients:
2 c milk
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 c cocoa
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
3TBSP butter
(She always doubled or tripled this recipe.)
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients (minus salt) by sifting. Stir well.
Add milk to a good size sauce pan on a cold burner. Stir in dry mixture and heat to medium stirring constantly. When mixture is well blended and thick remove from heat. In a small separate bowl beat eggs with fork and add about a quarter cup or more of the hot cocoa mixture. Beat well until eggs are blended in. Return egg mixture to cocoa mixture in sauce pan. Stir well and return to heat. Heat to a low boil stirring constantly. When thick, remove from heat and stir in butter, salt and vanilla until well blended. Pour pudding in a serving bowl or individual dessert cups and refrigerate until cold. Yummy plain, served with ice cream or a shot of whipped cream. If you do not want a top "skin" layer to form, cover tightly with plastic wrap before chilling. (I actually like "the skin" part.)

P.S. I forgot to ask if this is a family secret so SHHH! Don't tell anyone! :)