To The Victor Goes The Foil

We went to the county fair on Saturday, partly because I wanted to see just how ill I would feel after consuming an entire gyro while standing up (answer: very;) partly because despite the agida I still needed to get my cotton candy fix; partly because children should go to the fair even if it is ninety degrees outside; and partly because Patrick had entered the decorative crafts competition (he competed in the Lego/Knex building division - first introduced at the Lancaster Fair by the Amish I believe - for the 7 to 16 age bracket) and he wanted to see his creation exhibited in all its glory with four dozen of its plastic bricked peers.

We wandered through multiple barns trying to find his Lego house and I started to worry that the teen-aged cat sitter we had asked to register for him while we were in Colorado had gotten... I don't know... mugged or something. 

But we eventually found the right place and

he had won. First place. Number one. Blue ribbon. Best of the lot.

He borrowed my cell phone to call my mom and when she answered he said, "It's me Patrick and I won first prize at the county fair. I will now give you five minutes for awe and admiration."

Then he handed the phone back to me and went to assess the work of his competition.

It is possible my mom is still laughing. Oh! I do beg your pardon! Have I given you YOUR five minutes for awe and admiration? I didn't mean to just spring it on you like that. Are you sufficiently recovered?

Seriously, though, the kid builds a wicked good Lego house and he was very very excited to win and I am happy for him. I asked him if he was considering architecture or engineering as a career and he said no, at this point he just wants to be a dad and play with his kids all day.

I sort of took that as a compliment. 

Later that night he was all infused with the ginger of recognized creative endeavor and he started making

paper shoes. He created three pairs before he fashioned a daring paper bolero jacket which I would love to show you but he chose to model it without pants so... . 

Do they sell a VERY cheap sewing machine for children? I bet he'd like fabric.

+

Caroline. Oh Caroline. How I adore her.

And how she drives me crazy.

Caroline was awake last night from 11:30 until 3. 3'ish. I kept climbing into bed with her in hopes she would get the idea that she was supposed to be asleep but when it became obvious that her goal was to talk me to death I would retreat back to my own room. Then she would climb on something (her dresser? the bookcase?) and jump off - over and over, shouting "JUMPING!" until I came up again to prevent her from breaking her arm.

At some point Edward woke up next door. He was quiet - unlike little Lady Dynamite - but I could hear his conversation with himself: "Oh, heh-yo Edwad. I'm tho happy to thee you! Do you want to play carth? Yeth I do!" 

Meanwhile Caroline was literally prying my eyelids up with her fingers and saying, "MOMMY! WE MUST GO TO THE WINDOW AND HELP BABY HELICOPTER!" whatever the hell that was supposed to mean.

As Caroline poked at me and chattered away I felt like a washed up squid and contemplated some things about Caroline's future:

1. we need to do a better job of exhausting her

2. it is not enough to stop the naps - which we have done - she needs to spend at least an hour a day running laps or jumping into the pool or something

3. she is going to need to play a sport

At the end of The Worst School Conference Ever with Patrick last Fall his teacher implied through a series of grimaces and significant looks that she thought... well, actually, I am not sure exactly what she thought. She clearly believed there was Something Not Quite Right with Patrick but whether that was an attention disorder or a touch of the Asperger's I wasn't able to infer. Nor did I particularly care because I was pretty certain that he was (other considerations aside) being bored into a jelly and that seemed like the first thing to fix. When I reviewed the possibilities later I immediately rejected ADD but then I wondered if I was just unwilling to consider that my child might have some issues. Maybe I was in denial.

The reason I bring it up now is because I was reassured in my parental detachment last night when I thought about the fact that some teacher will someday wiggle her eyebrows at me in an attempt to imply that Caroline might have an attention problem and I know that I will immediately say OH GOD YES. Unless she is looking at books she is like a hummingbird, flitting from bougainvilla to Little People to Antarctica. She's competent, though. I was thinking about this too. I was terrified that toddler Patrick was going to hurt himself falling off the slide so I hovered and then I felt guilty that I hovered but - Patrick was clumsy. He was going to hurt himself falling off the slide. Caroline is agile and I have no problem watching her ascend most things.

All of which is to say, profoundly: children are different.

Edward's hair is getting redder.

He also has the most scorching case of eczema we have ever seen in this family. It's all over his arms and legs - the crooks of his elbows and behind his knees are bleeding. I have been using the desonide that their pediatrician prescribed a while ago but it is doing nothing. Thoughts? I know we've covered eczema before but it seems to be a subject that keeps on giving.

+

I got an acceptance letter for preschool for Edward. Then I waited a week for Caroline's acceptance to arrive but it never did. I KNEW this would happen. I KNEW that the fates would somehow conspire to take sweet sleepy eats everything Edward and leave me with the hyper kid who strips. It's my punishment for being mean in junior high. At least that was my working theory all weekend but when I talked to them yesterday they were able to explain that Caroline's paperwork had just been misplaced. I was going to tell them that it probably ran away but... I think I'll save that little detail until after she's officially accepted into their program. 

Speaking of preschool I have some retail questions for you. Caroline has been completely sold on the concept of school via the consumer allure of her promised special new backpack. The problem is that any backpack that will actually fit her back cannot possibly hold even a tenth of the stuff she needs to bring - like a lunchbox and a change of clothes and snowpants and whatnot. Obviously I am not the first person to realize this and equally obviously you must have devised a solution. What is it? How do I pack for Edward and Caroline as if they will be weekending at the Hamptons while still allowing them to experience the thrill of the personalized puppy dog pack? Also, Patrick eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, red pepper or carrots, and some kind of salty carbohydrate snack every day for lunch; all of which can be easily secured by a brown paper bag. Caroline and Edward - well Edward mainly - actually eat real food that requires lids and wee forks. I feel like I have seen some kind of charming take on stainless steel bento boxes. You know what I mean? Where do I get something like that or do you have a better suggestion?

Anything else I should know about outfitting two-year-olds for five hours away, two days a week?

Comments

[QoB]

I know I have seen bento boxes for kids on Offbeat Mama (blog)...
Also, what about one of those wheeled backpacks for Caroline?

[Kate]

For the eczema, bizarrely, the only thing we ever found that worked was 1) lanolin and 2) neosporin. Go figure. We tried many other recommended solutions, none of which worked. I had some leftover lanolin laying around in the medicine cabinet and tried that in desperation, only to find that to my surprise it worked really well, although not terribly quickly. My husband subsequently tried neosporin, which worked both well and quickly. The key was making sure you were really rid of it before you stopped using it, or it just came back.

Does the change of clothes and the snowpants have to travel back and forth every day? Perhaps it doesn't apply since it's just two days a week, but our change of clothes and seasonal gear lives in the cubby at school.

[Mary Anne Mohanraj]

Do you actually need to bring those things every day? To pre-school? My kids have a box at school that they keep changes of clothes and most other stuff in. All they have to bring on a daily basis lunch.

[AmandaL]

As for sewing machines, this might be an affront to his tastes, but the green hello kitty sewing machine would actually take him up to from beginning- to adequate-levels of sewing. the pink hello kitty machine is decent for a beginner, but lacks some things that make sewing a bit easier, which is why it's cheaper. they are both made by janome, a reuptable brand (or, at least, they were). target sells some, too.

[emma]

My 3 year old daughter has A Lot Of Energy and we purchased a trampoline last spring. It has been great for her and I think has improved her sleep.

[Kacey]

Patrick kills me, I'm always sharing Patrick quotes with my husband.

Little rolling backpacks maybe? Or a backpack and a lunchbox carried seperately. When the twins I nannied for went through their backpack-loving phase I would put their lunch or change of clothes or whatever n their backpacks and carry the overflow in a reusable grocery bag. Good luck.

[Eva]

Eczema- you probably need a stronger steroid for right now and not to use on the bleeding areas- would talk to pediatrician or dermatologist. You can probably leave most supplies for the wee ones at school and just bring lunch to and fro daily.

[Flyover_Belle]

Edward's eczema might be superinfected, from the sounds of things. (I worked in peds dermatology one summer, and superinfected eczema that goes on for a while develops an...odor. Which is to say, if he starts to smell a bit off, I'd say get thee to the ped.) Anyway, if it is infected, that requires a bit more than just a low-strength steroid like desonide. So...you could add neosporin, see if it works, and if it's not better in 3 days-ish, go see the ped again?

[Erin]

Any recent changes to stuff like laundry detergent? New carpets? Anything that could have a chemical Edward hasn't encountered before? Just a question... you never know, right? I'd say get the dermatologist to give you something strong.

[Elizabeth]

Our kid's excema didn't respond to anything except this peanut oil medication (Derma-Smooth?) we had to slather all over him, after confirming with 87 different people that no, he did not have a peanut allergy. It's a huge pain, though, to have to oil up your kid and then put him into a diaper and pajamas and a bed with cloth sheets. We did more laundry that winter than I care to admit.

[Priscilla]

Congratulations Patrick! Good luck on the sewing front. I have a never used machine in my basement (small, portable, I think a Bernina) that I would love to send to him. It has literally never left its box, and it likely never will. May I send it your way?

As for backpacks, we had success with Lands End preschool backpack with attachable lunch bag last year. It is too small for large library books, however, and I found the lunch bag difficult to clean. This year we are trying the Pottery Barn Kids small backpack with attachable soft lunch box. It's a wee bit bigger. As for snowpants - we just left those at school. I got a set (Hanna A) that stayed on her hook along with boots, and another set for home. Not the cheapest solution, but by far the easiest.

As for lunch containers (apologies for the multitude of opinions here, but your questions are ones I faced last year), I finally found a nice option at the container store that solved my problem of being easy to open, and large enough to satisfy my 3 year old's massive appetite. It's the "Colorful Klip-It Lunch Cube" and here is a very long link to it: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodontheGo/foodContainers?productId=10025083&N=78866. It's free of all the bad stuff, etc.

Finally, eczema - we have good luck with cortisone ointment (not cream, ointment) for flares.

Good luck!

[Jenn]

Does Edward have allergies? My husband has allergies and eczema and when his allergies are worse, the eczema is worse. In the winter, he can control it with liberal use of Aveeno, in the summer he has to use a fairly strong steroid cream. I'd talk to a dermatologist.

[Betsy]

I would agree with Kacey on the rolling backpacks suggestion. Lands End has good ones that will last, Lillian Vernon has adorable ones that *might* last. We got my daughter's combo from LV and it... mostly... lasted the year. For their lunches, I always just packed their lunch box full of itty bitty tupperware containers full of their different offerings. My son's teacher used to call it "his buffet" because he'd sit there with five little containers in front of him; but it worked. It worked well. Also you can toss in the napkins/forks/spoons which is harder to do with a bento box. Having said that, some of the kid friendly bento boxes out there are so cute I can't stand it. A rubber band could probably affix napkins/plasticware as needed.

Congratulations to Patrick!!

Caroline makes me laugh so much. I love that kid and I've never met her. My three year old daughter is a lot like her (but, honestly, not nearly as interesting as you make Caroline sound even though -- no offense -- I love her a little more than Caroline!) in that she could scale the highest heights and ford the deepest rivers and I never doubted her capacity to complete her chosen task. My seven year old son could drown in two inches of water although one very healthy trait he has is to never, ever push beyond his self ascribed limits. Thank goodness.

Anyway, I'm glad both kids are going to be in preschool. I suspect they are going to LOVE it there.

Also a bit pbbbbbbbt to Patrick's teacher last year. Again, I don't even know your kids; but I can't tell you how glad I am that you found a better school for him.

[Lisak]

My kids managed regular backpacks for all the mung required at preschool. They were kind of huge for them, but it worked. I suppose as often as not, I carried the backpacks inside, and the rest of the time they sort of looked like bugs--giant backpacks with a small head and arms and legs sticking out.

Check out Laptop Lunches for kid bento boxes http://www.laptoplunches.com/ Love them.

For the excema try eliminating dairy. Also, recently read that swimming in a chlorinated pool or a bath with a wee bit of bleach can help immeasurably. I haven't tried that myself. For fierce cradle cap (like on a five year old, still--I thought it was never going to go away) I finally tried olive oil slathered all over his head before bed with a fleece hat worn all night and that did the trick. Two times and after countless other remedies the cradle cap was gone for good. No idea if that would help for excema, but somehow seemed related in my brain.

[Davida]

I don't know if other people suggested this, but: a little backpack for each of them plus an extra bag you carry with snowpants, etc.

My 3 year old daughter has a (very cute!) little backpack and it fits undies, pants, shirt, socks, and a toy or two. Then we hang her coat at her hook, and anything extra she brings just goes under the hook. Cubbies would be easier, of course.

[Jan]

I had suggested bento boxes for Patrick on the redbook site way back, but the comments are gone (to my view, anyway). I think the links below were some of the ones I posted there, with info both for ordering boxes and ideas for food. In addition to laptoplunches.com/, try
http://lunchinabox.net/
http://www.lunchboxes.com/bento.html

Why not the cute, small backpacks for each, and one rolling case, as was suggested, for the rest of the stuff for both of them? They come in preschool sizes: omg, this is one is shaped like a car:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/248777839/C00666_Children_Rolling_Case.html

more at:
http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/children-rolling-luggage.html

[Sash]

The cutest bento boxes you ever did see:
http://www.shopkirdevries.com/lunchboxes.html

[Kate]

Oh man, Edward looks like a Kennedy in that picture. He's pensive! He's summering!

As always, you have made me laugh and laugh.

[melissa]

Do you think he would like a sewing class? Here are some in Minneapolis - http://www.sewtropolis.com/

It might be better to take a class and use their machines before buying one. Like cars, a better used machine is a good choice over an entry level sewing machine.

Adjustable speed and a needle up/down function are very helpful.

[Jan]

Oh ahem, sorry, I see that the alibaba rolling case I suggested is a minimum order of 1000... but point was that they come sized and styled for very young children.

[Andrea]

For eczema we use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser followed by Aveeno lotion. When it gets to the angry red variety we use hydrocortisone with Aloe and occasionally Benadryl. When we're away from home I use Eczesalve by Moon Valley Organics (www.moonvalleyhoney.com) because I carry it in my purse.

I second the recommendation for the little backpacks with you carrying the extra bag.

[SarahB]

Congratulations to Patrick! He sounds like a great candidate for 4-H (which starts at age 9 or 10). You go to monthly club meetings, and you pick out projects each year to do for the fair. You can do as few or many as you want, and there are lots of projects that Patrick would like, I think.

[Kate]

Ask your doctor about triamcinilone (sp?). Pronounced tri-am-sin-eh-lone. It works miracles for my and my kid's eczema, which is a disaster at best.

[Andrea]

Oops that was supposed to be Eczasalve. Also, our pediatrician recommended nighttime baths in addition to or instead of daytime so they don't go to bed with allergens like pollen on their skin.

[Suzanne]

Julia,

Our 3 yo daughter's eczema went away almost overnight when we put her on an elimination diet. She is allergic to wheat, dairy, and eggs, and now that she's been off those foods, her skin is eczema free. We like Cetaphil, and our allergist suggested lubing her up at least 2 times a day, and also bathing every night for 20 minutes. It all seems to help.

We like Lunchbots, because I've never found a stainless steel bento.

[Betsy]

Oh, sorry to comment twice; but if you're serious about getting Patrick a sewing machine, don't get him one of the kiddy machines that only sew a chain stitch. They work like crap and he'll just get frustrated. Spend the money and get him a Janome Sew Mini or a bottom of the line Brother instead. DO NOT BUY SINGER!

JoAnn Fabric (if you have one near you) offers beginning sewing classes for age 8 and up so he could try his hand at it before you/he decides if it's something he would like. Methinks the structure and limited creativity of the class might turn him off; but hopefully he can see where learning the tools might take him and be sufficiently motivated to take the course.

[HereWeGoAJen]

There are lots of stainless steel bento boxes that I really, really want here: http://lifewithoutplastic.com/boutique/food-storage-lunch-boxes-accessories-c-66_72.html

[laura]

I'm a big fan of those LandEnd (or is it LLBean?) canvas tote bags for preschoolers. They bring home so many odd-shaped art pieces that won't fit in backpacks, but are perfect in the tote. Actually, our school doesn't want backpacks for that reason. You can fit all kinds of stuff in the tote, including the bento lunchboxes (http://www.laptoplunches.com/) we use. And if you're into it, you can monogram their names on the side of the tote.

I'm battling crazy back-of-the-legs eczema in my 4 year old girl ... would love more thoughts! It's been exacerbated by mollescum and *get this!* MRSA, and we just can't get it to go the *#$& away!!

[rupiedupie]

I'm right there with Suzanne,
ellimination diets, that and an avacado eaten daily has done wonders for improved skin condition. Maybe half an avacado per kiddo.

[Jen]

First, your children are hysterical and adorable, Edward looking vaguely like Lord Byron in that picture.

Since my son began preschool at about 2 1/2, we've used a Laptop Lunch box (see Lisak's suggestion with link above), and really like that. (Though Sash's link above now has me coveting all of those wee adorable boxes!)

As for my son's eczema: for the longest time, he would not allow me near him with any lotions or creams, so he itched, scratched and bled. Now we do a twice-daily routine of prescription hydrocortisone cream on the eczema patches, and a full-body slathering of Eucerin lotion, and his skin is SO much better. Best of luck.

[yanicka]

I like those products for skins problems. A bit pricey but a jar of the stuff last a long time.
http://www.seacretspa.com/

[Jan]

Betsy just beat me to it, so agree re getting a real sewing machine, not a toy or plastic. Second hand ones can be extremely inexpensive; maybe inquire at your local repair shop. The safety issues won't be any different -- I can see you worrying about a needle going through flesh (I still do for myself!), but it would be good for him to learn the safety rules and follow them to a T. If you can find one with a speed control on the pedal, that's the hardest part for children to master.

[Emily Faulkner]

Pottery Barn Kids has really cute preschool totes this year. Last year I discovered that a huge amount of artwork comes home from preschool each day, and I always ended up tucking it all in my tote, so this year my daughter will be taking a new one from PBK. But for her brother I got the preschool backpack (also PBK) because it seems more "manly" for my two year old little dude. And it has a monkey. Which is a must.
I leave all extra clothes and gear in their cubby, so no bringing to and fro.

My son's eczema is a nightmare and also bleeding in places. We slather in Aquaphor several times a day, which usually works, but lately it's too out of control. Starting a 2 week round of cortisone now and if that doesn't work I'll be calling the ped again. It sucks.

Yay, Patrick!!

Oh - also, we just got our brochure for Tyler Place. You have convinced me it is a must for next year! My husband, thankfully, agrees. Yay!!

[Katherine]

lunch bots - at .com - stainless steel - perfect sizes.

[Liz]

My kids are in daycare fulltime. We bring their backpack with change of clothes/nap linens each Monday and leave it there all week in their cubby. Lunch box comes and goes each day. I used a freezer pack to keep yogurt and fruit cold, then a thermos for the entree. (they eat better most days than I do for lunch). The novelty of the backpack wore off quickly. We bought ones without looking closely at the dimensions....they will fit into these properly in Kindergarten at best but they love them (Company Kids, we bought the coordinating lunch boxes as well). Occasionally they want to carry the backpack and it's quite cute. Usually they are more than content carrying their "share toy".

[Aunt Becky]

I'm sorry, I want to answer questions, but I'm still thinking about the gyros.

[chris]

Have you not gotten a supply list for preschool? They might specify "tote bag" vs. "backpack". The school where my MIL works requires totes so the kids can put in their own paperwork to bring home. My son's preschool does not have a requirement.

[Christa]

Seriously? That is the best picture of his first place Lego creation? C'mon you know Patrick wants to give a guided video tour of his building! I wanna see it. Have I mentioned that I have a problem with GeoTrax? I say I am buying more track for the boys, but really, who builds the multi-level metropolis where you can turn around in any direction without removing your train from the track? That would be me. So, feed us nerds some details, please!

Has Patrick found Rokenbok yet?

[Sheridan]

I think if the eczema is persisting like this, then I think you need to figure out what's causing it. I'm putting my money on an allergy.

(I have one highly allergic/eczema/asthma child and one child intolerant to too many things, so I kinda know what I'm on about - if that helps).

Try eliminating dairy from his diet. It takes two weeks for it to leave the system, so give it plenty of time to see if it works. If that doesn't work, then try eggs, soy, wheat, etc in progression.

If that doesn't work - think about dustmites. If it's dustmites, then you're in for a lot of work and a lot of expense (bye, bye carpets! bye, bye curtains! bye, bye any non-leather sofas, hello expensive dustmite protectors on mattresses, pillows and doonas).

Are you able to get him a skin prick test - might make it quicker than going through all of this?

I'll also summarise the 'guidelines' for eczema dictated to me by our paediatric dermatologist.

Warm baths only, not hot, for 2 minutes only. Cover entire body in this (http://www.chemistdepot.com.au/Catalogue/Product/2928) but I'm in Australia - you'll be able to find something equivalent there - but it MUST be the tub not the pump pack. Then add prescription creams as required.

No sand pits. No chlorinated pools. {No fun}.

Good luck, poor Edward.

Feel free to email if you have any questions!

And congratulations to Patrick!!

[tuesy]

I would check out Lands' End. They have smaller backpacks for smaller kids, and they seem to fit quite a bit. The bigger ones can be quite lightweight as well, although she might trip over them.

[tuesy]

I would check out Lands' End. They have smaller backpacks for smaller kids, and they seem to fit quite a bit. The bigger ones can be quite lightweight as well, although she might trip over them.

[Linda]

There. I've finished my five minutes of awe and admiration and finally have breath for the appropriate congratulations.

Yay Patrick!

(I love your kids. Or more, your descriptions of your kids. Little rapscallions, all of them, but so easy to love!)

[Maria]

L.L.Bean makes a great backpack for kids four and up. I realize Caroline and Edward are two, but the bags are the perfect size for small kids, while still holding all the stuff they need for the day. Plus with a lifetime guarantee you can't really go wrong. Also, all backpack are 20% off through September 6th. Geez, I sound like I work there (I don't)...

[yammeringon]

excema: mine is controlled by studiously avoiding skin contact with everything that causes it. this means buying Charlie's soap as a laundry detergent (totally easy), making all of my own soap and lotion (actually not as onerous as it sounds. kind of fun and only necessary every few years), to not touching peaches (the heartbreak). It's taken me 32 years and many steroid applications to figure this out. If you can, I'd try switching to Charlie's soap or soapnuts or some other hippie thing (important that it be a soap and not a detergent) and buying a whole bunch of burt's bees stuff since you probably don't want to whip out the lye on a mad theory. My excema, is clearly, a reaction to environmental toxins (including the mold that grows on stone fruit in my area. just a spore or two will make me break out. bah!)

[Gillian]

Ahhhh, no to the steroids! Please, please, please! So unhealthy for little ones.

Eczema is often caused by food sensitivities (my son would break out in eczema after eating a banana or me eating a banana and it going through my breastmilk after a mere 20 minutes), even if there's no family history, which is my case.

I'd do an elimination diet of sorts, or at least keep track of when his eczema appears- if it's after a particular food. Can you go to see a naturopath? They work WONDERS for such things, and aren't all hippy dippy and homeopathy is magic. They're valid and life altering.

Can I recommend a product that we sell at the natural parenting store I manage? It's something that hundreds of people in my town use for eczema and psoriasis and other skin ailments and are able to COMPLETELY stop steroid cream, even after using it for their entire lives.

http://nurtured.ca/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=384

It's amazing and natural and totally worth your $8. Please try it!

[Lindsay]

The ONLY thing that ever clears up my girl's exzema is Aquaphor. Works amazing. That's the gloopy stuff you buy to cover a new tattoo. Found at wal-mart? I think? Works like a dream, I swear.

[Lindsay]

Hmmm..maybe all I needed to do was learn how to spell "eczema" and THAT would have cleared it up instead. Argh, stupidity runs in my family, I never had a shot.

[Sarah]

Make sure the "eczema" is not an allergic reaction to foods. My best friend's daughter and myself both get psoriasis/eczema from certain foods.

E. is allergic to chicken, nuts, dogs, and dairy. I'm allergic to potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, green/red peppers, chocolate and red meat.

Tiny rolling backpacks for the twinkies. :)

[Jil]

Land's end backpacks all the way! No to rolling backpacks; the schools hate them and they trip other kids. No to cheap backpacks - they will not last.

We use the Land's end lunchbox also and have plastic tupperware from IKEA that I use every day. The lunchbox will hold three small boxes (sandwich, fruit and veggies) with a reuseable waterbottle. No waste.

We are on year 5 with the Land's end lunchbox and backpack for my older daughter.

[Swiggy]

My youngest had the eczema you describe - with the bleeding behind the knees and everything. I mentioned it several times to the first pediatrician we had and he dismissed us with "put some cortisone on it, it should clear up". Since you can't put cortisone on bleeding flesh, it just kept getting worse. We finally had enough of that Ped and switched to another in the practice. His first response "let's do a blood test to find our what he's allergic to". So, all this to say, ask for a blood test. Turned out our little one is allergic to cows milk. One small change to everything soy and he was all better!

Regarding the preschool bag - will they let you keep the spare clothes there? Everwhere we've taken our kids allows this. At least that would cut down on the amount of stuff that needs to fit in the bag.