Camping! and the "rash"

This last weekend we FINALLY took the kids camping :) We decided we had to do it at the beginning of the summer or we'd never go...or at least I wouldn't be going :)  The kids all had a GREAT time. We fished (no luck) and discovered fish like turkey...but all they did was eat it off the hook, went for some walks with our walking sticks that Svend had carved for each of us, and cooked s'mores.  We stayed for two nights. The first night was FREEEEEZING but the second night was just great.  On Sunday I woke up to change Brooklyn's diaper and was completely shocked to see her covered in hives. COVERED!  We raced to the grocery store to get some benadryl.  It looked like she had bug bites all over her legs and hives everywhere else.  However, now we have no idea why she got hives because the type she had (erothyma multiform) are from 25% allergy, 25% virus, and 50% unknown.  Anyways, here are some progressions of the rash.  SUNDAY:   

 Tabitha likes having her picture taken now! HOORAY!!! And even smiles :)

 Bergen thought these leaves at our campsite were so awesome because of their size

 swollen ear...

Talia and her walking stick.

Sunday night (yes, it looks like bruises too)

 Brooklyn likes baths again!! WAHOO! And...copies everything Tabitha does :)

 After 3 doses of Benedryl and NO luck reducing the hives...AND a call to the pediatrician, she looked like this at 10:15pm Sunday night.  There was NO way I was putting her to bed... The pediatrician has said  if she wasn't having trouble breathing, she was fine.  When the hives crept up her face and neck I did not want to chance putting her to sleep and having her throat swell... so I did what any mega paranoid parent would do and took her to the ER. By the way, this is our first experience with hives/allergies.

 Her legs... hives were only getting bigger

, I

 So they gave her a steroid and told us it was a virus, which Svend laughed about because he said you never give someone a steroid who has a virus... anyway...

Monday morning she woke up and her face was pretty clear.  Tuesday she looked like this.

 swollen fingers...

 I took her to the pediatrician...wondering how long we should expect this to take...she'd taken all doses of steroids and still had "paint" all over her...  He said it could be 6 weeks. wow.  So Tuesday afternoon I felt pretty dumb because she woke up from a nap and looked like this...  hives gone. Guess the steroid had worked...finally.

 Wednesday thankfully she looked like this...we went swimming. I didn't need any looks :) By the way...Swimming was AWESOME for knocking her out! Took off her swimsuit and put on a diaper all while she slept. HAHA

 Oh...Tabitha... getting another bandaid ;)

 This morning (Thursday) the hives returned. Not a very bright picture, but her legs are covered in hives again... the big ones. Now I'm wondering if it's the pool.... we'll see.

THANKFULLY they do not bug her!  SOOO glad about that.  They have itched a few times but not continuously.  If they go completely away and then return, we get to see an allergist...but as of now, we're just waiting for them to leave :)