Ag day and pinecones...

I went into and left work early yesterday so that I could get back to Greencastle in time to take the boys to "Ag day" at the fairgrounds. Back in Knox Co, ag day always involved food at Green Auditorium. While there are a number of activities during the week here, the highlight is ag day on Thursday night...

Basically the kids get hayrides, to ride pedal tractors, sample different foods and pet some animals. When I picked the boys up from daycare they were playing outside and neither wanted to leave to go to ag day. This was even worse when Ben realized there wouldn't be rides there (fairgrounds = county fair, to him).

We went anyway and while Owen really enjoyed the animals (especially the dogs), Ben got to run around with his friends. After a round on the hay ride, I loaded the boys up in the van. Some friends were gathering pine cones to roll in peanut butter and dip in bird seed... making bird feeders for their yard. Ben and Owen each grabbed a pinecone on the way into the van and I buckled them into their seats while chatting with a friend.

While I continued talking from the van, Ben apparently threw his pinecone out the door. Owen, on the other hand, ate his. I didn't know this until we were driving out of the fairgrounds and I looked back at him.

Owen had remnants of pinecone all over his face.

Me: "Owen, where is your pinecone?"

Owen: "MOUTH"

I called Jason and he said it was impossible. I explained that it was a long, skinny pinecone.

Owen was acting fine, so we went to volleyball at the church. Still fine. I called a friend that is an extension agent and asked that he identify the type of tree/pinecone we ate. He looked and told us it was a "Norwegian Spruce." He also recommended that we call Poison Control.

I called a friend that is a physician's assistant first. She concurred on Poison Control and also said to push fluids. Poison Control didn't have an entry for eating pinecones, but by now, Owen was clearly fine and was enjoying his time at the city park...

They also suggested lots of fluids.

So this morning I kept him around a little longer before taking him to daycare, and all seemed fine. Jason still insists that he couldn't have eaten a pinecone... but I've looked everywhere for leftover pinecone in the van and there's no big piece... just a few scattered "chips." I think he really ate it.

Amazing that he says "I don't like that" and refuses to eat perfectly good veggies and other foods... then he goes and eats a pinecone!

I have a feeling that this may be the first of many calls to Poison Control. 1-800-222-1222. I've memorized the number just in case!