I say “first” because who knows? it might happen again. In fact, it probably will.

So, apparently one or more of the girls got lice from a summer camp. I had never seen lice nor knew what it looked like. However, I have heard friends talking about it– something about combing and stuff. Combing? What special combs?

I always wondered when my time would come….

I didn’t know the girls had lice until someone at church who sat behind us noticed them and told me about it. I’m so glad she told me!

So we went home from church and it started.

We started with some shampoo from the pharmacy. In the shampoo box was The Comb. It’s just a very-small-tinned plastic comb. We did the shampooing, and Vitaliy got out the microscope that a friend had gifted us that has stayed in the shelf until the kids were a bit older.

That microscope with lice is awesome. You can see what’s dead and what’s alive. You can also crush the lice with a fingernail and see if it “pops” to know if it’s dead or alive.

I packed away the couch pillows (where the girls spend a lot of time, and most of the bedding. We slept with sheets so we could wash them daily in hot water. The laundry at first was mountainous. And it took forever, washing things in very hot water.

I also bought Tea Tree oil, poured a bunch with water into a water bottle and sprayed–couches, mattresses, hair, seats, etc. I closed up the girls couch-bed, and they can’t use it untl the appx three weeks are over.

We did the special lice shampoo. Also vinegar with water. Then a lice-spray-thing that supposedly kills everything in one blow. We got dog flea shampoo. And finally, after a week, we decided just to do either WD-40 or diesel. We went with WD-40. We did all of this on everyone.  Vitaliy buzzed his head, though he didn’t have it, and he buzzed Andre’s head, though he didn’t have it.

blue gloves to wear while combing, dog flea shampoo, combs/brushes in rubbing alcohol (turned blue from brush colors coming off, Para-Plus lice spray.

I honestly did not comb a lot. I did some. Una was easy–fine, short hair (I gave her a cute bob cut, too!) The girls– it was crazy. Vika has very long hair, and Skyla has an extremely sensitive head. After the WD-40, things were dead, dead, dead. Even though empty egg shells were still on their hair.

One day, the last day, we combed in the kitchen at the light, so I could see. We combed for hours. And we cut out every single strand (and a few others) of hair that had an egg on it and checked them all under the microscope. Skyla helped me do this and she was such a help! she checked them all.

see the little, white speck?

Dead, dead, dead.

So, that was our lice experience so far. I’m still being watchful as it’s only been 2-3 weeks. Still doing the dog flea shampoo sometimes, still washing sheets and pillow cases every day. Keeping things bagged up.  We’ll see if it’s over. 🙂