Stitches

Last night I had a fever and felt myself getting sick, so when I woke up with a sinus headache I decided that today was a lazy day. Pajamas and all (despite the 30 day get dressed challenge). I took some Advil pretty early on because even though I was feeling crappy I was bound to make it a good day for the kids. I didn't want to be grumpy or not give them the attention they deserve. It's not their fault I'm slower than normal.

So this morning we put in a movie and trashed the basement living room (read the kids played with whatever they wanted and I didn't fuss with putting toys back).  We even had a special snack in the basement. Then I was feeling ambitious so I finished their Halloween costumes (I had been planning to use Velcro and was nervous about it, but finally decided not to, to just sew the side together....OH HOW I WISH I'D JUST WAITED TILL LATER). After that we went upstairs and I picked up the living room, and though moving a lot made me feel a little weak I rearranged the living room. I even did a little in the office (that one room that has yet to be unpacked!). We ate a nice lunch and then the boys played in their costumes.

Immediately after they put them on I said "these might be dangerous Halloween Costumes!" (I actually have me saying that on video.) The boys were super excited, both love their costumes, but more than that they love being boys and the poofy, round, soft, padded angry birds costumes were perfect for sumo wrestling.

Anyone guess yet where this is going?

I wanted to be with the kids. For as long as I can remember I've said "I want my kids to remember me getting in the pool and swimming with them, not just dangling my feet and watching." That goes for every day things, living room play, too. So they were clad in their poofy padded costumes, looking cute as can be, standing at the other end of the room and then running at me and jumping mid room to "pounce" me. I guarded them with my hands, or caught them, or pushed them backwards onto the floor and they'd roll and roll then stand up and do it over again. This went on for what felt like forever. Then I decided to get it on film. It was just so sweet, so cute, I couldn't resist. So I got our camera and set it on the tv stand. But the angle was weird. The way it was set up I had to sit in the middle of the couch (still on the floor) but that meant I'd be closer to the rocking chair. Eh I thought, their well padded. 


It wasn't but a few minutes before injury occurred. Owen came running at me with his elbows out and I guarded myself pushing him off and he rolled into the base of our rocking chair/glider. Hard. I knew he was hurt but I didn't expect to see blood! Lots of it. It looked like there was a hole in his head, right by his eye. Poor guy was so upset, so worried about the "bleed." It was all I had to appear calm. I was so distraught, so worried. I prayed that I could get through it and know what to do. I called my husband and told him I was taking him to ER then I called our Dr. and asked if I should go to ER or come in to the Dr. They sent me to ER.

I was in such a hurry I didn't want to change, so I grabbed a bra and put it in my purse just in case we were around men and I was feeling awkward. With two boys in my arms, I don't know when I expected to get 30 seconds alone to put it on, but it was better than prolonging the trip. The hospital was great. In fact the worst part of the whole incident was riding there and having Owen ask me if he'd have to have a shot or not. I just kept saying, "Honey I'm praying that you can be brave, because we just need to get you fixed and that might mean a shot."

The lady who treated us was amazing with children. She talked to Owen and told him that he'd have a shot around his cut and that it would help him not feel anything so that she could fix him up without hurting him. When she left the room I could see a determination in his eyes that I'd never seen before. Bravery taking over. When they came in to get started he did everything he was told. She had a nurse with her whose job was to hold his head. They tucked him tight into a sheet to "keep him warm" (they were really securing his arms to his body so he couldn't fight). They got him all ready I was standing in front of him so that he could see me and the nurse had his head and said "I'll have to hold you tight, so you don't move if you get scared" and he did not budge. The used the needle in 3 or 4 places around his cut and he just laid there. He didn't even blink. It brings tears to my eyes just remembering it.

The staff was more than impressed and I was so so so blessed. Even Micah was on his best behavior. We were in and out of the hospital in less than 30 minutes. It was beautiful. When we talked about it later, and I told him how deeply proud of him I was. He said "I wasn't scared. I was with God." It was so touching to me. He's said this a few times recently "I was with God" and we've figured it to mean God was with me but I love his four year old way of saying it, when he says it I can hear truth in it.

One of the ladies said "We don't give four year olds enough credit, I've chased 16 year olds around before shots, and he just laid there and didn't even need to be held down." Um, yeah you can say that again. I had a broken arm at 14 and ran away from a nurse screaming when she wanted to draw my blood. If you had asked me as a child what the worst thing in the world was, I would have said getting shots, or poked for any reason. Now, as a mother, the worst thing in the world is seeing your child in pain, and one of those pains is getting shots and stitches. I was so sad and scared for him, but he was so brave and strong.

Now he's back to his good old chirpy self. In fact the numbing medicine must still be working because he keeps telling me he doesn't know where his owie is, if it's on this eye or that eye. There are days of parenting where we wonder whose children they are. Surely I didn't raise this maniac. Surely I've raised him to be more respectful, to listen better, to behave. Most days I'm overwhelmed by taking them on simple errands, the idea of having them both at the ER completely freaked me out. But my children deserve more credit. Even at almost two Micah could understand that something was going on and to be well behaved. Even at 4 when shots are the scariest thing in the world, Owen was brave.

I honestly could not have been more proud. I am proud to be the mother of these two boys, I am, but in public sometimes I worry about how others see me, what they think of my parenting skills or my children, and today I walked in and out of that hospital with immense pride. I have never been more proud of them.

It's amazing how the Lord can teach you more about your children and their personalities through an injury than you might learn through an entire day or week with them otherwise.

Hope the pictures didn't freak you out too much. I still can't bring myself to see that video (which I never did stop lol, but I'm sure the battery died it was almost dead to begin with) I know the cut wont be visible but seeing my part in the accident will be heart breaking! Once Brian gets home I might post the before videos of the boys sumo wrestling so you can see their nature, and their costumes.

Now, if you will excuse me I'm going to go get dressed before my husband gets home. And maybe get my bra out of my purse before I forget and one of the boys removes it in the middle of church or a restaurant.
God Bless!