It's good for the soul, right?Good. So here's mine.
I let Owen burn his hand yesterday. And bad enough for the doctor to think it warranted a personal audience with her. (Although not as bad as the bandage makes it look. A few band-aids would do the job, but he just won't leave those alone. And the last thing I need right now is to have to call poison control and tell them my son has used his bandages as Silver Sulfadiazine flavored chewing gum.)
So was it a hot saucepan in which I had just lovingly boiled organic peas for him?
Or the light bulb under which we sat reading educational books?
Nope. While I stood at the bathroom mirror applying eyeliner, sweet baby reached up and stuck his hand into the jaws of my flat iron. He cried so hard the tears actually jumped off of his face, and he kept holding his hand out away from his body like it didn't belong to him anymore. Pit.Uh.Ful.
Thankfully his wonderful pediatrician had us in her office within the hour, dressed his wounds and declared that he would be good as new by next week.
Still, I was feeling pretty down about it all after I put Owen to bed last night. So I decided today would be All Owen Day. No errands. No chores. No self-grooming. (Folks, I haven't even brushed my teeth yet, and I'm wearing flannel gingerbread man pj bottoms with a sweatshirt that dates back to my tween years.)
The first 3 hours of AOD were full of moments for the Mommy Blogger Archives: rolling on the floor in a field of pillows, making silly robot noises until Owen's giggles turned into cackles, Owen charging across the room to bear hug me.
But then it happened. A 15-second lapse. I was still in the room with him, less than 10 feet away, but I let him slide into my periphery for about 15 seconds, and that's when he attempted to stand on our ottoman, which has wheels, which rolled out from under him and deposited him face-first onto the hardwood floor. More jumping tears.
And now, in addition to having a lobster claw for a left hand, Owen's swollen upper lip and jaw make him look like the hairless baby brother of the Geico Caveman.
Phew! Glad to be able to just put that out there. So how about you? Ever tried to kill your kid? Or want to share how your own parents' negligence nearly led to your demise? C'mon, I double-dog dare you to make me feel better.
13 comments:
First of all... we have ALL been there! No matter how protective we are of our children - it has happened to us too! Here's my guilt story for ya. I was driving a huge old Cutlas Supreme (2-door). Krissi was about 6. She closed the door and closed her thumb in the LOCKED door. I had already made a trip in the house and left the keys there.... about 100 feet from the car (seemed like a mile though!)So, when I returned to the car and saw her still just standing there (not crying yet) I started laughing. When I regained my composure and went to run in the house, I tripped going up the stairs - busted my lip - blood everywhere! When I got back to her, she was still VERY calm. I unlocked the door and then the crying started (btw... I was crying harder than she was). A quick run to the pediatrician showed that nothing was broken, but my heart! I felt like the clumsiest, worst mom ever! 13 years later... she's still a calmer person than I am. And I still cry everytime she gets hurt!
One more thing.... I'm jealous of you... I wish I could still wear my pj's from high school!!!
He got hurt again? Poor thing! You hang in there! You know all of our stories but I will list them again.
You burned your fingers on a hot light bulb when you were about 18 months old. All five finger and the palm.
Then when I let you off at kindergarten instead of stopping to let you out I was parking and going into the building with you that day. Only you didn't know that and you opened the door and stepped out. I drug your poor little 5-year-old knees on the concrete for about 20 feet while you hung on to the door. I really cried that day.
Then Jennifer pulled the stick out of the window at the beach house and the window slammed down on her fingers. She was around 5 years of age when that happened.
All three of you have had your hands slammed in the car door and van sliding door.
Plus I can't tell you how many times all of you fell out of the baby bed because I didn't get there fast enough. At least you have the video cam that I didn't have.
Wait until he starts learning how to skate and ride a bicycle. OUCH!
Then Becky got into my suit case after a trip and opened a zip lock bag full of medicine -- Tyleno capsules. When I found her she had powder all over her face. I didn't know if she had eaten any or not. Thank God I had the number for poison control on the frig. Make sure you have that number handy!!
So welcome to the "Terrible-Neglectful Mama's Club." Remember -- it just happens. Thanks for the blog. Kiss the little man for me. I'll be coming to the rescue in 22 days! Love you all very much!
DD
Poor you! But...he will be fine! I'm sure you will have to call poison control at some point in his lifetime. Most parents do. I didn't have to with Karson for any reason...but Gianna always had to call on Mandi. She had a thing for perfume and cologne! No matter the brand...she would kick her head back and drink it! If Gianna hid it...she would find it!!
I think the worse thing Karson has ever done was when she broke her arm. And did I ever feel guilty about that!! I had just bought the for her!! That morning!! And she has the scar to prove it. Poor thing had to have a 4" pin put in her arm...one bone was broken completely in two and the other was cracked all the way across.
From the look of the picture...he looks like he is back his normal, playful self!
Love and miss you all!!
Okay, so let's talk "Horrible Mother"!!! GMADD just reminded me of the accident that Anthony had when he was 3! He tripped at the Newport Pool during a swim meet. He suffered a major concussion. He was life-flighted downtown. There wasn't much that I could have done... he tripped over a blanket that was on the sidewalk for him to sit on. (Uh Oh... I guess he is as clumsy as I am!) It took more people to take care of me than it did to take care of him! See... we ALL have stories! and we all feel like crummy moms sometimes!
Shelley, I can't be a member of the worst mom's club, but I can be a member of the worst dad's club. Do you remember when you used to like to get the 16 oz. boxing gloves out and box with me? I remember one time when I was holding my left glove out and you came running toward me and ran right into the glove busting your nose. But I think the worst thing I ever did was allow the doctor to rebreak your arm after he had set it wrong; not once but twice before
I realized I needed to get you to a specialist. There was nothing like having to stand there and listen to the doctor rebreak your child's bone (though they had numbed it so you could not feel it). It still did not stop you from having to hear it and the trauma you had to go through. You will see that kids are generaly tough and forgiving. You just need to learn to forgive yourself and forget the negative things and just look back through his blog at all the good times you have provided for him already in his life time. You are a wonderful and loving mother and don't let anything or anybody cause you to feel any different. All my love, Coach (Daddy)
Hummm, I never knew mother let me treat on Tylenol. That would explain my Tylenol pm addiction...
Don't have a story for you BUT I did decide to slide down my stairs on a cardboard box as Joe was standing at the bottom saying "don't do that!" Well the box shot out from under me like a rocket and sliced the back of his ankles while my large butt bounced down all the way down. As we lay I the bottom of the stairs with a very sore bottom and sliced ankles, Joe says "I told you not to do that."
You know...I went home and as I was lying in bed last night...I remembered that I had called poison control on Karson... She got into something of Jeffrey's one time... He was cleaning his handguns (remember...he's a cop...and cleaned them often...LOL) and she reached up and got a bottle of his oil cleaner. She was about 2 1/2 years old... I think it was about midnight (he worked evenings...and she was on his schedule...so we waited up for him every night) so thank God they are open 24/7!! She didn't swallow much...because it was nasty...but I still called. They said she would be fine...and she is...LOL...
I can't believe I forgot about that!! LOL... If I think of anything else...I'll let you know. I'm sure that there's something else I have forgotten!! LOL...
SO...don't let things like this get you down. That's why they are called accidents!! Something that happens when you least expect it! I'm sure I have a lot more to come!! Love yall!!
Well I remember leaving the screen door unlocked at Memaw's. Brad fell out and hit his forehead. He had a big knot the size of a goose egg. I think he was about Owen's age.
I wasn't watching Chad close enough and he fell off the monkey bars at home. He broke his front tooth to the gums. I think he may have been 5 years old. His permanent teeth were just coming in. When you see it now, it was just a chip but since it was just coming in it looked like a big chunk was missing.
Also, Brad fell in the house and hit his baby teeth and damaged the pulp which caused them to turn brown. I took my eyes off of him for just a second, he was just learning to walk.
Accidents happen and Mom's get stronger. The first is the first of many to come. Hang in there, you are a great Mommy!
I think this was your best blog to date. When you look back on everything you can really see God's hand at work. God is truly good to us. Count your blessings even when bad things happen! Love you. Mom
Kari just sent me your blog and I am just checking it out but I had to comment on my "worst mommy moments". When Brooklyn was about 16 months old I was packing a bag to go out of town. I had put her on the bed and let her play w/ a hanger (the plastic kind w/ the wire hook), I actually thought NOTHING of it. I walked out of the room to grab something and heard this screaming coming from the bedroom. B had put the hanger in her mouth and somehow the hook part got stuck under her tongue. It was only minor damage but she cried for what seemed like forever. So, just know that we all have done some things that we are not proud of.
BTW, I LOVE your mom's mishaps. I couldn't help but smile at the time you were dragged 20 feet in front of the kindergarten.
Ahhhh. Thanks for the laughs and for the encouragement. I knew you all would come through for me!
you know the chest clasp on carseats? when ethan was tiny and chubby I pinched his neckroll in that clasp. he cried forever and i felt rotten. he had a purple bruise for a long time.
it happens. don't fret over it. consider it your crash course to boyhood.
Vivi
I wanted to tell on Uncle Ralph. We went on vacation to San Antonio and we arrived at the hotel. Uncle Ralph was taking out the luggage and wasn't watching what he was doing and closed the trunk on Chad's fingers. The hotel was so alarmed by it they sent a paramedic to our room. His fingers were sore but not broke. Our vacation did get better but it had a rough start.
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