Friday, July 1, 2011

life with a boy


Sometimes, being a mom is the scariest thing in the world.

Nothing strikes fear so deep into my heart than the possibility of something bad happening to my kids. When they hurt, I hurt. I can so quickly get just sick to my stomach over the prospect of them being in danger.

Worry gets me nowhere. My worrying does not protect my kids from harm.

Yesterday, the scariest thing that has ever happened to me as a mom (so far, anyway) happened. I am embarrassed to admit here that this happened. I still want to throw up when I think about it.

Mac fell down the stairs.


I was in the bathroom cleaning Brynlee up after a little, ahem, accident. She definitely likes playing more than STOPPING playing to take a trip to the bathroom. Anyway, little stealth man somehow sneaked past the bathroom door and I didn't realize that he had done that until I heard a thump, thump, then a cry.

Oh my goodness my baby boy was laying facedown on the tile in our entryway.

Now granted, it was only half a flight of stairs, but still. TILE. What mother lets their not even 8 month old fall down the stairs onto tile??!! I had no idea he could crawl that far or that fast! I got to the bottom of the stairs in about one leap and picked him up. He was crying and didn't seem to be hurt in any major way. I was shaking, crying, praying, and saying "It's okay, baby," over and over. I was a wreck. He seemed to shake it off pretty quickly and was crawling around again and laughing in no time. Nevertheless, I waited an hour or so before putting him down for a nap and checked him about every 3 minutes during his nap. I've been keeping a close eye on him for the past 36 hours or so and he seems to be unscathed, other than a little scratch on his nose.

Now to even further my feelings of being a horrible mom, this is not the first time Mac has escaped injury very narrowly. Last week, he fell off a bed (I turned for a SECOND to grab a diaper) and I managed to break his fall with my leg, but he did smack his head on the nightstand. Oh, and he also fell face-first in the bathtub as I was lifting Brynlee to put her in the tub. So add almost drowning to the list.

Now tell me, this has to be a boy thing, right?! I mean, Brynlee might give me a run for my money in the drama department, but she has never been as daring as Mac is. I remember my brother needing to go to the hospital 4 or 5 times in the span of a year for various injuries, yet my sister and I went maybe twice, combined, EVER. And don't get me started on my dad and his injuries. We always tease him that he can't do a project without inflicting some type of wound on himself. Ohhh my and my son is not even a year old yet. I'm not sure my blood pressure can take this!

All light-heartedness about this subject aside, I am just so, so, SO grateful that Mac did not get seriously hurt falling down the stairs. I mean, that could have been REALLY bad. I pray for my children's safety daily, and I can't see this as anything but an ANSWER to my prayers. I truly don't know how Mac fell and how he DIDN'T get hurt... but I DO know God was with him and protected him.

So. Thankful.

5 comments:

  1. that's my greatest fear. claire is daring like that and has fallen face first in the tub a few times, i've turned around and she's crawled half way up the stairs if i forgot to close the gate, and thankfully never fallen! i will admit, i teared up reading about mac falling down. i would have reacted the same way. it's so scary to me to think what "could" happen...so i just continue to pray for her protection as well. you are a wonderful mom. accidents happen.

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  2. So scary. I am so glad he is ok and I hope you are too.

    Grace fell down the stairs when she was 11 months old. She recovered much quicker than John or I did that night. It still makes me sick to think what could/should have happened to her.

    Love you and your dare devil little boy

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  3. Oooh Ashley! I am so glad he is okay!! Scary! You have heard Peter's injury stories way too many times so you know I am probably in for a similar fate! What a good reminder that God is protecting our kids even when we can't!

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  4. I'll tell you, it's definitely a BOY thing! I have 2 and we had 3 doctor's trips for my oldest due to splitting his head open at daycare (maybe Heather remembers that one, bled all over poor Miss Emily!) falling on driveways. Both my boys fell off my bed before 9 mos old, while i was on it with them. Both fell down the wooden stairs before a year old, a few times. There's been more bloody lips and black eyes than I can count! With the first few incidents I was kinda freaked (hence the doctor visits) but after awhile you just shrug it off like they do. With boy #2 I don't even get up half the time, just "you okay?" unless it's obvious they're really hurt. Good luck! ;)

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  5. I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Everlie has fallen off the bed and the couch with me and I always feel so awful afterwards. Oh, and I've bumped her face with the car door. :( It makes my stomach knot. Great that kids are so resilient-otherwise I feel I would have broken mine by now...

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