Two weeks ago we took the kids to feed the ducks at Lake Anne. Lake Anne is set around a 1970’s planned community. Consequently there are lots of heavy geometric cement seventies art and architecture. Kyle was fascinated with the fountains and sculptures and wanted to climb on everything. So he did. He climbed to the top and shouted, “Mommy, I am on top of the world. I am on top of the world.”
As the night was winding down we passed the “on top of the world” sculpture. Kyle wanted to climb again. Dave had him, I had Eli. After a few minutes of climbing, I said, “Let’s go,” and Kyle headed down my side of the sculpture. Kyle was coming fast and I couldn’t reach him so I said, “be careful.” As the words came out of my mouth Kyle was pivoting and pivoted himself off of the sculpture. I helplessly watched him fall and “smack.” It was so loud. Kyle landed on his face. There was lots of blood, loose and chipped teeth. He kept saying, “Mommy I need you.”
A frantic ride to the ER, including lots of blood and screaming, some lost car keys, and a pair of irrational parents set the situation up right for a direct entry to see the Dr. (no wait in the ER waiting room). Kyle was ok. The Dr. said landing on his face was a good thing. His face acted as a crumple zone. Just a “head injury” they said. “what?” That’s what they called it. In essence he had a concussion and a very swollen and banged up mouth.
Fast Forward.
This past weekend: Wolf Gap Camping Ground on the border of Virginia and West Virginia. Dusk. First night as a family sleeping in the Eurovan.
After four face plants, more blood, and many tears we had to enforce the time-out ultimatum. “Kyle walk, don’t run. If you run, you will have to go to time out in the stroller. Yes, strapped into the stroller.” He persisted so we reminded him about the hospital. He was with his friends, Quinn and Max. Nothing could stop him. Thankfully, we all survived. What to do with our exuberant little two year old boy?
Hey folks.
Hope all is well with little Mr. Intrepid!
We just had our first major face plant incident with our 3.5 yr old Joe. He fell down the wooden front porch steps onto the cement walk at Grammy and Grandpa’s.
In between sobs and timid bites of popsicle in the bath tub, he confessed, “I was hurrying to help you with the thing you dropped when I fell and dashed my face…”
As if all the blood hadn’t made me sad enough. That one made me cry.
How about a gash next to the eye from a shopping cart, a sprained foot from a teeter totter incident, and half of a softball sized goose egg between the eyes rendering your 4 1/2 year old unrecognizable by those he knows? All in a matter of weeks, I might add. I’d invest in a helmet and padded bodysuit, truly. We hope Kyle is okay!
o.k., boys will be boys. McKinley (our 4 year old) is to easy compared to that. I have a feeling #2 (Bergan Eli) is going to be the problem child!
Jay