Our First Big Wound

So we had our first experience with a big time wound this weekend. While I was out running errands with Paige and Chris was home with the kids Ally fell down the stairs and split her forhead open. I was calling home to see if he wanted anything from Starbucks and he called me at the same time (2:40) and said something like "You have to come home right away, Ally fell down the stairs and we need to take her to the hospital." Of course I freaked out and drove about 90 mph from Windsor Locks to our house. When we pulled down the street Chris and Joshy were standing at the end of the driveway. Chris was holding Ally who looked limp in his arms. I was freaking out! But she perked up soon after. The wound had stopped bleeding which was scary though and was quite open like a puncture wound. We got to Johnson around 3:00 and she was seen around 3:20. It took quite a while after they took her in to actually get someone to attend to her but they were slammed for a country hospital on a Sunday afternoon. I have never seen that many people in their waiting room before. Chris came out and got a diaper for her and said they were going to have to do 3 stitches. To do this they wrapped her in a big sheet like a burrito and had Chris and 2 nurses aids hold her down while they did the stitches. I guess the first one was ok, but she really lost it by the 2nd one and then they still had to do another. Chris reminded me that they also had to put the sterile drape over her face so she was basically covered by a tarp and was crying so much you couldn't even hear her anymore. I couldn't have done that - good thing it was him and not me. I sat chatting with the other waiting room people and keeping the 2 older kids entertained. She was a trooper. Poor little girl! I guess when she was finished Chris asked her if she was ok and she turned to the doctor and said "Thank you." She's been ok since, immediately after pointing to her head and saying "Fall down stairs." Today she took her band-aid off a few times but she hasn't been picking at it yet and has been really good about the whole thing.

Here are some pictures of:

1. her nice forehead a few days before it was wounded (probably the last picture ever without a scar),


2. a picture of the wound at the ER pre-stitches


3. a picture of the stitches


4. sleeping comfortably with her band-aid.

The Same Thing Happens Every Day

Wake up around 7ish. Usually late. Hurry up, hurry up the kids to get dressed, fed, washed up, bags packed. Waffles for Joshy, cereal for the girls. All the while the dog is whining and Ally is probably whining too: needs a binky, doens't want cereal-wants waffles today. Rush out the door...usually Ally won't walk by herself she has to be carried. Joshua needs a hat and can't carry his bag becuase he must put his hands in his pockets. Buckle the kids, ask Paige to help buckle them too. Pick up Emma. Rush the kids to school, probably running to the door as the bell rings. Get a guilt trip for not walking them in to tell the principal I am a slacker. Drop little kids off at daycare. Go home. Take the dog out, make coffee and usually an english muffin. Finally now I can start work. It's just 9 am.

Some time during the day I manage to pick up the kitchen, possibly run and put away the dishwasher, make our bed, do some laundry which all gets folded into neat piles on my bed for someone to put away, pay the bills, take the dog out a few times, oh yeah, and work.

Paige gets home a little after 3 and starts demanding a snack while she watches tv. At 4 she starts her homework. I rush around to finish the chores before the family gets home and the work before the day ends.

Go pick up the kids. Must put on the prescribed DVD or CD in the car on the way home. Drag them and their stuff into the house. Now there are 3 kids and 2 pets begging for food, demanding entertainment. Make dinner, argue with Joshua about what he won't eat. Clean up dinner. Give the kids baths, make Paige take a shower. Pick up the laundry scattered all over the bathroom and Ally's room. Pick up the toys and the couch cushions off the floor for the millionth time.

Walk Paige up to "tuck her in" or she won't settle down. Put Ally in her crib. Argue with Joshua about where to sleep, threaten to take his bed away if he keeps refusing to use it. Now Ally is crying and needs to be settled down again. 2 kids up. Eventually one parent takes a toddler and settles them down somehow. Although frustrating it is now finally quiet and we can take a temporary break from work and snuggle with the kids. Once they are alseep they are carried into their beds. Any final clean up is done. Possibly enough time for a snack and a tv show before we go to bed too late. Because we have to wake up late again tomorrow to start it all over.

There has to be more to life.