A First

Last night we had a first. A first 'major' boo-boo. Only I didn't know that it was major at the time. G and I were in the playroom and Z was doing his silly little run through the kitchen/dining room/playroom. They both do it often. They'll run into the room I'm sitting in. Throw themselves in my lap. Laugh hysterically. And then run a circle through the three rooms, back into my lap. And while Z is in the midst of his run, I hear a thump. It was an obvious big toe catch. And then there was screaming. I assumed it was just a little bump like normal and called out to Z to come see mommy. And, then my traumatized, screaming, sobbing little boy walks into the doorway where I can see him. At first I didn't notice the blood. And then I noticed the blood. Coming out of his nose. Dripping of his lip. Oozing around his teeth.

I'll admit that not much as a mother has made me panic. But this did. Do you know when the last time I had to deal with a bloody nose was? Years and years ago. I don't think I personally have had one in over 10 years. If not longer. My brain raced as I tried to remember what you were supposed to do for a bloody nose. I grabbed a washcloth and ran it under cold water, knowing that I at least needed to get something on Z's lip and teeth. And then I remembered. You pinch the bridge of the nose and tilt your head a little bit back. Or at least I think that is what you're supposed to do. In any case, that is what I attempted to do. Has anyone else ever had a screaming, sobbing, slightly pissed off 1 1/2 year old with a bloody nose and try to tilt their head back, pinch their nose, and keep a cold washcloth on their mouth? I'll tell you now, its impossible.

I did finally realize that the blood was mostly coming from his mouth and not his nose (which thankfully must have stopped bleeding on its own). After a few minutes of trying to shove the washcloth in Z's mouth (why oh why couldn't he have been like G at that instant who LOVES it when he has a bloody lip - yes this is a common experience in our house - and gets to chew on cold wet washcloths?) the bleeding did finally stop. But the screaming didn't.

Z is in a bit of a mood this week anyways with Daddy being gone. And to have a boo-boo with NO daddy to comfort him. Oh dear. It was just all too much. And the screaming and sobbing continued. For I'm guessing 30 minutes. We were getting to the point that I was thinking maybe there was something more seriously wrong and we needed to go to the emergency room. And just when I was convinced that yes, maybe we should. The screaming stopped.

G, was an angel the entire time. Normally when one of them needs me, the other demands he needs me as well. And there is a lot of fighting over it. But not last night. Last night G knew that Z really needed Mommy. And he grabbed a book. Went over in a corner of the playroom with a pillow. And laid there on his back ever so sweetly "reading" his book out loud. Once Z stopped screaming, G came over and sat on my lap behind Z and petted Z's head and kissed him.

It was a moment that melts a mother's heart. A moment that makes you feel like you're doing something right. Your child has compassion and love. A very, very brief moment. Z did not appreciate G's gesture. And it required more screaming to get the point across. And then he was done. He jumped up out of my lap and started playing like nothing happened.

Until this morning. I wanted to make sure his teeth were OK since I couldn't really look at them last night. So I just barely touched his lip to peek in his mouth and it started bleeding again. At that point, I needed a professional opinion. I was able to get him in to see his FNP (where both boys gleefully ran around the clinic, climbing on chairs and pulling all the magazines out of the racks until our appointment, and G discovered how to open the door with the handicap button..). After "Mrs. J" looked at Z she assured me there was nothing wrong with his nose, and his teeth were all solid. The only thing that had happened was the frenulum (little piece of skin) between his upper lip and gum had torn. Not a bad thing though. She said that some dentist are actually snipping it now, and Z took care of it for himself.

Needless to say, both Mommy and far-away Daddy are very relieved that nothing more major happened. And Z will be very, very happy to see his Daddy tomorrow and "tell him" all about his boo-boo I'm sure.