After nearly seven years as a mom, I’ve held my kids’ hands very few times for shots. Yes, our pediatrician administers the dozens of injections modern kids have to have. Yes, I always attend these check-ups.
But I have an understanding husband who knows I can’t tolerate needles in my babies.
Until today.
Today Nate had his one-year check-up, which meant M and I had to divide and conquer. He with the twins doing a Costco run. Me with Nate and Catie at the pedi, where my baby needed five shots.
He screamed and cried. I held his little arms and tried not to do the same.
But I survived. I patted myself on the back for conquering my fear of seeing my child in pain.
I should not have. I should have remembered that the first rule of motherhood is NEVER PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK.
Much to the kids’ chagrin, we arrived home just in time for our daily hour of rest time. Sam and Catie are now professional Rest-Time Avoiders.
Instead of reading, Catie was doing some sort of complicated blanket-fort construction that was just sneaky enough that I couldn’t call her out on not reading. Sam was busy disassembling a picture frame and trying to make it look studious.
After that, he went to the bathroom half a dozen times. Then he finally resorted to picking a scab on his knee until it bled. Gross, I know, but I told you these kids are not amatuers. They know blood is one of the few excuses that lets you out of your bed during rest time.
As I retrieved a Band-aid for him, he jumped into his bed with a celebratory bounce.
Which sent his heel straight into the glass from the picture frame.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Sam started screaming. The girls came running for the drama. Nate clapped.
One look at the gushing, gaping hole in his heel, and I knew we’d be at the ER for the SECOND time in two weeks.
Where the doctor immediately declared stitches and deadened the wound with TWO shots…right in the gash.
And then she mended the cut up with FOUR stitches.
At this point I realized I hadn’t eaten since breakfast because I had been so woozy from Nate’s shots.
The room started to spin.
I didn’t pass out, but that’s only because Sam handled the whole ordeal like such a champ.
Seriously. He was an inspiration. Completely stoic. Didn’t even blink.
Until the doctor announced that Sam also needed a tetanus booster.
The room began swim again for me. But Sam just dropped trou and handled the big needlelike a man.
He patted himself on the back the whole way to the car.
Until he tripped.
I guess we all learn that lesson the hard way.
