The Sunday Post- Vigilance and My Scariest Moment Ever

Last weekend I was still too upset to relate the tale of the day, so I posted pictures. Here's what happened:

It was afternoon. Daddy was doing home improvement in the other room and I was feeding Billy his afternoon snack. I had cut up lots of nice, ripe strawberries for Billy to eat. He was devouring everything on his plate and I knew he'd be asking for more. So, I got up and went to the fridge and pulled out more strawberries.

I looked over at him just then because I always try to have my eye on him but can't from inside the fridge. Maybe 10 or 15 seconds had gone by. He was choking. It wasn't his usual gag then spit it out and keep eating routine. His color had changed. There were tears of panic streaming down his face.

This was the most frightening moment of my life.

I called for Daddy and rushed over to help Billy. "Spit it out!" I shouted. Because sometimes Billy forgets. But nothing. He was really choking. I leaned him over his tray and began slapping his back with solid, hard thumps. One at a time. I heard air. So, I reached in his mouth, and using the "hook" maneuver I learned in CPR class back in 1997, I fished out the strawberries from his throat.

He was crying. Silently. No wailing. No wah. Just tears. Streaming down his face. I held him tightly to me while he calmed down, hiccuping into my shoulder.

A few minutes later, the contents of his stomach returned, ending his terrible ordeal. He was fine after that and went along to play with no problem.

What happened?

He filled his mouth with strawberries. Then, the first hiccup arrived while his mouth was full. The reflex to suck in on the first hiccup got several pieces of strawberry to lodge in his throat. Even though they were cut up, they stuck together to form a plug- clearly evident when I pulled them out of his mouth.

The only thing I can say is that vigilance is key. If I hadn't been paying attention for a few minutes I would be writing a very different post. And with a one year old, he's old enough to get into serious trouble, but doesn't yet understand the dangers.

It was a terrible moment in my life and and I hope to never experience anything like that again. I just keep seeing his tears of panic, real panic, that no baby should have to experience. It's what I see when I close my eyes. I can't get the image out of my head.

I don't have anything pithy to say about this and I don't have any advice. Just... be vigilant.

March 23, 2012 ~ That Bloody Sidewalk

This morning while getting in the car we saw one of our very nice neighbors walking his dogs. He has two very big dogs. He waved hello and kept on walking. Billy waved back, "hi!" It's his new word and he loves to say it when he meets people now.

So, we're standing there beside my car with Billy waving and the neighbor now down the street.

Suddenly, Billy took off down the driveway at a run. Now, our driveway is a pretty steep hill, but he had no problems handling the incline. Then he rounded the corner, still running, still no problem. Then he got to the sidewalk. You know, that nice, flat, easy to run down walkway. Ker-splat! Down he went. It was apparently so easy that it tripped him up.

I rushed over to him (actually, I had been running after him, but running down a steep incline in heels is no small feat). I scooped him up and he was bleeding from the knees. Poor guy.

Time to head to Mommy General, that oh-so-comforting medical center located conveniently in my kitchen. I sat him down in a kitchen chair so that I could get a good look at those knees in the light. He put his finger on the scrape and said weakly, "Mommy, uh-oh." I cleaned his wounds, applied the Magic Healing Stickers (band-aids) and a kiss to each knee to make it all better.

I don't think he was convinced.

The whole time in the car on the way to school he kept touching the Magic Healing Stickers and saying "uh-oh. Oh, no." I explained he had to leave the MHS alone and let them do their magic, but it was just too much for the Boy Who Didn't Cry.

But, he's all better now. And tomorrow, I've got a surprise for him. I have fancy Magic Healing Stickers that look like crayons. Ooooooooooooh.

So, just be warned. Those straight and even sideways are treacherous!

March 22, 2012 ~ The Magic Spoon

Perhaps you didn't know, but spoons have magical powers. Not just any old spoon, though. Plastic spoons. Brightly colored ones. Don't believe me? Ask Billy.

Every morning we walk into the kitchen and he shouts, "spoo!" and runs to open the "spoo drawer". He knows. The day can't start without a Magic Spoo. Most days, he requires two or even three Magic Spoos before breakfast.

This little plastic spoons aren't just spoons. They instill courage. They give Billy the power to take on a full flight of stairs, to endure a diaper change, to (egad!) go without a binky.

And spoons are so useful, too. Not just for eating. They're great for conducting music, for testing properties of toys with holes in them, for using as a drumstick on Buddy's bum. And they deliver oh-so-yummy-yogurt right into your mouth. Seriously, magic.

Still not convinced?

These Magic Spoos have the ability to quiet a screaming, kicking I'm-Being-A-Brat-Because-I'm-One-And-That's-What-I-Do-Boy. Yes. Instant calm. All from a spoon.

Now that's Magic.

Drawn In Thursdays: Hygiene Enforcer #5

Click to Enlarge

March 20, 2012 ~ Over The River And Through The Woods...

...To Grandmother's house we go!

Billy, Buddy and myself went to dinner at Grandma's today. Billy got to sit in a Big Boy Chair to eat his dinner. He shoved fistfuls of watergate salad into his mouth, spoon at the ready but left unused. He also got cut fruit, carrots, brown bread and steamed shrimp. He nommed on the shrimp but gave up. So, he decided to dip his fruit into the ketchup on his plate instead of the shrimp.

What he really wanted was more watergate and a cookie. When he didn't get what he wanted, he cautiously wandered around Grandma's and played with some of the toys there. This worked for awhile until he realized he was still hungry.

He got more watergate. He got more watergate on the table, the chair, the floor, his shirt, his pants, his arms, Mommy, Grandma... yeah. But he enjoyed it. Then came dessert.

Ooh... cherry pie. I was only going to give him a bite, but he devoured an entire piece by himself and then wanted mine too. Cherry pie might be the way to his heart. Keep that in mind for any girls that might be looking for a boyfriend in about thirty years. Maybe forty. We'll see.

Grandma sure had a huge feast set for us. Thanks Grandma! We came home full and sticky. But, I guess if you're One, you didn't really enjoy your food unless you're a complete mess and sticky from head to toe.

March 19, 2012 ~ The Tale of the Zebra Toy

Billy has an entire room full of toys, but he is fascinated with Buddy's toys. He knows a few of Buddy's favorites, since they are always laying around. But today Buddy dragged out an old toy that he rarely plays with. It's a little clunky for him, not his favorite and really it requires me to play with him.

The Zebra.

This is no ordinary zebra. This is a big, stuffed zebra with rope handles on both of its sides. It has stubby arms and legs, perfect for chewing. And a big fluffy nose, perfect for tearing at. All in all, it's a perfect tug-o-war toy with the handles for me to hold on to and the limbs and nose for Buddy to attack.

Well, Buddy just HAD to have Zebra today. He pulled it out and dropped it at my feet expectantly. So, Billy ran over and snatched it up. He hugged it and cuddled with the slobbery, chewed-upon dog toy. Yup.

"Give Buddy his toy."

"No!" He ran away cuddling the Zebra.

Buddy began barking furiously in his high-pitched,"I'm not getting what I want!" bark. You know, like Billy's high-pitched "I'm not getting what I want!" cry.

I took the toy from Billy and gave it to Buddy. This started Billy shrieking. You know, that aforementioned cry. Dilemma: Buddy gets his toy and Billy shrieks; Billy gets the toy and and Buddy barks like crazy. I'm suddenly reminded of the parable about cutting it in half...

So, Billy got the toy back. But Buddy had decided to play tug-o-war with Billy if he couldn't have the toy by himself. Buddy is totally on the Share Wagon. He tried to tug and tug and yank it free. But Billy missed that wagon. He clung to it tighter and shrieked louder.

"It's Buddy's toy. You have to let him have it."

Rinse. Repeat. Yeah, that went on for several minutes.

Then, in a huff over Buddy's barking and my refusal to come to his aid, Billy threw the Zebra with all of his might. Buddy bounded after it and brought it right back to Billy. Oh, wait... Buddy will play with me? This got Billy into throwing it a few times. But then he gave up on the throwing and just let Buddy have the toy.

Poor Buddy. His payment for getting his toy back was to be chased around the room in an endless game of tag. Billy would run up, "tag him" by slapping his back and cause Buddy to run away. Then Billy ran after him and repeated once Buddy was temporarily cornered. I had to separate them with a baby gate. Which brought on more shrieking from Billy until he saw his bouncy ball.

And that is the tale of the Zebra.

March 18, 2012 ~ This Weekend In Photos

Hiding in his fort. (He's smiling at you!)

Walking in Mommy's flipflops.

"Hello? Hold the bread."

Dressed for the holiday.

Waving "byebye" to every car.