a bandage wrapped hand doesn't slow her down

Yesterday afternoon these two probably sat playing with these blocks for a good 45 minutes.  Sometimes on the floor and mostly sitting side by side on the couch.  Syd was figuring out how to snap them together and Henry was helping.  It was one of those moments where I paused and said, "Now look at that, it is all coming together...the chaos of having multiple children..."  It was a moment where I got to witness them playing together.  It is starting. 

But then all the good turned terrible. 

There was a crash...and then a pause...and then crying.  

Syd had once again made her way to the standing position on the kitchen chair.  It fell over and her fingers got smashed between the chair and the floor.  

Our kitchen chairs are solid and HEAVY.  It could have been so much worse.  

When I got to her there was blood and I didn't know where it was coming from.  I figured mouth, head...didn't think of fingers until I noticed more and more blood on my shirt. 

My reaction...I threw all three of my kiddos in the car and called the doc on the way.  They explained the ER was the best spot because if they needed to do an xray or sutures...they couldn't do that.  I didn't realize that our doctor's office couldn't help at times like this.  It was rush hour time so I knew Ed wouldn't be able to meet us timely.  And I didn't want to make the trek to Children's Hospital where I wanted to be with all my heart.  So we settled for the care of a local hospital.  They insisted that they could meet our needs...I cried, and questioned, and felt bad to make them feel like I didn't think they were good enough.  But when you know they deal mostly with adults...and your little girl's finger is only an inch and a half long...well, there is panic.  So while we waited I made calls to Children's...and our pediatrician.  And when all was said and done..an hour and a half later we were walking out with a bandaged finger, that I insisted wasn't going to make it home. 

She had the bandage off by the time we were half way home. 

And had it off again once we were home for 30 minutes.  

I rigged up one of my socks over her hand and safety pinned it inside her PJ's and shirt today.  And that is working SUPER slick.   

Her one finger tip was broken...just the wee tip top...and just the wee little bit.  There is really nothing they can do for this kind of injury.  They insisted they heal fast and it should all be fine.  The hardest part about the injury is it popped her nail bed out of the skin...the nail is still attached and normal looking but the bed part under the skin is totally poking out.  So she will ultimately lose that...but he insisted that keeping it on for now was protecting it as the skin underneath healed.  We'll see.  

A follow up doctor visit with our pediatrician is in the works.  

Syd was a trooper and the boys looked traumatized through the whole thing.  

They knew it was serious and stood by her side so nicely.  

She was okay for most of the time but would cry when she tried to suck her fingers.  

Those are the two fingers that she sucks.  And there is no explaining to her that the other fingers will taste just as nummy.  Ed and I have both tried to shove them in, demonstrate, and explain.  But I did tell Ed, that having sucked my thumb for many years...the other thumb is never the same as the one you prefer.  So we'll see....

Will this wean her of this precious and unique little quirk.  

I think that is what I am most emotional about.  

Accidents happen. 

She is okay. 

But I am not ready for my baby to stop doing a behavior she has done since day one!  

Last night I rocked her to sleep.

And when she woke multiple times she was most content and quiet if we let her lay in her bed and settled in on the floor next to her crib.  So both Ed and I probably slept a little over two hours in there..taking shifts and just thankful that it wasn't a night of crying Sydney.  It was just a night of sleeping on the hard floor.  Not ideal, but we'll take it. 

And today she is happy girl. 

Moving about, figuring out life as a left handed eater. 

She thrusts her little sock covered fist in the air at me to show me it is in the way, but figures out how to carry her baby, drink from her sippy cup...and.... of course, attempt to climb up on the dang kitchen chairs AGAIN.  Obviously, this whole thing didn't teach her anything. 

And as the mama that was in charge during this escapade...I am feeling down and like a failure.  I am disappointed in myself and can't help but thinking of all the things that could have happened.  I have said it before, I find myself praying every night..giving thanks that Syd survived a day without injury because she is our little rascal.  But I also have to tell myself that life happens and we can protect them only so much and the rest of our job is to roll with the punches and love them up and help them get through the snags...and in this case...it is a bandage wrapped right hand for the time being.  

She is unlike her brothers.  They may have climbed once or twice...but it wasn't their moment to moment goal to climb things, scale the curbs, and stand tall teetering up on things.  

She is going to be our handful, I can feel it.  

Life is never dull here! 

And we roll with it.  

Because again, it could have been so much worse.