Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Snippets

Highs/lows vacation:

High- Spending some great time with my husband and WITHOUT the kids.
Low- Packing for the trip.

High- Getting there and realizing that I was happy to be there. I love seeing my kids forming bonds with my family.
Low- Ingesting beef jerky. Into my body. It tasted just like cow flesh. And yet, it was yummy.

High- Spending time with my college roommate and her family, including getting a pedicure!
Low- Discovering there was such a thing as RANCH flavored sunflower seeds. And trying them.

High- Coming home a day early, so that we had an entire day to unload, unpack, unwind before David headed back to work.
Low- Being home and back to the grind.

* * * * * * * * * *

Surprisingly, the kids are still sleeping, and I am on the computer, waiting for my coffee to finish brewing. (Side note- for every molecule of my being that enjoys coffee, another molecule hates actually making the coffee.) The sky is getting darker and darker, and the street lights come on.

As the thunder starts up in earnest, Kate stumbles out of her room, disregarding my "you better sleep until at least 8:30" warnings of the night before. I lure her and, eventually her twin, back to my bed, where the three of us lie listening to the storm rage.

It was dark and gloomy and frankly one of the most peaceful mornings I had experienced in a long time.

* * * * * * * * * *

We are at the County Fair, which is one of my favorite times of summer. Walking through the buildings, seeing all the people from around town, eating snow cones. I am pushing the stroller through a semi-crowded building full of booths and free hard candy when I decide to quickly swerve the stroller. I notice the people walking toward me reacting to something, and I look down in time to see Marin's head hit the concrete and bounce. And bounce again.

I *heard* it bounce too. Shutter.

(She had decided to stand up, which she never does, and I was not aware she was standing.)

David scoops her up, and we discover a nearly golf-ball size lump forming near her right temple. He runs off for ice, while I try to calm her while sitting on a bench. I notice blood by her ear.

We decide to take her to the first aid station, and as we approach a sheriff outside sees us coming and calls for an ambulance. The paramedics look her over and strongly recommend we take her to the hospital. We decline ambulance transportation (it's only 4 blocks away!), and drive her there ourselves. Kate and Joan have been abandoned at the fair with a fistful of ride tickets and a friend of mine (whom they barely know).

The pictures of her skull and neck reveal that everything is intact. We are lucky- no fractures. Her ear is glued where is had torn away from her head. She is fine. We are permitted to take her home.

Her head looks surprisingly good the next day. It is slightly black and blue, but there is no visible swelling. We are happy about the ice packs she endured during our hospital experience.

She is fine. But I can still hear her head hitting the concrete. And see it bouncing.

* * * * * * * * *

I read all the time and have collected an impressive supply of book marks. Trouble is, I can never find a single one. If I do find one, I will maybe use it for a day or two before it is lost again. It is a mystery.

* * * * * * * * * *

My niece is here for a couple of days. She is eleven. She looks exactly like my own daughters, only older. Sometimes when I look at her, I feel like I am getting a preview of my own kids. This is a very odd sensation.

* * * * * * * * *

Tell me, do you ever get "girl crushes" or "couple crushes"? Like, where you meet someone that you really think is kindred to you, and you want to hang out more, but it's kind of... weird to start "dating". And you want to be all cool and say "We should really hang out sometime" all casual-like, but really you are forcing yourself not to say "How about my place? Tomorrow? Or the next day? Thursday is bad, but if that works best for you, I could make something work. I mean, only if you want to. I mean, I have tons of people to hang out with, so you know, it's cool if you're busy." The parallel between making friends with other mom/families and dating are so real that I don't miss dating one bit!

* * * * * * * * * *

I am struck by how old and independent my girls seem, now that they can ride bikes without training wheels. Sometimes, and I watch them speed down the sidewalk, my eyes get a tiny bit misty. Other times, when we are on a family bike ride, I nearly crack up at the sight of them- they look just like little ducklings, peddling along after Papa Duck. This particular milestone was one I was not expecting to be so... momentous. And yet.

5 comments:

d e v a n said...

I know just what you mean about the couple crushes! It's just like you said. So weird!

Erin said...

Oh my! That experience with Marin made my tummy hurt for you. Poor kiddo! I'm glad they glued her ear on. Hopefully extra tight so she always listens to you.

Welcome home.

Have you ever read a book that was so eerily RIGHT ON for describing yourself or your life or a particularly significant experience? I'm reading a book right now that is doing this to me (Bridge of Sighs- Richard Russo), and it's freaked me out enough that I CANNOT SLEEP with this book in my head. I have to stay up after reading and watch-- I don't know-- BIG BROTHER 10, just to clear it out of my mind. It's a great book (so far... I'm still at the beginning) so I don't want to quit. But still. FREAKING ME OUT. Has this happened to you?

Anonymous said...

Here I am trying to get sleepy and you have to tell a horrible baby, head, bouncing story! OMG! Now I'm going to have to go and read 500 funny blog posts just to get that out of my head.
I'm so sorry that happened! I pray that she and YOU are all o.k. now.
I wish you had a girl crush on me. I miss you.

Anonymous said...

OMG, when I tripped and fell with Parker in June, it was JUST like that. I can still hear her head thudding on the concrete in my mind. I can still remember the panic I felt while falling, knowing I was going to land on her. So we'll be forever traumatized, but thankfully they're too young to remember it.

Kelsey said...

I'm just now getting caught up on blog reading and commenting after being on vacation. I am so glad that Marin is okay, I also felt sickish reading that.

Have you ever had a "book thong" bookmark? They are awesome! My absolute favorite. If you haven't ever used one let me know, I will send you one. That's how much I love them.

I know what you mean about "girl crushes" especially. I kind of feel that way about my message therapist - she is so great and I think it would be fun to hang out with her, but then it's also weird, for obvious reasons and maybe she's just nice to me because I'm her client? I know that's not exactly what you were talking about but still. . . it relates a bit!