It was a cloudy and rainy day! The thunder was rolling and I was alone with two children. Actually, I really don't know what the weather was outside I just remember my husband was gone somewhere - work, business meeting, somewhere! I remember this scene like it was yesterday. It could have been a day that changed my life and my children's life forever in the worst way. It could have been.
I have two children, and at the time my daughter was 6 or 7 months and my son has just turned 3 years old. He was actually sitting at his toddler table. You know the Spiderman tables they sell at Wal-mart? That one. I was still getting used to handling two small kids alone (meaning when the hubby wasn't there). On this particular evening I had just finished cooking dinner, fixed my son's plate and holding my daughter on my left hip. After I got my son situated at his table, I sat my daughter in one of those bouncy's and sat it on the table (I know, I know not a good idea!!!!!!!!!!!!) and proceed to feed her. The table is a tall square black wooden table that's huge. My son is actually sitting behind me eating. He starts to scream, "Mommy, help me!"
In the past, as this Spiderman table got older the legs would periodically fall out and we would have to put them back in place. Well, when he called my name, a leg had fallen out and and he was holding his table up with his hand. He was also holding his food with the other hand. My daughter was in the bouncy, not strapped in. I had to think quick. They were both in arms length of me. So quickly I reached over to grabbed my son's plate, table, and table leg and proceed to try to screw it back in. BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My daughter had rolled out of the bouncy onto the table! And that BAM I heard was her head hitting the table!
My heart dropped, just as it's doing now as I am writing this (I feel like I am reliving that moment in time). I immediately dropped my son's food, table and table leg. Food went everywhere. The table crashed onto the floor, his plate broke into 50 million pieces, red sauce was all over the floor and he started screaming! I grabbed my daughter so quick as she was screaming too! I was scared out of my mind! I was looking at her head and thanking God she didn't roll off the table. My son was screaming, my daughter was screaming, I started crying because I was ashamed of myself for not having her strapped in and the possibility of what could have happened. I called my husband screaming at him for leaving me alone with these kids! I called the pediatrician and they went down a check list of symptoms to look for. I was shaken.
It was one of those moments where you don't remember what happened next. I don't know how the food or glass got cleaned up. I don't even remember if my son was fed. All I remember is how grateful I was my daughter didn't roll of that table. If that bouncy was one foot closer she would have and then what would the damage have been to my daughter. That is a moment I think about all the time. I am so grateful and thankful to the God I serve that it didn't happen. Fast forward 2 and half years....my daughter turns 3 next month and she is the light of my world (and so is my son who is now 5 and a half). She is more than perfect and is ahead of her class. Sometimes when I am sitting on the couch watching her and her brother play, I sometimes think what if...... and then I get grateful all over again and reach out and hug her until her says, "Mommy, you are hurting me!"
Married life isn't always easy, but with the right person - It is always worth it. This blog is my journey in the mighty married life, showing the good, bad & the great. The hubby, the kids & just life! Some topics are sensitive and some are a blast! Either way, I am going to try to enjoy life!
6 comments:
I love it. I am also a mother of two and both of my children are close in age. I believe all mothers can recall a time or two were we had to quickly make a sound decision such as you. I definitely can recap on my personal stories very similar to this. To be honest, through the years, those type of incidents are what made me a better parent. More cautious, and quick to make better judgment calls at any given time. Although situations still may occur, learning from those past mistakes gives us as parents a better view on how to handle the next. I am a firm believer that no matter how many children you have and no matter how long you have been parenting, you continue to learn something new. Great topic for us parents out there!
Love this too and I would have possibly reacted the same as you did Bernetta, SCREAMING @ my husband and asking him, "why did you leave me with 2 babies alone", lol! I mean, we have to blame someone right:-). Well, I can remember when my twins were about a month or 2 old and I was alone with them and one (my SON, sheeeesh) cried everyday, all day for about 3 months straight:-)! I had both of them feeding, changing, playing, you name it and my daughter starts to cry, you know, just cause she's wet so I change her and loved on her but she awakens the "crier" and OMG, they both were crying for about 2 1/2 hours non-stop! Of course, once I got my "usually" quiet daughter silenced, my son would SCREAM and awake her...eeerrgghhh!
I was shaking because I was so tired and scared because I didn't know what I would do. I literally sat in the middle of the floor with them both in front of me laying face up on a blanket SOBBING! I don't know who was crying the worst, them or me, lol! So I called my moma (and sister) who calmed me. My sister told me to just calmly walk outside on the deck and close the door, AND LET THEM CRY, I asked her, and she said, matterfactly, YES! You need to walk away, and stay away for about 10 mins or so. So lock em' down safe somewhere and get out.....giiirrrl, I don't know if she knew what she was talking about but I walked out there, cried for a few minutes alone and went back, calmly, to quiet them both.
When they saw me, they calmed down, slowed the SCREAMING to a steady whimper and seem to relax in my arms. I honestly think they felt & sensed my stress which stressed them and once they sensed my CALM, they calmed....It was truly a day I'll never forget! So pat yourself on the back moma, your instincts kicked in and all was fine, especially lil' Ms. Bailey (and little Earl)! You Rock Moma & Good Luck with the blog competition!
I definitely can relate. Also being a Married Mom of two. Children close in age fourteen months apart, definitely have had similar instances. This story was very vivid and came to life for me. I can see the story as you vividly tell this. I am Thank for as parent she was safe. Thanks for sharing all your moments with us good and the unpleasant. Keep up the good work WIFE.
Moments like those make your heart jump out your chest. My children are 8 years apart but I recall when my son was about 3 months old. I was home alone with him and needed to take a shower. He was awake so I put him in his swing, wound it up and put it right in front of the tv in the living room. The living room was right across from the bathroom so I could hear him. He screamed the entire time I was in the shower and when I pulled the shower curtain back I saw that he had kicked until he was hanging half way out the back of the swing. If I had stayed in the shower 5 more minutes, he would have fallen out on his head. Needless to say, I ran from the bathroom naked and wet and scooped him up.
As a first time mom of 6 months. I had my moment when she was 3 months old. I had gotten her ready for our outing and sat her in her Boppy Infant lounger on dads side of our bed and I got myself ready. I sat her in this many time so I did not check if sitting on the right side of the lounger. Oh, the lounger was also against the many pillows in the bed. So, I go to do my make up in the bathroom and singing to her. The next sound I is a bump. In slow motion I seem to run out of the bathroom to find my 3 month old on the hardwood floor. Our bed sits high enough that you need steps to climb into bed. I scream and scoop her up. She is screaming and I am looking to see if she is blue. I am shaking looking for the phone to call the pedi and her dad. Rush to the pedi for a possible cat scan, but after the exam her pedi said she was ok and babies fall. I have never felt so ashamed and irresponsible in my life. So, now I am extra cautious when I put her down and I did not put her in the lounger correctly....and it was clear why the HUGE disclaimer is stitched on the bottom of the lounger. DO NOT SIT INFANT ON THIS SIDE....SMH.
Thank you ladies soooo much! I have enjoyed all of your stories and WHOOAA Shauntell, you know exactly what I am talking about - feeling ashamed and blessed (because the baby was ok) at the same time. I really enjoyed reading your stories and thanks for your comments!
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