Yesterday was one of those days that I know (no matter how hard I try) I will not be able to get out of my head. My precious angel fell almost 5 feet off of our deck and into our backyard. Before I go on I will gladly let you know that he is fine. In fact, I think he is doing better than his mommy!
Yesterday morning was a relatively warm one here in Tuscaloosa, and Anderson has been stir crazy being stuck inside with the freakishly cold temperatures the two weeks before...so I knew we would be spending most of our day outside. For those of you that haven't ever been on our home, let me set the scene for you. Our kitchen and living room sort of open up to our deck. There is a door in the living room leading to the deck and a big bay window in the kitchen that basically views the deck and backyard. Last summer as Anderson became more mobile, Jeff and I wanted to make sure the deck was safe for him. We made sure there wasn't any splinters and Jeff re-nailed every single spindle railing to make sure they were all good and sturdy. We got a baby gate for the top of the deck stairs and pulled any and all furniture away from the edges so that he couldn't climb on something and fall over the side. After all of this we finally considered it a safe space for Anderson to play. We set up a sandbox and some trucks and balls and let him rip. We never left him unattended, but would occasionally run into the kitchen to answer the phone, but even then we would be watching him through the bay window. In 9 months there has never been a problem...until yesterday.
Apparently over the winter the wood on our deck settled, expanded, etc.. and there was one spindle that was loose on the bottom (which of course we had no clue about). My child yesterday managed to lean on that one particular spindle while I was in the doorway talking to Jeff on the phone. One second he was there and then I looked up and he was gone. In the split second before he cried out I glanced the deck over realizing he wasn't on the deck. Then I heard him scream...it was the worst moment of my life! I tore through the babygate screaming hysterically and flew down the steps to the yard completely scared of what I was about to see. I just knew he would have a broken bone or worse...I scooped him up immediately and didn't see any blood. I grabbed him and took him back inside and stripped his clothes off while singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as not to scare him further and as an effort to force us both to calm down. I scrutinized his naked little body looking for blood, scratches or bruises. The child had not a single scratch on him except a small goose egg on his noggin. I gave him some juice and a banana to help calm him down and he wolfed it down, wrapped his arm around my neck and began singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Five minutes later he was begging to go outside again...ummm...yeah he may not leave the house again until he's 50!
The drop was huge and led directly into a flower bed with a wooden border...he could have hit that or the spindle could have fallen with him...there was a nail in it...and the torturing thoughts of what could have happened go on and on and on. All I know is that there was an angel watching over Anderson yesterday, and I am so thankful. I know boys are rough and tumble. Jeff even pointed out that one day I will hear that scream and run out and there will be a broken leg or arm...and for those reasons I hope beyond reason that this baby growing in my tummy is a girl! I don't think I can handle two boys after yesterday!!
I hesitated about putting this story on here because I was afraid someone in cyber space would consider me a bad mommy, but after thinking it over for a while I decided to put it on here anyway. After talking to two friends with older children they had stories very similar to our situation yesterday and it made me feel better...like it happens to lots of people. They just don't say much about it because they don't want anyone thinking they are being a bad mommy. So, for anyone reading this in cyberspace, when your child does have one of these weird accidents, take heart. It isn't just you! Try as we may, we can't protect our children from everything...which for me is a little hard to swallow!
Park City Utah
2 years ago
1 comments:
Poor guy....glad he was alright (and his mommy too).
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