Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Almost crossed another item off the Mommy Checklist

he heard you were coming so he baked a cakeWhen I arrived at child care yesterday to pick up the kids everyone was in a tizzy. I had been out getting my thrice-yearly haircut/highlights and the batteries on my cell phone were dead--where is that charger anyway?--so when the director tried to call me, she couldn't reach me.

So the first words I heard were "there was an accident but he's okay." We went to Opie's classroom and he was his usual smiley, chirpy self. He immediately noticed my haircut. "You got a haircut Mommy! Looks pwetty!" Why yes son, and no more grays! You would never have known there'd been an incident except for the fact that a patch of his own hair, plus the back of one of his ears, was all bloody.

Just a half-hour before, a toy had fallen off a low shelf and gashed open my boy's scalp. It looked nasty but I could see that he was recovering fine. No concussion, no lingering pain, and he was both brilliant and sensitive enough to compliment my hair! Most grown, uninjured men can't manage that.

Among the daycare team recommendations for follow-up were divided. Two votes for "take him for stitches" and two for "he'll be fine." We had to hustle out the door for Jo's gymnastics class; it was her final one for the session otherwise I might've skipped it. There I consulted two more moms, friends whose kids are also in the class. Another split decision.

With the score tied 3-3, I called the after-hours nurse when we got home. Guess what she said? "It's up to you whether you want to take him in." Thanks so much. Finally she offered to page the doctor.

At last, a definitive answer! No office visit, no stitches, not even a bandage. This morning he has a cruddy-looking scab but it's entirely hidden under his hair.

Minor crisis, averted.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised day care didn't ALL say to go get stitches! Luckily, though, it sounds like he didn't need them.

Poor guy, though.

Jenny, the Bloggess said...

Stitches are over-rated. Scars are cool. Even on adorable little boys.

Magpie said...

Oh kidlet!

Get a new charger, dear. For all of us.

Alex Elliot said...

I'm glad he was ok. Very impressive about the compliment!

Lady M said...

>>he was both brilliant and sensitive enough to compliment my hair! Most grown, uninjured men can't manage that.

What a keeper!

motherbumper said...

Scars are cool and this can be his official battle scar of child care (let that be his only one please). Notice how this only happens when the cell phone isn't charged - that's Murphy's Law for you. Glad he's a-okay.

Julie Pippert said...

Glad he was fine...and I was impressed that he complimented your hair despite a bloodied head (and LMAO at your editorial comment about grown men not managing it).

I have decided hospitals are for life and death emergencies.

Can you still walk? talk? breathe? have a pulse? It's good, shake it off.

Angela said...

Thank goodness he is fine, poor little one, that must have been scary for him. What a little sweetie, to notice AND to compliment you on your hair.

Heather said...

Geez. I think I would have taken him in on the day care's dime. But I like to rub it in when other people make mistakes. It makes me feel like less of a jerk all the times that I make mistakes...which is often.

justmylife said...

Glad he was OK. And to think to compliment mom to boot. Give him anything he wants.

Leighann of Multi-Minding Mom said...

What a sweet boy to notice your hair!

I think that scalp wounds always look worse than they are. Hope he heals up fine.

Anonymous said...

Whew, glad he's okay!

And I'm quite impressed that he noticed your cut, even if he's on his way toward giving you more gray to cover.

Anonymous said...

As others have said, I am impressed. What a little gentleman!

The split on the stitches made me sigh. At least the doc had a clear opinion! Phew.