Scarlett and Ava were playing with sticks. Big long sticks. They were being pretty cute and safe, not hitting or poking each other. I grabbed Scarlett's stick which had a sharp part on the end and broke off the sharp tip and handed it back. I made the stick a safe toy.
Warning, warning, ESP, listen to your inner warning beacon, but no I handed the stick back thinking I made the 2.5 foot stick safer 2 foot stick. A moment later as I am making a dinner salad, I hear the dreaded scream. Not the you took my toy scream, or even the I fell off the table scream, but the I seriously hurt myself scream. I run and see her open mouth of pain and ask Ava what happened, like I even need to ask.
Ava says she poked her mouth with the stick. I grab Scarlett and start giving orders to Ava. Stupidly, my first order was for Ava to throw the stick out the front door. Yeah, this really helps the immediate situation. Then I demand a towel which I prompt Scarlett to spit what looked like a mouthful of blood. I can see it is mostly spit and a bit of blood. I start to feel a little better. I ask Ava for the mag light which lets me assess the damage. I see two little cuts in the back of her throat on the roof of her mouth. Thank goodness we dont need to go to the hospital. When things like this happens it takes a minute to figure out the plan of attack.
I calm her down and give her some Tylenol, but she keeps whimpering. She manages to eat a bit of polenta and then bed time is an utter mess. Scarlett keeps sobbing ow, ow, ow and I wish I could do anything to help her. I get out the big guns - Tylenol with codeine left over from her skin graft. I try my best to give it to her, but it ends up all over my face. She cries not stop for the next 45 minutes while I conjure my inner nurse for the courage to shove 2 more ml of codeine down her throat. I pretend she is someone else's kid and I manage to force it like giving medicine to a cat. She literally chokes it down as she gasps for air. I could write a whole blog about the horrors of forcing Scarlett to take her medicine.
We have to put Ava on the couch so she can get some sleep. Scarlett manages to fall to sleep by 11pm and is up again at 1am. I give in and bring her in our bed where she tosses and turns saying ow, ow, ow. I move to Ava's bed where I finally get some sleep. At least Kevin got to stay in his bed. It is like musical beds these days in our house.
The moral of the story - DONT LET YOUR TODDLER PLAY WITH GIANT STICKS. Especially when they are crazy daredevils like Scarlett.
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