We've just returned from the ER with Ethan's face glued together. No stitches this time, just some topical anesthetic and glue to hold the cut together. He and Jack were racing around the table in the dining room (just something to do I guess) and he slipped and cut his upper lip and mouth on the corner of the hanging shelf in there. The Screams! The Blood! The Drama! The Speed record attained on the way to the hospital!
Jack brought Ethan an ice cube from the freezer (um, nice try, Jack, but we need a little more this time) while we tried to keep the cut together, stop the bleeding, get Ethan and Jack dressed. OK, and me, too - I admit I was still in my pj's at 10:30 in the morning. We soaked through a couple of towels but the bleeding was under control by the time we got in the car. Ethan was a little more in control by then, too. He's a little phobic about doctors, so he was screeching just a little. Jack was scared and crying, too, still attempting to stick an ice cube on Ethan's face and very upset because he wanted a drink of water right now.
After that, the ER trip was quite uneventful and we were in McDonald's by 12:00 (Ethan's pick). He was very brave while the doctor tended to him. I didn't even need to lie on him to hold him down this time. I was picturing sedation for a stitch or two but luckily he did a fantastic job of listening to the doc. And Mike was there throughout as a calming force. The guy actually likes seeing things like stitches (he got to remove mine from my biopsy and he was ecstatic) so he's definitely good to have around, even if the boys do want their mommy.
As always, I am now suffering from post-traumatic stress.
In a crisis, I am the girl to have around - superhuman strength (toss that car aside? - Sure!), the ability to instantly assess the situation and bark appropriate orders to all concerned, the capacity for piling the whole family into the car in 25.3 seconds (including remembering to put on a bra). After the crisis is resolved, however, I become a puddle of nauseousness, a trembling indecisive mess. I imagine everything that could have gone wrong and with an internal dialogue J.K. Rowling would be proud of, I write a script in my head of doom and gloom and scare myself silly. I come back to myself bit by bit, but only with a strong cup of tea coursing through my veins.
The boys are watching a video now - this is all I am capable of providing as a mother at the moment, even though the trauma could have been so much worse. And speaking of J.K. Rowling, I was up late last night finishing the last Harry Potter, so maybe fatigue is a factor here too. (Loved the book, though!)
I had intended to talk about bike camp, YMCA camp, and our other activities in the past week but I am a little shell-shocked from this morning so I'll keep it brief. 
Ethan did well at Pedalheads, but as his instructor noted, he is stubborn, and is perfectly capable of riding without training wheels when he decides he wants to. I know he had a great time, though - to quote the E-man, it was "a million times fun"!
Jack was apparently the cutest kid at YMCA camp - all the camp leaders (strangely named Sandman, Cookie and Strawberry Shortcake) commented on how gentle he was when they washed the "babies" in the bathtubs. They posted pictures of him around the room powdering and diapering the babies. Who knew he was so good at that? Maybe because he spent so bleeping long in diapers? He had fun at the camp but can't wait until bike camp for him next year.
Grandma "Sugar" treated us to a movie on Sunday - we all went to see Ratatouille. 5 admissions = $50 + food. No wonder we don't take the kids to the movies ever! It was a fun movie - better for Ethan's age than Jack's, but they both still liked it.
Signing off for this week - I think I need some more tea. Or maybe a Gin and Tonic. ;-)
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