Elias fell out of his kitchen chair last night. When he hit the floor his two front teeth punctured his lower lip. I sat on the ground and held him to my chest as he cried. "I know it hurts," I said, as I tried to get a better look at the inside of his mouth.
"No it doesn't!" He sobbed and sucked the blood from his lip.
I didn't see him fall and I didn't even come running when I heard the crash. The boy falls all the time. It was only when I heard him cry that I knew something was wrong. He lay on the ground and swung his arm at me when I approached. That's when I saw the blood.
After checking his teeth and cleaning his face I tried to determine what happened. While in my head I was trying to decide if we needed to go to the E.R.
"Did you hit the edge of the table?' I asked
"No the floor. You should..." He cried. "You should put carpet down there!"
Ah yes, carpet, the saving grace. The protective cushion we all need. If only...
"I'm sorry Bud." I said as I held his head to my chest. "But you know, wherever you go there will be hard floors. And you will fall. But the thing about you Elias, is you will always get up again."
Its morning now and as I write I'm waiting for Elias to wake up, to see how his lip looks, and decide whether he'll need stitches. I'm hoping it will heal without intervention because I'm dreading trying to hold him still as he fights every attendant who attempts to help.
"I wish I didn't do that!" He said last night as he cried in my lap.
"I know. I always feel that way when I fall too."
Such a poignant post! Here's hoping his lip heals on its own!!
Posted by: Becka | 03/22/2012 at 08:11 AM
Oh! Poor sweet, Elias! I wish he didn't do that, too! Hope no stitches are required.
Posted by: Niksmom | 03/22/2012 at 10:23 AM
luckily he has you to comfort him. hope his lip looks better.
Posted by: fleming | 03/22/2012 at 11:25 AM
Christy, You always say the right words when needed. Hope no stitches were necessary.
Posted by: Mom and Dad | 03/22/2012 at 01:08 PM
Kinda of smart about the carpet. You know the joke? Your first child falls, splits his lip--rush him to the ER. Your second child falls, splits his lip--rush her to the bathroom and slap on washcloths. Your third child falls and splits his lip--and you yell " Stop bleeding on the carpet!"
So...what the heck, there's no moral. Just wanted to make you smile. Hope Elias is just fine when he wakes up.
Posted by: danielle in zurich | 03/22/2012 at 01:16 PM
Hope it looks better in the morning! But boy can it look like a lot of blood!
Posted by: Kate | 03/22/2012 at 02:05 PM
No stitches needed! Wahooo! His lip was pretty swollen this morning and the cuts on the inside of his mouth are ragged and fleshy and driving him a bit crazy but the openings on the outside are already scabbing over. The Doc said the skin on the inside will get pulled back in during the healing process over the next week or two. He woke up in tears but by late morning was in good spirits. Now if we can just keep him from playing with the openings...Thanks all for your words and Danielle for the smile:)
Posted by: Christy | 03/22/2012 at 08:20 PM
The little booboos of life...definitely I felt my kids pain long after they brushed me off and were showing off their trophy scars. If they only knew the remnants of what ifs that go through.mommy's head!
Posted by: Crickett watt | 03/22/2012 at 10:34 PM
relieved to hear that. have a great weekend!
Posted by: fleming | 03/23/2012 at 07:30 AM