Mother-of-the-year...

Something I hate more than anything about being a mommy is seeing my daughter hurt.

I remember the first time she fell into our coffee table and got a big dent in her little forehead and the sick feeling I got in my stomach seeing it happen. Then there's the time last summer that I didn't have her completely buckled in her stroller and she fell out hitting her face on the gravel in our driveway. The panic/regret I felt was enough to scar me for quite awhile.

Last night was one more example that I won't forget quickly; while playing "weeeee!" a game where we hold onto Emma hands and swing her back and forth and we sing "Wee! Wee", I set her down on the couch and she immediately started crying and saying owie. My heart sunk when I saw the way she was holding her arm: shoulder up against her neck and not attempting to move her left arm. RJ had just gotten home from work and I told him we were getting back in car to go to urgent care. He looked at her and said, "let's give her a minute to shake it off." I agreed and while I felt assured nothing was broken, my gut told me her shoulder was popped out of place.
After mere minutes of watching her arm hang and many tears. We hopped into the car and drove next door to our neighbors Dave and Lisa Foster who are on the ambulance crew here in Sully. After a quick conversation with Dave, (who kindly told us the same thing happened to him with Shelby when she was little.) we were off to Grinnell to get her looked at.

I would say, "long story short," but there's really no need to shorten it as we were in and out of the ER in about 15 minutes. The doctor asked what happened, felt her arm and moved it up and down, and said, "yep, there we go." And that quick she was using it again. A ligament in her elbow had popped out of place. She confirmed her complete recovery by showing the nurses she could use it to reach for a Thomas the train sticker:) A suggestion of ice and tylenol if need be, and Emma sweetly telling the doctor and nurses all "Thank You!", we were out the door to Mc Donalds; where had it not been for the red nose and remnants of tears, you wouldn't have had a clue she was just at the hospital.

I'm beyond thankful it was nothing worse and after reassurance from my own mama that the same thing happened to me several times...nearly all the guilt was lifted. (Although I'm sure it will return quickly when we get the 15 minute ER bill:()

As my mom kindly told me, "Welcome to Motherhood!" :)