It's all fun and games...

...until someone loses an eye.

I'm sure we've all said that and laughed (especially those of us who have or work with children).

Today, I'm not so much with the laughing.

Today, baby N got cut on his eyelid. Though he seems absolutely fine now, it was a horrifying experience for me.

With a little veggie lentil in his teeth...

There is a play picnic table in our hallway, that little A uses for painting. He is drawn, like a moth to a flame, to this picnic table. He likes to climb up and onto the table and then sit there. I know this and have been meaning to move this table...but (like a few other things around here) I haven't gotten around to it.

Today, while he was on the picnic table, I was right there beside him, letting him explore his movement abilities. I had my hand on his back the whole time. When he stretched forward just a little too far and toppled, I caught him. But not before he managed to bang his eye on the corner of the bench that is right NEXT to the picnic table. He (of course) cried, and I (of course) comforted him ...and grew increasingly alarmed as I saw the blood on his right eye. If you recall from the last 'bonking' incident, I have little to no experience with toddler bumps and bruises (b/c little A was not an explorer).

Fortunately, my friend Brenda was over (just dropping off a toy for him) and thankfully she has TONNES of experience with toddler accidents and injuries. I just said "what do I do?" and she said "I'll get ice" and went to the kitchen. She met me at the diaper table where we compressed and iced (as much as we could) and baby N screamed (at least until we stopped compressing and icing). She talked me calmly through, and overall, it looks like he's going to have a cut and a bruise.

Still smiling...

The bleeding stopped quickly (which she said was good sign) and I gave him some Tylenol (which seemed to please him). After feeding him lunch, where he was more than happy to mug for the camera, he went for a nap.

You should see the other guy...

I should also be napping, but the adrenalin from this incident has just got me too wired and I can't sleep. I keep thinking about how lucky he was...just a little bit more one way and he would've banged his eyeball (and vitreous humour is one bodily fluid I can go my whole life without touching!!). Also, had he hurt his eye seriously, he would have to stay in this region long-term, as it's the only area I know where 'pirate' is still a viable career option.

Okay--now he's awake...I've got to go and assess him (again).

I promise to self-flagellate until all visible scarring disappears (and thereafter, whenever I look at the picnic table).