Ups and Downs (literally)

This Wednesday started off beautifully. Kai woke up smiley after a night of {mediocre} shuteye, which is always nice, and helps propel me out of bed and into "morning mode."

I had good energy goin' so I went to the gym--to my favorite class that KICKS MY HINEY! If you want to be challenged, go to the Cardio Interval class @ Club24. Holy moley. It hurts. But, burns LOTS of calories.

I came home, took a nice hot shower while Kai hung out in the steamy bathroom in his exersaucer. I like to keep him in the bathroom with me while I shower because he has a cold and the steam kind of loosens everything up, and he seems to really enjoy being in there with me. Maybe because I sing him songs and draw pictures on the steamed-up glass....

Then disaster struck (I told Gary I was hesitant to tell this story because I didn't want people to think I was a bad Mommy. He said, "well, ya kinda are..." But then kissed me (that retracts the previous statement, right?!)

I was dressed, out of the shower and enjoying a large bowl of blueberry oatmeal while Gary was out on a run with Honey.

Kai was sitting in his BUMBO on the counter--per the usual when I am eating, doing dishes, cooking, paying bills, putting away groceries, etc.

Basically this silly looking throne has been worth it's weight in gold.

Until, well, this week.

Kai is a BUSY boy. He is never still, and has recently gotten real busy in his BUMBO (like leaning over reaaaaaallllly far to one side, or twisting himself in awkward positions.

Yesterday he flipped out of it. Literally flipped out of it. I was washing out his bottles and he was playing with his toy in his BUMBO on the counter, and I heard a {slap}. That would be my baby face down (thankfully) on a pile of opened mail and not anything glass, sharp or hot.

He cried, with good reason. He fell right on his face. I saw the drool and snot all over our directv bill as proof.

I have to admit that I hesitated to put him in it again this morning, but thought that since I was there, right in front of him eating I was in the clear.

I turned my back for 2.5 seconds to grab an ice cube to put in his mesh teethy toy and turned back around to see him out of his BUMBO on the edge of the counter and then falling....

3.5 feet face down onto our hardwood floor.

I've never witnessed anything more horrendous than seeing my baby face down {unexpectedly} on the floor.

I screamed, scooped him up and {still screaming} ran down the hallway to my phone and called Gary.

Kai wasn't screaming--I think he got the wind knocked out of him, so he went from that silent thrashing cry to kind of a subdued moaning cry.

I was crying/screaming and running around the house. I was sure he was hemoraging...in his brain...right there in my arms.

I frantically called Gary and could barely get the words out {I} was crying so hard....

Gary said all he heard was "Kai," "fell" and "counter." He said "take him to the hospital," and then "I'll be right there." I continued to pace in my frantic state.

He SPRINTED his way home (he was at Sandstone M.S. which is actually DOWN a hill from us), uphill and all. He dropped his glove and didn't stop to pick it up. He dropped Honey's leash and just kept going (she, of course just ran herself right home!).

He arrived home several minutes later red in the face and {drenched in sweat.}

I called my Mom. I called my Mother in law. No answers. I called my sister Kelley, who thankfully happens to be here in town and is a nurse.

She came over to "assess" him and Kai freakin' smiled at her when she walked in the door, and she looked at Gary and asked if he had been rolling in the snow.

Gary and I were not convinced he was in the clear. So, I called the Doctor. She told me the signs to watch for (lethargic, out of character behavior, dilated pupils, vomiting) and said to not let him sleep for an hour. Done and done. He was up playing for two.

But I still felt like the worst Mommy, just for turning my back to fill his toy with an ice cube.

[ I spent the rest of the day in an emotionally drained daze, shooting the breeze w/my sister who I don't get to see enough of (she lives in Boise) and having a heart to heart with Gary about our possible move {back} to Seattle (for his work). Bittersweet.]

But my baby boy is just fine, and has not a mark on his 5.5 month old frame.

He seemed to just laugh it off, like "Mom I just had my lip ripped off and sewn back on...this is nothin'."

I'm thinking he has one HECK of a {guardian angel}.