Yesterday, the weather was beautiful, and the girls were stir crazy in the house. So, we got our shoes on and headed outside. The trampoline is the favorite toy between the girls, so that's where we headed. Gracie has loved bouncing since day 1, but Lilly has had to warm up to it. Slowly, she has gained courage to stand, walk around, and even bounce. I stand to the side, watching, and scolding when they get too close to the edge, thinking that this is the best possible way that I can let them have fun, and still have control of them. I found out that even though I am right there, they can still be hurt.
The girls were playing tag with each other, running round and round. I hadn't noticed it, but I think Lilly got really dizzy and disoriented. So, instead of running in a circle, she ran straight for the edge, tripped on the spring mat, and launched head-first off of the edge of the trampoline. She landed on her head with a loud "thud" that made me nearly throw up. Of course, I was already running for her, but couldn't catch her.
It took her a few minutes to scream, which seemed like eternity to me. She didn't go unconscious, but she wasn't moving. I started to dial 9-1-1 because I was afraid to move her, but I noticed that she was trying to move her torso. There was no bleeding; she landed in very soft sand and grass. I just sat there with her, looking her over, waiting for her to try to move to make sure that she didn't have a spinal injury. I noticed that the damn ants were trying to crawl all over her, so I gently picked her up and layed her on the trampoline. By then, she was moving her arms and her head. Her legs were not moving. I pinched her legs, poked them, and tickled behind her knees. No response. I tapped her knee to induce a patellar reflex; which, thankfully was still intact and was a good sign that her spinal cord was not injured. And then, miraculously, she moved her foot. A second later, she rolled over, hopped up and started trying to jump on the trampoline. To which, I said, "No ma'am, I think we are done with the trampoline today". Thank you God for saving my beautiful Lillian!
Gracie's Act of Kindness
While we were all sitting in the living room, spending time together last night, Ivan started fussing after finishing his bottle. Casey and I tried to comfort him, and finally decided that one of us needed to go get his pacifier. I didn't even really know where it was, and knew I needed to look for it.
What we didn't notice was that Gracie had been missing for a few minutes. We heard her cry for help from the other end of the house. Casey got up, thinking he was going to get on to her for messing with something in our bedroom and getting caught up. So he stormed off, mad...
Only to find our precious child in Ivan's crib, trying to get out, with his pacifier in her hand. I have never felt more proud in my life, of a child, so sweet and loving, that she wanted not only to help me but also to take care of her brother.
Casey lifted her out and she came running to her brother and gingerly put his "paci" in his mouth. Casey and I stared at her in amazement, with tears in our eyes.
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