Sunday we were all gathered at my parents house to visit with family that I hadn't seen since our wedding. Andrew was keeping up with all the bigger kids, running and playing. One of them was being a little rascal. While we adults were still eating at the picnic tables, I saw the three youngest boys run off around the corner. I got up to make sure they weren't going to chase chickens or go past the electric fence. What I see instead is one of the boys laying on top of Andrew keeping him pinned to the ground. Andrew wasn't crying but making a distressed whine. I just yelled to him to get off, he complied, and I walked away. Later, though, things didn't go as well. Andrew was standing on a chair leaning against the railing of the porch. Kaleb, who is four, came over to him and pushed him over the railing. That is quite a drop to the ground for a little two year old! It even knocked Andrew's shoe off! Andrew was crying hysterically as I yelled to my brother to tell him what just happened. I let him deal with Kaleb (who completely disappeared) while I tried to calm Andrew down. I should have taken him straight to the ER according to a couple of other mommies and nurse friends I have - but that never crossed my mind. He was walking and crying and I assumed those were good signs. I was just grateful he didn't break his neck (or anything else!) and be killed or paralyzed. The potential was there.
Once he calmed down, he did go back to playing, although to me he was a little more subdued. He seemed to know who was responsible. When Kaleb was told to apologize and give a hug, Andrew backed up, sat down on my lap and didn't want a hug. Poor kiddos. A lot of drama.
Sunday night, though, he was definitely a different child, very melodramatic and needy. He repeatedly told me about his hitting the ground when I was trying to get him ready for bed. That whole night I was scared and praying that there wasn't anything internal going on (like brain swelling or bleeding, or fractures) that I couldn't possibly be aware of by observing him.
Monday was difficult for me. I was already emotionally strained and he was behaving oddly and out of character. Although he was happy during parts of the day, he seemed out of it at the same time which concerned me. Everything else was an issue and a struggle or a battle. He was defiant at times but needy, sensitive and emotional. Completely out of the ordinary. This was not my obedient, very happy, loving little boy. I did take him to the doctor Monday morning. It turns out he had a concussion. I didn't really know you could have a concussion without losing consciousness, so it hadn't crossed my mind. But one eye was dilating slowly, and he had pink in his ear she said was from the fall. We got him a chiropractic adjustment which he cried hard through (to the point he nearly vomited on me), but I'm glad I took him. His side and back were tense and his neck was out. He did appear to feel better once it was all said and done. He still seemed off most of the day - clumsy too which is unusual. The whole experience felt traumatic to me too listening to him cry so hard two days in a row.
Here he is hanging out with his cousins:
Tuesday morning he was about 90% back to normal. Still a little emotional, but seeming more like his usual happy self. I was so relieved because this day was his first day for a Mothers Day Out program. He was going to spend from 9-1 doing activities with other 2-3 year olds under the direction of one adult, in a fun classroom setting. They told me that he had a grand old time, and was very well behaved. She told me more than once that I have a really great little boy - he's sweet and well behaved. I was so pleased! Of course, I expect nothing less given how well behaved and polite he is at home, it's still nice to hear from someone who is around hundreds of kids each week. I don't know what they did all morning, but he did have two drawing activities and they made turkeys out of construction paper. It's cute. The teacher put the glue on and then he pressed the paper and eyes in place. He seems proud of it which makes me happy. His hands are stained red from a marker. He got red marker all over his hands and on his shirt too. She said it's supposed to be washable, but a baby wipe didn't take it off, and neither did soap and water. And when he woke up from nap this afternoon, he had a red handprint on his thigh - he must have slept on his hand. lol He also hardly touched his lunch. He asked for peanut butter and jelly, so that's what I gave him. Along with a bunch of snack foods. It looked like he only had one bite of his sandwich, two small bites of a granola bar, a few yogurt covered raisins, and his package of fruit snacks. After his nap, he didn't want anything to eat but peanut butter. Straight peanut butter. So I mixed some almond butter and coconut oil into a dish of peanut butter and let him have it. I used to love eating spoonfuls of peanut butter straight.
Here he is ready to go! Holding the only lunchbox I had:
*HUGS*
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