and so the injuries begin...

I was taking some pictures of Metta just before it happened.  The first of many injuries by a brother.  Once when she was just a few weeks old- Zeb stepped on her head. But he had crocs on- and it wasn't a direct hit.  This injury was definitely a direct hit.  and a hard direct hit.

When it all happened- I was playing with Metta and trying to make her smile or do her crazy faces- Here's a good one :)  She LOVES to spit- and this is the warm up before the splutter.

 She sits up now- and after sitting for awhile she starts to get tired.  She had just plopped over and was lying on her back. I had stopped taking pictures and was just talking to her- when Ike walked over and started talking to her with me. I never looked up at him so I had no idea he had a weapon.

I'm not sure how it happened- or what happened- but he dropped this bat - fat end first- DIRECTLY on her head.

It landed right on her forehead from top of her nose to the tip of her head.  It was the LOUDEST clang imaginable.  I rarely get riled up or really upset as a parent but as soon as the bat hit her head- I FREAKED.  Only because I was mortified.  I thought for sure she had a crushed or cracked skull. That she'd have brain damage.  I'm a worst case scenarioist.  She started SCREAMING right away.  And I ordered Zeb and his friends (he had two over!) upstairs and Ike to the couch pronto.  I didn't actually scream- but I had that terribly scary mom voice that I think my kids have only heard once or twice- and they could tell I was DEAD SERIOUS and pretty scared, too.  Ike started crying immediately.  I tried calling Kent at least five times- and was trying to console metta and check her out.  I went to google and checked out 'signs of severe head trauma on babies' to see if she had any problems.  All I could think was that I'd be investigated for throwing my baby against a wall! Kent has seen too many kids with these types of injuries and 'stories'.

Long story short- she was totally fine.  Kent called about 10 minutes later (he'd been with a patient but saw that I called a gazillion times) and had me check some things. She'd calmed down pretty fast, ate, was talking to me, and smiling.

All of the other kiddos on the other hand were traumatized! I went upstairs to find 2 of the 3 boys crying.  I told them I wasn't mad at any of them and that they had done nothing wrong- I was just really worried about Metta.   Zeb kept crying and through his tears sobbed: "well, I'm worried about Ike!  you hurt his feelings, mom!".  I guess that's a pretty good best friend.

Zeb was mostly worried because Ike got put on time out for an HOUR.  It may sound pretty harsh- but I had warned ALL four boys that I didn't want them playing with the bat. I had hidden it under the couch (one of the boys brought it over) and told them all SEVERAL times that if it came out and ANYone got hurt by it- there would be a ONE HOUR timeout punishment.  Ike sat there for an hour and barely budged. At thirty minutes he asked if time was up- and then sat there another 30.  He knew I was serious and pretty stinking upset.

He really is a good little boy and obviously did not mean to drop the bat on metta's head! Today was his first day of preschool! we are doing another friend co-op. He LOVED it.  Every minute of it.  And several times today has told me that he will not drop a bat on anyone's head.

It was so weird to go to the gym with only one kiddo today!! 

It should be nice to have some one-on-one metta time. Too bad she's a jabberwocky already.  I was kind of hoping for a little bit of car silence.

This is one of my favorite of her outfits. The stripes. the polka dots. and the teal headband.  dressing a girl is a lot more fun than dressing boys!