He's Fine!

Last night, Bantam2 (formerly Bitty Bantam) ended up in the ER. Since he turned two, I've noticed--even just over the last three days or so!--a greater propensity toward daredevil action, and last night he tried climbing out of his crib. He's done this before, but we made it harder recently by moving the bookcase he used as a ladder.

So apparently he crashed--and scraped his head on a toy lying on the ground as he landed. We were unaware, initially. He didn't make a sound that we heard, and we were ignoring his four-year-old sister's hollering, since she always wants one more thing after she's been put to bed. Eventually I decided her calls sounded somewhat urgent, though, so I went to investigate.

I was met by the sight of blood everywhere, it seemed, but actually it was just on her sheets (her mattress is on the floor near his crib) and covering Bantam2's head. We rinsed off what we could with cold water, but it seemed there was still a sizable cut of some sort, and I didn't want to go shampooing and rubbing a cut that might need stitches...so it was off to the ER.

We had to wait nearly two hours, as it turned out. Bantam2 had a fine time, though, charming everyone in the waiting room, staying alert and lively until we finally got to see a team of nurses and a doctor, close to midnight. He was acting so delighted to be there that I was not surprised to learn that it was only a large scrape on the top of his head. The only sound he made as they dabbed at the area with hydrogen peroxide was an occasional belly-laugh at the nurse who was assigned to distract him. They couldn't believe how happy he was, especially at that late hour; the doctor couldn't resist picking him up to hold him for a minute afterward.

Bantam2 is such a good-natured fellow. And very cute, with long curly eyelashes on his elven eyes, which he bats winningly at men and women. He utters the happiest little sounds too, that are starting to sound more and more like words. The other night at dinner we pointed to each one sitting at the table, and he tried to say our names; his language is coming! He's definitely "getting into things" more aggressively now, and he's becoming more stubborn about certain things (doesn't want the high chair, wants the booster seat; wants to get his own water from the front of the refrigerator; doesn't want his banana cut in half!).

I missed doing a birthday post for him, so I guess this is it. Goodbye babyhood, goodbye Bitty Bantam...hello Buster, Bruiser Bantam2! I hope you won't stop snuggling just yet. I thank God every day for your life, for the blessing you are to all of us. I pray for wisdom to raise you through your twos and threes--and protect you, adventurous, fearless risk-taker that you are. Praise God for watching out for you too! I know He loves you even more than I do, though that seems impossible. What a privilege to be entrusted with your life!