O-Ring

Friday night Daniel called to say he was on his way home.
"Okay Aubrey! Let's get everything picked up -- Daddy's coming home!"
Aubrey chose to pick up the fridge magnets that seem to never actual BE on the fridge.
I hear her say, "Hey Mom, look at my ring!"
Then, "Heeeeyyyy, it's STUCK."
Then, "AAAAHHHHHH!!! HELP!!!!! IT'S REALLY STUCK!!!!!!!!!"

I see Aubrey with the yellow O magnet lodged over her index finger knuckle with the top part of her finger swelling and turning colors by the second.

It was REALLY stuck.

I tried cutting the plastic magnet with a pair of our strongest scissors, but it was no use.
Aubrey was panicking (and so was I), so what do we do?
"YOU NEED TO GET HOME NOW!!!!" I said in as calm a voice as I could muster over the phone to Daniel.
After telling him our situation, he coolly said, "Just get an ice pack for her finger, and I'll take care of it when I get there."
The second he walked in the door, he went into action while I physically restrained the kicking/screaming/freaking out munchkin.
He had her soak her finger in an ice bath to reduce the swelling.
He tried to slip off by applying some oil around the area.
Nothing was working.
I was already envisioning Aubrey at a piano recital while people murmured, "And can you believe she only has nine fingers?! Yeah, something about a tragic childhood accident..."
I can be dramatic, I know.
Finally Daniel went in with the wire cutters, slowly and carefully snipping away the freakishly strong yellow plastic until the finger was free at last!

The sad little finger stayed swollen for awhile...

It was pretty traumatic for us all.

Needing to get things on a happier note, we wiped our faces, put on our shoes and coats.
This evening called for dinner at a restaurant (we never go out to eat...) where Aubrey recovered over a grilled cheese sandwich, fresh fruit, and a chocolate frozen yogurt cone at Jason's Deli (did I mention that we never go out to eat? :)).

And all was well once again.

Except for the O magnet.

Which is more like the C magnet now...

Miracle.

Today Aubrey and I were helping a friend get her littlest munchkin in her car after lunch. I opened the car door and went to get the little guy when, all of a sudden, a mighty gust of wind came barreling through...

WHAM!

I looked down and saw Aubrey's hand IN the car door.

She cried out in a way I had never heard her cry before.
It was excruciating pain and trauma.

I had to OPEN the car door to release my poor baby's hand.

I scooped her up.
Ran with her to our car.
Loved on her the whole way.
Tried to get her to move her fingers.
Strapped her into the car-seat.
Constantly reassured with "It's going to be okay, sweetie!".
Frantically called the pediatrician's office.
Was informed that Aubrey's pediatrician was on maternity leave.
Her fill-in doctor was out for the day.
All the nurses were on their lunch-break.
I was put on-hold for what seemed like an eternity.
They were all booked up the entire afternoon.
All the while my munchkin is WAILING in the backseat.
I tell the lady on the phone, "Well, I'm on my way. We'll wait there until someone can see her."
I started praying.
Hard.
For Aubrey's hand to be made whole.
For her pain to go away.
For a window of time to open up at her doctor's office.
For favor with all the employees once we got there.
I called my sister and asked her to start calling all our prayer warriors.

Then, I just took a front seat and watched God preform miracle after miracle...

We walked into the doctor's office and didn't even sit in a waiting room chair. A nurse appeared and called "Aubrey?".

The x-ray tech was back early from lunch.

Aubrey stopped crying and was perfect during all the x-rays.
(I later found out that my sister was praying that Aubrey would cooperate and not be afraid.)

A pediatrician concluded that there was not a single broken finger, no fracture, no tendon damage. Just some bruised bones and swelling.

I drove home with a singing Aubrey in the backseat.
Carried her inside.
Took off her shoes and socks.
Gave her a dose of Motrin.
Laid her down with her hand propped up on a lovey.
Sang her a song.
Said a quick prayer of thanks.
And kissed her sweet, little forehead.

She slept for almost 4 hours.
When she woke up, the swelling had nearly vanished.

I have replayed the entire car-door scene in my head over and over today.
I can see as clear as day what her fingers looked like when I opened that door.
Those of you who know me, know that I do NOT have a stomach for "injuries".
When I saw her hand, I thought I was going to vomit in the parking lot.
It was bad.
I was convinced every bone in her hand was shattered.

When I see this x-ray of her sweet fingers, I see a miracle.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you...

Sunday Snapshot

Here is Daniel after he hurt his back this weekend putting Aubrey in her carseat.

To his defense, the girl is not light, and she isn't the easiest child to strap down in her seat. There is a level of physical difficulty involved. However, the scene that played out when the injury occurred was quite dramatic. When we got back home, it didn't get much better (as you can see in the picture above).

Once we finished dinner, Daniel went to lay down on the couch and said, "Uhhh...I left my Coke on the table...can you bring it to me?"

I brought it to him, and then he whimpered, "Can you get me a straw too so I don't have to sit up to finish it?"

"Seriously?! Ugh, okay."

After he took a sad, little sip, "This one has a hole in it, I need another one."

Oh. My. Gosh.

You can imagine all the "I could really use a back massage..." requests.

After some rest and several recommended doses of Ibuprofen, I am happy to report Daniel's back is much better. He can even drink his Coke in the upright position. No straw needed.

Hmmm...maybe I'll be lucky enough to hurt my back next weekend. ;)

Sunday Snapshots

Aubrey got her first skinned knee this weekend...

She didn't shed a single tear, not even when we (and when I say "we" I mean "Daniel") cleaned the wound. I'm hoping this "Big girls don't cry" attitude will carry over to her 1-year old shots that are just around the corner.

And to end with a little Oklahoma flair...the three of us went to a local garden nursery this afternoon. It sure was a far cry from the azaleas, magnolias, gardenias, hydrangeas, and topiaries we grew so accustomed to in Birmingham!

These prickly boys below reached to the tip top of the large greenhouse...incredible! And for only $259.99! ;)
Maybe it's just my Southern roots (no pun intended), but when you put a cactus in your front yard it just doesn't quite communicate, "Welcome to our warm, inviting home!" does it?

It's a hard "knot" life...

Okay, so I'm pretty sure this officially takes Daniel and me out of the running for "Parents of the Year."

Just the other day Daniel was digging through our safe for his social security card to get final paperwork completed for the start of his residency this week. Since this isn't a typical item out in the open, Aubrey was instantly drawn to it. Of course...gray steel box vs. toys all colors of the rainbow that sing songs and light up. Gray steel box is sooooo much more enticing.

I made the comment as she dashed over to it, "Be careful -- we don't want the lid to close on your little fingers!" and then...

WHAM!

Fingers are fine...but the noggin? {I don't think I ever used the word "noggin" until I had Aubrey. Now it's about as common to me as "the".} One slight slip on the corner, and a lovely goose-egg has been laid.

{Pictures can be enlarged to get the full effect.}

Just a couple of minutes after "the fall" -- this picture pretty much sums it up.

After the initial screaming subsided, a frozen pink and purple caterpillar ice pack, one hefty dose of baby Tylenol, and lots of smoochies from mommy and daddy -- she was completely back to her old self, and singing for some puffs.Also, having a doctor in the house has already proven to have its perks. I would have, without a doubt, rushed this child to the closest ER bawling my eyes out right along with her the entire way. Thankfully, we have Daniel. He checked her out, laughed at my hysteria, and told me she was completely fine.

The knot is getting better, but it's still there. And as much as I'd like to get out of the house and start exploring our new stomping grounds, I've resorted to stay holed-up until it's gone. I just can't take Aubrey out in public with that neon, flashing sign on her forehead shouting, "BAD MOM! BAD MOM! BAD MOM!"

Aubrey doesn't mind staying inside. So many new things to explore!

1 day post boo-boo:

2 days post boo-boo:
Oh, and did I mention this accident happened on the one day we didn't have insurance? It was the day between Daniel's last residency and the start of his new one. We made the comment that morning, "Okay, no one can get hurt today!"

Luckily, I just recently unpacked this book...

Based on Psalm 91:

Let AUBREY dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Be her refuge, her fortress, her covering, her shield. Do not let her fear the terror of the night, nor any type of plague or sickness. Do not let any harm or disaster come near AUBREY. Command your angels to guard her in all her ways and keep her from hurting herself. When she calls on you, answer her. Be with her in trouble; deliver her and honor her. Satisfy AUBREY with long life and show her your salvation.

AMEN!