Julian's growing pains

Most days Dan and the kids pick me up from work. That way he gets out and about and I get more time with them (though the quality of the time is questionable - mostly yelling and screaming and hitting and asking for snacks). Some days it's just Dan who picks me up. We actually get to talk or just sit in silence (with the radio on). I usually text or call our sitter that we are on the way home. Last week, I called her up explaining our tardiness, mostly our fault but also Cubs traffic and construction. I wasn't anticipating any real information sharing or problems, but she begin to explain something about someone's finger getting slammed in the bathroom door. The two boys obviously playing with the door or chasing one another...From the phone call I thought it was Christian who got hurt, and as there was no dramatic screaming I thought it was ok. Then we got home. Dan went to pick up some Thai take out and I stepped into the fray, only it wasn't the usual hubbub. Christian was on one couch watching a show; Julian was sitting on Abby's lap looking unhappy. Then I knew I had misunderstood. It was Julian who was hurt. Christian had slammed the bathroom door - for privacy - and Julian's pinky got caught. It had bled, but stopped. And so it had seemed ok, but now the entire nail was falling off and first was getting in and I can only imagine it was throbbing. I called Dan to pick up a first aid kit - our medicine cabinet was not sufficient - and he brought home all the supplies necessary. He did the honors of opening the nail to clean it out applying the neosporin, and then tightly wrapping the nail and finger with a bandaid. Julian has been wearing one ever since. The nail is still falling off, but there is evidence of a new one growing underneath. This was Julian's first BIG OWIE. Though he's had plenty of minors falls and spills and scraps.

But it doesn't end here! This week Julian also had a big first...his first FLU. Again, our sweet babysitter was on call. I'll expound less on this episode due to its graffic nature. Suffice it to say that there was toddler puke on the carpet and couches, and all over his clothes. How can you tell a toddler to puke in the toilet?!? And then the following day it was the other end - plenty of diaper changes for that.

Julian bears it all well. He's a bit whiny but has the ability to distract himself with play, food, etc. I could definitely learn from him more about how to handle life's roughness in a gracious way.