Toddler Falls Out of Second Story Window: The True Story

Yesterday was Olivia's first day of preschool.

It was cool when the kids woke up so I lifted the blinds and opened the windows wide.  Not just to save money on AC, but because I hate the feeling that we as a human race are constantly stuffed up in artificial heat or cool and never connect with nature and the fresh air.

Later that day, I put my kids down for a nap.  I didn't close her window because (can I be honest here?) honestly, it didn't even cross my mind.  If it had, of course I would have.  Of couse!

 Olivia came down stairs twice, and I sent her back up.

Finally hoping that she was asleep, I settled into watch Project Runway.  At about 2:40 (sometime I know thanks to the time stamp on the phone call I made moments later) I heard a crash and a scream.  I realize immediately that she had fallen through her screen.  I don't know why, but I ran to her bedroom.  Maybe I was hoping she was still hanging on?  No she wasn't.

I ran down stairs and opened the front door.  Olivia was standing up and we ran together and I held her close.  I pulled her away to survey the damage and realized she was bleeding from her chin.  I set her down on the step and ran to get a towel for her deep gash. 

Once that was in place I started searching for my phone.  Who to call???  When ever I was unsure of anything about my child's health, her pediatrician's office had always been there for me.  So that's who I called.  We don't have a lot of money, and I've had to pay for an ambulance ride before.  There were clearly no broken bones and from the way she had stood up and walked to me, I knew there wasn't any OBVIOUS injuries, other than her chin.  I knew her Dr could stitch up her chin and check for other injuries.  If they told me to call 911 instead, I would have.

I called and they told me to come right in.  So we drove as fast as legally possible.  They saw us very quickly and cleaned her wound.  The doctor checked for injuries and gave her a few tests with her hand eye coordination.  She was passing them all.

She had stopped crying and was acting totally normal until they put this thing on, and she was NOT HAPPY!

Just to be safe we wanted some xrays and a CT scan.  She was stable, but obviously needed to be checked out further.  The hospital nearest me?  Doesn't take my insurance.  So we decide on Primary Children's.  Probably as far from my house as you can get in the Salt Lake Valley.  I'll drive her over and meet Adam there.

Just to be safe, they want her in an ambulance.

This is less than HALF of the paramedics that showed up to take Olivia.

Just because of rush hour, they want her in a helicopter.

Three police cars, two ambulances, one fire truck and one helicopter later, Olivia is safely off to the ER.  Axel and I are to drive SLOWLY to the hospital.  Adam is already there.  She was crying pretty hard when she left on the helicopter.  Do you know why?  The neck brace was bugging her and she didn't want to lay flat.

A series of xrays, a CT scan and six stitches and Olivia is completely good to go.  We get home and Adam sleeps in her room just to be sure.

Loving the attention.  Singing everyone her favorite songs.

Naked because they cut all her clothes off!  But having a good time painting while we wait for a CT scan.

We're so blessed and so lucky and so thrilled that she's okay.  I just can't even let myself think "What if" because that is a dangerous game.  It's debilitating.  My father-in-law told me not to look back, and I was glad because I had already decided not to.

It was too hard to ignore the negative comments on all the facebook news reports.  But honestly?  Reading negative blog comments has prepared me for this.  I know exactly the kind of person that posts them, so it really (not kidding!) hasn't bothered me.  I just wanted to set the record straight. 

Easter Weekend

One of the first things I ever bought Olivia (before she was even born) was an Easter dress from Old Navy.  But other than her yearly new dress, we haven't really celebrated Easter at our house.  I just knew she wouldn't care about an Easter basket and I didn't want her to have any candy before she turned 5 (obviously I caved).  This was the first year the Easter Bunny came to our house.  And since I have a phobia of masks, we may never visit the Easter Bunny like we do Santa.

Saturday Olivia and I were still in bed at 8:30 (Olivia had been up since 6:30), Axel was still sound asleep, and my friend texted me to see if we wanted to meet at the city Easter egg hunt.  I wasn't planning on it, and getting two kids ready so quickly seemed like an impossible task, but it was so nice out we gave it a shot.  We were actually early and got to play at the park a little bit before the hunt!

She was really happy, despite what this picture seems to convey!

Olivia was really amused with this mom and her DSLR. 

Okay I admit, so was I.  Her daughter could seriously not care less.

Later we went back to the park with Adam.  That is one thing about Axel quitting his morning nap that I actually like.  We have a little more time to do things during the day.

She thought it was so cool to wear dad's hat!

Axel hasn't done is mean face in a long time, I was happy to capture it on camera!

And this is our Easter Bunny haul:

The nice thing about having 1pm church is that there is a little time for pictures before (because after church the kids clothes are practically falling apart and they don't have any hair left) Being on time to church (instead of 15 min early) meant that we had to sit in the chairs instead of the pews and I spent all of sacrament meeting chasing Axel.  But these pics are worth it!

I guess if we were going for that 80's trend of looking off into the distance. . .

No sibling love here.

Axel got stood up.

Axel's face in this picture is my favorite thing ever.

Waiting to get off the rock.

Happy Easter everyone!! 

Vintage Toddler Sweatshirt

I might get a little attached to my clothes.  Not all of them, but I get weirdly attached to some things.  Like this sweatshirt.  I just love a thin, worn sweatshirt.  Plus I took this one to college with me, so it was a little sentimental to begin with.  I think my mom bought it at a thrift store and I don't really know how I ended up with it, but I did!

After the sleeves started getting a little tattered, I cut them off as well as the neck and wore it to work out in.  After several years like this, the waistband was even starting to tatter.  So I knew it was time to give this guy up.

Or not.

I decided to upcycle it for Olivia!  And thus one of my new ideas for my etsy spring line was discovered.  Vintage toddler sweatshirts.  I don't have boxes of awesome sweatshirts so I'll have to start frequenting the thrift stores more often.  But seriously, how cute is Olivia in this new top?

It's a little nerve wracking to let my kid walk around in this shirt, but it's already been spit up on, thrown up on and food splattered on it, so I think it's safe.

Olivia's first fashion post

So like a million years ago my friends Aubrey and Jacq did one of their funny posts, What Guinevere Wore, where they copy the fashion from a toddler.  I agree that Guinevere has super cute outfits and I really wanted to join in, but I never have anything I can use to match her.  But Olivia had the exact outfit as G in this post so one day I got her dressed and we practiced posing. 

And now I realize we didn't put on shoes.  Oh well!

The best nativity set (FREE!!)

Axel has been taking awful morning naps lately, but I don't mind because he sleeps like a champ at night and that is (almost) all I ask.  But during his 30 minute morning nap I like to do an activity or project with Olivia.

After I made hand turkeys with her, she was obsessed.  After a couple days of that, I got her on to Christmas trees (I drew the tree, she would decorate it, usually with arms and legs).  But today I printed out a nativity set from seriously the most creative blog I have ever read.  Made by Joel just updated his nativity set (click here) and added some shepherds and more animals.  I loved the original set he posted last year, but I never printed it out.  I don't know why, maybe I thought Olivia was too young? 

Olivia coloring in the pieces.  No I did not do her hair like this, she just asked for the bow and I put it in.  I'm actually surprised it lasted this long.  Probably because it's stuck in there.

To say this was a hit would be an understatement.  She colored all the pieces (in pink because when we like something why change?) and once she finished the first page I started cutting.  It is a testament to her age I think that she sat and played with the pieces after they were all cut out.  Just two months ago I don't think that would have been the case. 

I helped her set it up the traditional way and then I let her play and set it up anyway she wanted!

After a few minutes of playing at the table, she asked to move to the floor.  It's more comfortable there I'm sure :)

So this isn't an ad, more like a public service announcement (I'm into those lately) because everyone should have one of these!  I totally want to print out my own set and color it with insane detail (I freaking love coloring)

Five years, five sentences

I recently found Madeline's blog and I think I comment on almost every post.  Commenting is hard for me since I usually don't have free hands (thanks to reading blogs while I nurse) so you know your blog is conversational if I really NEED to comment. 

Yesterday she wrote one sentence for each of the last five years.  I thought that would be a fun post to copy, so I did!

2009
Adam finally agreed to marry me in November.

2010
We (the teachers of Jordan School District) almost went on strike at work and lost our jobs, which would have been bad because I got pregnant and needed the health insurance.

Pregnant here, can you tell?  Everyone kept asking me if I was pregnant, so it must have been super obvious.

2011
Olivia was born and I started a blog (not this one, or even the one before this one)

Baby blogger

2012
Adam found a good job so I quit teaching and got pregnant again.

Olivia was still a baby and I was expecting another baby!  Eek.  But she grew up a lot in those 9 months.

2013
Axel was born and we bought a house!

Thanks Madeline for the idea!

A Day in the life

As a blogger, "A day in the life" posts seem seriously narcissistic.  But as a blog reader, they are some of my favorite to read.  Something about knowing how other people pass the day makes me feel more normal/gives me ideas for things to do with my kids!  The main thing I've learned is that Olivia cannot entertain herself as well as most of my friends' kids can.  Hopefully it's a learned ability, we certainly keep working on it!

6:00 am Axel wakes up to eat and I'm super impressed he slept until 6.  Lately he's been pushing for 5:30 and ever since our trip to CO I've been letting him.  He goes right back to sleep and I try to stay awake (Adam has been gone for 30 minutes) but we spent good money on our bed and it should not be wasted.  So I snuggle back in.

7:20 I wake up for no reason.  But I decide to read my scriptures and shower before the kids wake up.  Since they are still sleeping when I'm done, I catch up on twitter and insta back in my super delicious bed.

8:20 Axel wakes up.  I know Olivia has been awake for a while, but she hasn't called for me.  I get Axel and we both go get Olivia up.  She loves when we both get her.  I nurse Axel while Olivia watches Sofia the First.  Then oatmeal for everyone!

9:00 Kids and I play in Olivia's room and I sneak away for minutes at a time to do my hair and make up.

10:00 Target trip! I got some fun things for Olivia in an attempt to help her play independently.  Sidewalk chalk, a notebook with lined paper, stickers and play dough. 

10:45 Nap time for Axel.  Olivia plays with sidewalk chalk, but is not impressed.  Olivia plays with play dough.

11:30 Axel wakes up and I'm relieved because now he'll take his long nap when Olivia takes hers.  Olivia is done with play dough and moves on to stickers.

12:00 lunch for everyone!  Peanut butter and jelly for Olivia and orzo pasta for Axel and I.  It should be nap time after lunch, but since Olivia stopped watching TV during lunch, she can eat those three bites of sandwich in four minutes.  So after lunch we played and read books in her bedroom.

1:00 Nap time for Olivia.  Then I nursed Axel to sleep.  And then!  Me time.  I do a little blogging, watch a little TV.  Sometimes I sew during this time.

2:00 Axel woke up earlier than expected.  Dang constipation ruining our schedule.

3:00 Olivia wakes up and we play a little more playdough and then watch Little Einsteins.  (I always ask her if she would prefer Sofia or Einsteins so she feels like she's making the choice but either way I win because those are two shows I don't mind).  Adam comes home at 3:30 but then leaves to go have his car inspected.  6am-2:30 is his new work schedule, but he'll be working out after most days so he will be home at his usual 4-4:30.

4:00 I try to put Axel down for a nap several times, but no dice.  5pm is the point of no return.  If he hasn't napped by then, no nap for him until bedtime at 7pm.

5:00 I start making dinner and Adam gets back from the tire store.  I made chili and corn bread waffles.  The kids play while I cook (for a few seconds until Olivia decides to come and "help" in the kitchen)

6:00 We eat dinner.  Axel eats green beans, banana, and corn bread.  He stayed happy as long as we were feeding him!  After dinner both kids go into the tub.  Then I nurse Axel to sleep and give him a couple extra ounces of pumped milk.

7:00 Olivia and I read like 20 books in her room.  And only ten minutes pass!  Axel stirs so I go and give him some Tylenol for his teeth that are about to pop any day.  Olivia gets to watch some Team Umizoomi with dad (I would never allow that show because it bugs the heck out of me these days)

8:00 Olivia goes to bed.  Adam and I watch some netflix and I pump right before I go to bed at about 10. 

Everything about this day was so great until about 4pm and then Olivia just went into super destructo mood and tried to pull everything out and go crazy in the kitchen while I cooked dinner.  After her bath she was much more pleasant!