Monday, December 17, 2007

Mother of the Year

Today after running on the treadmill (or what I like to call "Attempting to burn what I will eat at the Great Cookie Swap of 2007"), I went upstairs to take a shower. I took my time getting beautiful (because it DOES take a long time for me) and made sure I looked my best (I didn't).

It was then time to turn my attentions to the Princess and take her breakfast syrup-soaked tangles and turn them into something lovely. I called and called, but she didn't come. Not even when I used my loud yelling voice or my angry impatient voice.

Assuming she was paralyzed by the hypnotic powers of Noggin (because it's like preschool on TV!), I took a trip downstairs to retrieve her. It was not until I had my hand on the basement door that I heard her screams.

Rushing down, I find her head pinned awkwardly between a collapsed metal folding chair -- her body twisted and tangled -- and unable to get out. She was hysterical and sobbing (understandably). I pulled her free and felt pangs of guilt as I saw the large bruise on the left side of her face. I have no idea how long she had been like this, but I suspect quite a while.

What added salt to this already painful wound (for me, not her) was when she said, "I thought you were in the other room and just wouldn't come get me."

Yes. My child was painfully pinned between two pieces of metal and she thought I would not help her.

I must be the best mother. Ev-er.

Stupid Mondays.

27 comments:

Kristin said...

You will all look back and laugh at this someday, remember, at least you did get her out.

Annie said...

Oh, Stie. And poor Hannah. Every kid needs to learn the Metal Folding Chair lesson (why do they all get sucked into the folding chair vortex?!) and now she's crossed that off her list!

Tomorrow will be better. Sometimes that thought is all that keeps me going :)

Bridget said...

Oh, poor Hannah. It was probably her imaginary friend's fault. YOu know, the one who is refusing to play with her. I think you should have put that girl in time out.

Lisa said...

Oh, your poor baby.
You're not a bad mom, I've done things equally as bad.
Hope she is feeling better.

Hollyween said...

This is so sad! Poor baby!
One time my son Levi was playing in his room really quietly and I finally decided to check on him. The same thing happened. I heard screams. He had lodged everything but his head in the tiny space behind his bed and the wall. His feet were NOT touching the ground. He was literally hanging by his head behind the bed.

It happens.

Diane said...

I am soooo sorry! Give that little girl a big hug from me ok?? While you're at it, have someone give you one from me too (I actually think you need one more than she does!) My next door neighbor dropped her newborn little boy on her neighbors cement stairs today and had to take him to the hospital. He'll be ok, but he fractured his skull in two places. She is so upset at herself about it and keeps going over and over it in her mind what she should have done differently. I think she'd agree....Stupid Mondays!!

D-dawg said...

oh Stie!!! I'm so sorry! That is heartbreaking! A similar thing happened the other day with my little girl and I felt so bad too. But what can you do? Just try not to beat yourself up about it. You would be a bad mom if you had snapped a picture real quick for your blog... and you didn't. So you're a good mom!

TheCatLord said...

((HUGS for you)) stie, just take comfort in knowing there are other mothers of the year out there. take me, for instance, i have given birth to 7 children so i have had LOTS of chances to wear the mother of the year crown(well, mine is actually a tiara, but you get the point). i too, have fractured a skull. ((HUGS for hannah))just give her lots of hugs and kisses, (i usually throw in a little shopping) and she'll be fine. resilient little creatures...but she may never want to sit in a metal chair again.

Paige said...

I still wish you would have gotten a picture! Another star mommy moment is when your kid is somehow stuck painfully in the crib and you ignore it because they just need to stop their bellyaching.

danandcindy said...

Maybe now would be a good time to fill your blog friends in about the time you tied me up in the basement, and left me to cry (where I was given the nickname "foghorn")for hours. These two stories sound strangely similar... You're probably as good of a mom as you were a big sister... I hope your kids survive.

Kimberly said...

Poor Hannah and poor Dan! I am so glad I never had to experience being the youngest child. I do feel super bad for Hannah and being pinned between the chair, I hope she's okay. I did, however, laugh so hard when I read Dan's comment...it brought back memories...memories of torment on my own younger siblings. Thanks for the laugh!

Jake said...

Poor Hannah...she will need therapy, of course. But since you have documented all her adorableness on the blog and in scrapbooks, she won't have too much evidence against you!!

Just give her a whole pack of pink erasers and she can make her favorite religious ornaments. That oughta make her feel better...

Emily said...

Don't worry. My kids play in the oven.

Melissa Angert {All Things Chic} said...

Did she plan that to happen RIGHT before Christmas? So that you would feel extra guilty and buy her a pony?

Anonymous said...

lol...that's crazy. i'm glad she's mostly okay though. kids are silly.

Ashlee said...

You are NOT a horrible mother. Every mom has yelled the angry yell when their kids don't come because USUALLY they are completely ignoring you. It's a trained response. ;0) And every mom has found, that at least on one occasion, it was really because their child needed THEM. Sigh. The joys of motherhood.

Wendi said...

Stupid mondays. Stupid folding chairs.

This is how one of my good friends always answers her kids, "I know. I'm probably totally screwing you up. I'll pay for your therapy later."

Mamaof3 said...

I'm so sorry this happened! I have had things like that happen (and they might be happening right now for all I know...right behind me as I type! LOL) I hate feeling that guilt and thinking my kids think anything's more important than them...I'm sorry! HUGS! You're a great mom! Don't let it get ya down!

Sparky said...

Stie,

You are an inspiration to mediocre parents everywhere.

CPS is on their way.

Musings of a Housewife said...

GACK!!!!!!!!!! Awful. That reminds me of a horrible incident... Well, I'm not as brave as you. I'm going to keep my stories of parental negligence to myself. ;-) NO, really, there is a similar incidence with my middle child that still haunts me. :-(

Anonymous said...

Umm, my oldest (now 14) got stuck in a chair once - literally, stuck. He had to be sawed out, yes, sawed. w didn't even look back and laugh... we laughed at the time. He wasn't in pain. And it was funny. Hey, it's either laugh or cry.

Jessica said...

Man, that just kept getting better!

Yesterday, I realized I hadn't seen my 2 year old in around 30 minutes, (FABULOUS PARENTING, huh?) and started searching. He'd climbed in our van and buckled himself in his seat and of course couldn't get out. It was 25 degrees and he was all red and blotchy and it got him a good 30 minutes of mommy time, so I could erase all my guilt.

Travelin'Oma said...

Josh was terrified of the car wash and would always scream like a banshee when we drove through. I would just try to block it out and ignore him. One time he was hysterical, as usual, and I turned around (probably to tell him to shut up) and the window was down.

Actually, now that I'm telling this story, I'm wondering if it really happened. Maybe it happened to someone else. But it could have happened, and the point is that if it did happen to Josh, he turned out pretty normal in spite of bad mothering. So Hannah will probably turn out about like Josh now that she's been abused, too.

Unknown said...

awe, I am so sorry, you are not a bad mom...happens to us all. I hope she is ok.

Carie said...

You can be assured that you are a good mom because you got her out first, rather than getting your camera and taking a picture for your blog.

mamasuisse said...

Hello Stie. I've been stalking your blog ever since I saw your address on Paige and Celia's address blog. I grew up across the street from Queeny Park. What ward are you in?

Don't feel too bad about your daughter thinking you wouldn't come get her. My daughter once asked me if I put poison in her water!

AMY said...

Oh Stie, we all saw your post about your rodent-like minion slaving away. What did she do to get banished to the basement? Really? Just teasing. That's awful. If it hadn't happened to all of us (at least three times) then maybe we'd judge you (and put in a few calls to CPS).