The Crum Family: Mommyhood is dangerous!

This past week I have notice how dangerous mommy hood can be. I have encountered at least three physical injuries just this week.

The first two were from the notorious parenthood job hazard of toys on the ground.

Liam just inherited some new hand me down toys from his cousins. He loves them and is always carrying them from room to room. A certain Army Jeep had been moved to our room just under the corner of our bed. I had already stepped over it a few times, in fact I had just stepped over it a few seconds before I kicked is to hard I had to lean over on the bed for a while. I looked down latter and realized my toes were bleeding. I threw a band aid on it. and chalked that one up to forgetful mommy brain.

Sunday I was walking away from an uncharacteristically emotional nursery drop off at our new Church and stepped on a choo choo train. I rolled my ankle and gracefully dropped almost all the way to the floor before declaring "I'm good." to the students and nursery workers. I walked it out and my ego was more bruised than my ankle.

Now for the doozy! Warning: if you don't like gross pictures you may not want to scroll down.

Yesterday, Liam and I were making sails for the deviled eggs Moi is going to bring to Liam's birthday party. I was gluing triangles to toothpicks. Liam was being a helpful little guy, as he usually is, and was taking out the toothpicks from the jar for me. One must have escaped with him to his room. Will was in Greenville the the Wednesday night revolution, so I was preparing to put Liam to sleep. I was holding Liam taking him to the diaper changer to put pj's on, when I heard a crack and felt a sharp pain in my foot. I looked down to find a toothpick sticking out of my second toe. Uhhhh, now what.

I set Liam down so I didn't drop him and sat down to inspect my foot a little further. I thought it was just the tip but when I looked closer I could see that it was actually IN my toe. I was having flashbacks of Laura's Mesquite thorn episode. (As kids, we were camping and she got her hand caught on one, she yanked it out and about a month later had to have surgery to remove the part that was left in it.)

I hobbled over to the diaper bag to call Mr. Wilderness himself, my dad.

Drat, I left my phone in the car. I did however find my camera so I snapped a fast picture then hobbled out to the car to find my phone. Liam close behind me, to help mommy. I had given him a box of band aids to help me with my boo boo. They were conveniently on the table from my last run in with Liam's toys. I snapped another pic on my phone and sent it to Will and Dad.

Should I pull it out? What if I left some in there? What if I get little splinters when I pull? I called Dad and explained the situation. It hurt when I touched it so you can imagine my joy when Dad said I had to just yank it out really fast. OH where was Will? I asked dad if he thought my neighbors would think I was weird if I asked them to pull something out of my foot? He offered to get in the car and come pull it out for me. "No, no" I said, "I'm tough." Liam opened a few band aids for me while dad coach me on how to correctly remove it. I had dad count for me. One, Two, Three, PULL! EEEEK.... oh.... it wasn't so bad. It stung a bit but when it was out the pain stopped. It is a little sore today but I guess I will find out if I got it all in a few month. (he he, no I did, I could see it.)

I was about 2 1/2 cm into my toe.

No more toothpicks are on the floor and I am making a concerted effort to make sure all the toys are out of my walking area. Next time I am in the church nursery I will watch my step. But I have learned this week that to be a mommy you have got to be tough. Or at least resilient!