A Mother's Guilt

I wish I wouldn't have given into the begging yesterday. I said we didn't have time to visit the playground after gymnastics class. There was some begging and some whining and I gave in. "But only for 15 minutes," I said. Five minutes into it, and Mr. H here had a scraped up face, a mouth full of dirt and a broken arm. I've been kicking myself over and over for even allowing that trip to the playground. I just had that feeling that it was a bad idea. But I rationalized it by thinking I was just being a lazy mom so I should take the time to let him play with his friends.

Hudson was a phenomenal patient. He sat quietly watching Charlotte's antics in the waiting room. He was patient with me when I had to wrangle Charlotte, rather than hold his hand. He held really still for his X-Ray; and did everything the doctors asked of him. Several other patients in the waiting room "assured" me by saying, "I'm sure it's not broken. If it were broken, he'd be crying." He's so tough. Even last night, B told him he was sorry he'd had a bad day and Hudson responded with, "It wasn't a bad day. I had a good day." I love him to pieces. I just wish I would have said no to the playground yesterday.

Charlotte, on the other hand, was a maniac at the doctor's office. She pulled the dirt out of the potted plants, she startled more than a few elderly ladies who were convinced she was going to get away from me. She rolled around on the floor, blew raspberries on the chairs, and dropped cheerios behind the chairs. When I tried to hold her, she rewarded my efforts with an angry bite to any exposed skin she could find. While we were in the doctor's office looking at the X-Ray, she yanked the keys out of his filing cabinet and took off running (and giggling wildly) down the hall. Luckily the doctor had a good sense of humor. While at the doctor's office, she was called "little guy" or any other term for a little boy upwards of 7 times. A nurse called her a "rough, tough, little girl." While another described her as a little firecracker.

So you'll have to excuse me today. I'm scheduled to help at preschool (which is good, so I can make sure he doesn't try any daredevil stunts at recess). And I think I've got my hands full for the time being. So don't forget to enter the CSN giveaway...the winner will be announced tomorrow.