Tuesday, July 7

Probably the worst day - ever!!

I decided to take the kids to the movies this morning. There is a local theater that offers a free movie on Tuesdays and the seats are filled first come-first served.

We left a few minutes late and by the time we got there, the theater was full so we were turned away.

My mind began running a hundred miles a minute trying to think of what else we could do.

It's getting hot outside and we are in jeans. I didn't want us to get cold in the movies but I didn't plan ahead enough to grab shorts to change into in case this happened. Because it's hot and we're in jeans, our options are limited.

I load the kids back in the car and figure I'll head towards the house to get shorts & figure something out on the way.

Noah's complaining that it's hot so I roll the windows down. Natalie doesn't want her window down so she's telling me to roll her window up.

"Mom, it's hot."

"I know. Hang on."

"Window up."

"Mom, now where are we going?"

"Window up."

"I don't know, Noah. I have to think about it."

"Window up."

"What's our fun special surprise going to be now?"

"I don't know, Noah. Please wait."

"Window up."

I rolled the window up and she screams - as loud as I have ever heard - blood curdling scream.

I turn around in my seat to see her finger in the window. In the midst of the craziness that is my life, I forgot to look to be sure her fingers were out of the way before I rolled the window up.

I roll the window back down and pull back into the parking spot. I get her out of the car and her finger swells instantly. She won't bend it.

I call Dave in tears - "I think I broke Natalie's finger."

I proceed to tell him how I did it. We agree that if the dr can deal with it, we'd rather pay a co-pay than for an ER visit.

I call the dr and take the next available appt. We rush home to put on shorts and rush back out the door to the dr office. Noah does his best to make Natalie laugh and keeps her distracted from her finger the whole way home. He's really getting so big and is the best helper.

The dr looks at it and thinks it might be fractured. We have to go to the hospital radiology for an x-ray. The dr looks in Natalie's ears to see how they look since she just finished a round of antibiotics for an ear infection. The ear infection is still pretty bad - stronger meds for 10 more days.

A few hours later the dr calls and confirms my worst day ever - Natalie has a hairline fracture between the top and middle knuckles of her left index finger. She has to wear a splint for 2 weeks and then we'll see how the finger is healing.

So here's my day: I woke up early to take Noah and Natalie to a movie and instead I missed my Starbucks, we missed a movie, Natalie has an ear infection and a broken finger. But, hey - on the bright side - Noah enjoyed his day :) He has a thing for dr offices and hospitals.

I guess to answer his question from this morning - "What's our fun special surprise going to be now?" - a trip to the dr and a trip the hospital so they can take a picture of Natalie's hand.

I think we'll stay home tomorrow!!