Close Call

I'm guessing that I'm not the only parent who's had numerous close calls with their kids' safety.  Those heart stopping moments where you hold your breath and pray that they're ok.

I remember one especially close call that left me screaming soundlessly and it wasn't in a nightmare.  I was awake and it was real.  Carl and a friend were crossing a parking lot and a car zoomed within inches of them.  I was so terrified it left me reeling for days.  I'm still militant with the kids in parking lots.  People around me must think I'm nuts, constantly barking at them to stay next to me or to have their hands on the car.

This morning as I was getting myself and the kids ready for the day.  I let them play in the pole barn Mark's building on an amazing little vehicle called "the green machine."  They laid eyes on it and have not been able to part with it for more than minutes ever since.  Carl was literally asking at 6:15am if he could go out and ride it.

I said ok then saw him taking off for the barn and tried to talk him into just riding around the driveway but really, why settle for exposed aggregate driveway when there's a whole pole barn with nice smooth concrete just calling your name.

I figured that my nervousness about someone swooping by to grab him on their way to work was just being over protective and let him go as long as he checked in periodically.

What I didn't expect was that Charlie would follow him out there and decide to try and ride the back hoe from Mark's tractor (that's currently detached) like a bronco.

As I was done with my primping, Sarina's lunch was all packed, her hair was done, the kids had breakfast and their morning ovaltine (moo-moops for those who know) and I still had minutes to spare before the bus came. 

I felt pretty good about myself. 

Not to mention the kids were already outside getting fresh air.

Then Sarina comes racing from the barn, frantic.  All I could make out was "Charlie" and "barn."  She was crying and clearly terrified.

I ran as fast as my long skirt and flip flops allowed and found Charlie stumbling toward me with one shoe on- sobbing.

I checked him from head to toe and didn't see any blood or protruding bones. 

Then I understood his foot had been caught...

He must have used the levers and moved them just enough to pinch the side of his Romeo boot. 

I tried pulling it out but couldn't budge it. 

And I think I'm pretty strong.  Hefting around 50 lb bags of chicken and dog food from time to time doesn't make for a complete wimp.

Thank God he was wearing those shoes.  Most of the time he's running around barefoot.

I'm trying not to think about "What if..." 

It took me a good 45 minutes to stop shaking and for my heart rate to go back to normal.

You always hear terrifying stories about kids and big equipment.  Grandpa Charlie was just talking about how he had his leg caught in rototiller when he was little.  Who doesn't have a grandparent who lost a family member on a tractor accident?

It's one of those things about living in the country. 

Absolutely terrifying. 

But I try not to be too obsessed, just cautious.  I want all my babies to keep their limbs and digits.

And this was too good not to share.

UPDATE

Here's the shoe after it was liberated from the clutches of that nasty old back hoe:

And I'm still SO grateful that for some strange reason he put his shoes on that day to go outside and play.  Most days he's zipping around like Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Phew!


Here's Elsa.  It's 60 degrees outside.  She's sporting one of her brother's cleats and one of her sister's "ugg" boots. 

Ahhh, to be 2 almost 3 with the wind blowing through your hair as your swimsuit falls around your waist and your neighbor's trampoline calls your name...

And I must say, dinner tonight was awesome.  I made refried bean taquitos (a can of refried beans, two salad spoon sized spoonfuls of southwestern salsa and a sprinkle of cheese rolled in a flour tortillas-10- and baked at 400).  They gobbled it up- all 4 of them!  And that's RARE.  I served it with dipping sauce of the salsa and some of my sour cream, ranch dressing, taco seasoning and milk concoction.

For me, it was a cup of purple cabbage, an orange and a talapia fillet broiled with garlic salt and fresh ground pepper dressed with balsamic vinegar and Frank's hot sauce.  Just 4 days of 500 calories left...

Mark gets firehouse chili.  Lucky.