All Fours

Everyone seems to be feeling better today, illness-wise. I still have some kind of cold/sinus thing, but the kids are better.

I ended up having to call DH at work and ask him to come home an hour early yesterday because my ankle was getting so bad. After rest, ice, ibuprofen and keeping it elevated most of the rest of the day, it was a bit better last night. DH went out and got me an ankle brace and I was able to walk a bit with that to help immobilize the ankle.

This morning the girls were so sweet and helpful. They did their chores cheerfully and helped entertain Baby E.

I was hobbling around the kitchen getting breakfast ready when AJ said, "Mom, you sit down and relax. I'll take care of everything. I can get Baby E her breakfast."

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She coaxed Baby E to climb up into her chair, and then got her cereal and her sippy cup. Both girls sat with Baby E and they all ate breakfast together. AJ and M&M hovered over me, bringing tissues for my runny nose, drinks of water, and anything else they could think of.

Baby E wanted to nurse a lot, so it worked well to sit on the sofa with her while I let the older girls play the computer game AJ got for her birthday. It's a historical paper doll game, with pictures and information about different people and clothing styles through history. The girls had a lot of fun putting together and coloring outfits from different eras.

Baby E went into the playroom with the older girls, and they were doing a great job of entertaining her. I limped slowly and carefully down the hall to briefly check e-mail in the next room.

Then I heard a thump and a cry.

AJ yelled, "Mom! Baby E's chair fell over and landed on M&M's foot."

I rushed down the hall, forgetting about my ankle.

Just at the door to the playroom, I stepped on it at the wrong angle and went down.

If you had asked me at that moment what the pain was on a scale of 1 to 10, I might have blurted something like "Twelve."

There I was, yelping and crying, kneeling at the top of the steps, lying with my head halfway down the flight. I hadn't fallen down the stairs, but I didn't care where or how I was positioned at the moment, as long as I wasn't standing on my left foot. I was simply prostrated by the pain.

M&M and Baby E were both sitting next to an overturned chair on the playroom floor a few steps below, holding their legs. M&M was crying outright, saying, "My foot, my foot, it hurts!" Baby E was whimpering and saying "ow"--looking slightly pleased that HER leg hurt, too. AJ stood in the middle of the chaos, sending concerned looks from one to the other of us.

I managed to sit up, rocking back and forth, still moaning. By then I could see that neither child was badly hurt, but I couldn't go to them. We all sat where we were, holding our legs and crying.

The humor of the situation struck me and I began laughing through my tears, and apologizing to the kids. They all looked so worried. I tried to move and howled again, sitting on the steps with alternating chuckles and sobs.

"Come here, girls," I said, "And I'll give you a hug. I'm sorry; I can't walk. My ankle hurts so much. Isn't this silly, all of us like this?"

AJ brought a pillow and put it under my foot, there on the steps. M&M came and nestled up to my side, showing me her sore foot. Baby E stood at the bottom of the steps saying "Mama? Mama? Ow? Mama?"

I hugged M&M and checked her foot. Then I held my ankle and rocked back and forth, tears running down my face, trying to smile and look cheerful for the kids. "It's okay, guys. Everything will be okay."

"Can you get me the telephone, AJ?" I asked. "I think I need to call Daddy."

She couldn't find the cordless phone. So I scooted gingerly on the floor, down the hall to the bedroom. Baby E thought it was great fun to have me down on her level, and laughed as she followed me on her knees. Then she went behind me and "steered" me from behind. We all giggled.

AJ and M&M helped navigate: "This way, Mommy. . . careful. Right over here."

AJ got M&M and I both situated on the bed and went unbidden to bring us both some ice water and snacks. AJ says she wants to be a "missionary nurse who sings and makes music for fun and does ballet for exercise" when she grows up. I wouldn't be surprised if she does.

M&M begged to be the one to call Daddy, and I let her dial and be the first to talk to him. She told him the story of the falling chair, ending with, "Mommy's ankle hurts really bad. She needs you, Daddy."

I talked to DH, reassuring him that I was okay, but that I thought a trip to the doctor was in order. Then I called the doctor and made an appointment for this afternoon.

DH is home now, taking care of the kids so I can stay off the ankle.

Suddenly, crawling seems like a pretty good method of locomotion.