Unreserved

Even though my eldest is about to turn six, I still have moments that hit me in a “holy crap – I really am someone’s parent!” way.  Getting the letter from Anna’s teacher addressed to Mrs. Lastname was one of them.  Any time the girls are sick and clingy and I let them cough/spew germs all over me because I don’t care about getting sick myself as long as I can make them feel better is another.  I wonder if I’ll ever get completely over the wonder of having my very own kids?

We hit a parenting milestone Sunday evening – the first trip to the ER.  Anna and Claire were monkeying around on the living room floor.  Claire was trying to drag Anna up by her arm when Anna started screaming and cradling her now limp left arm.  From family history I suspected nursemaid’s elbow right away.  I called Mom to confirm, and it was off to the hospital. 

They took some x-rays as a precaution, and we hung around for a bit reading National Geographic and spotting all the “the”s  (Anna’s favorite word to read).  Anna was very stoic; she admited to being afraid that getting her elbow fixed would hurt and she didn’t want to “yell or cry.”   When did my little girl turn so tough?  A very nice physician’s assistant popped Anna’s elbow back into position painlessly.  It didn’t quite take the first time, but a second manipulation set things right with an audible pop.  Anna got stickers from the hospital and a promised milkshake on the way home and all was right in the world again.