Water gun Wars and Wrestlemania 5

So as I sat quietly trying to update the blog yesterday, the kids got out waterguns and were having a blast(ha ha) in the back yard. Of course before I realized it, it was 11:30- so I called my friend Tracey and she was at the pool so I packed up the kiddos and met her there. My four somehow expanded to 6....Kiera tends to do that to me- she always ends up with friends who are package deals with their siblings....I look at it that she gets to spend 2x as much time at their house so it all balances out.

Lily kept trying to drown herself. She is convinced that she is a world class swimmer. She would end up over her head, a foot from the wall and just flail for a second before I realize she's in trouble and save her. Sometimes she surfaces with a goofy grin and sometimes there is a hint of terror- usually it is accompanied by a belch that would put most grown men to shame. At one point I tell her to stop trying to drown herself that I am working very hard at keeping her around- Tracey says "JEN!" Of course SHE gets it, but other people are looking at me with disbelief. What- it's true.

Two hours later, a small child pukes in the pool. Great big chunks. Not one of our children- although not because of Lily's lack of trying.....Hence the rule- after eating wait 30 minutes until swimming. After 30 minutes most the chunks will have digested and everyone won't have to clear the pool and call maintenance to shock it. Well, we're all fairly toasty anyhow. Time to go home.

I impose quiet time on the children, mostly so I can lay down. Keeping track of 6 kids at the pool is exhausting. I ply them with popcorn and juice and a movie and sneak to the front room for a minute. I just need the twilight consciousness nap- I hear what's going on and can react if necessary. I hear that Phillip and Kiera have started Wrestlemania 5 in the backyard. I hear giggling and then thud. Here it comes. Kiera's hurt- she's doing the hurt cry- I hear Phillip tell her- don't tell mom. Kiera sneaks upstairs. And this will conclude todays attempt at a nap because the crying woke Bella who is now poking me and telling me that she is "gungry" and that I forgot dinner. I think we may have technically forgotten lunch- but they graze all day anyhow. I look at the clock- 5:30- yeah I made it to dinner time- t minus 2 hours til the little ones go to bed!

Kiera comes to me holding her head. I check it out- meaning I look at her head and do not notice that her brain is falling out. It hurts, she tells me. Are you bleeding? I don't know, she shrugs. Investigate and get back to me. Put some ice on it. She comes back- it stings. Hmm- stinging means broken skin- time for me to investigate. She shows me her hand- it's covered in blood. Oh joy. I set up gauze and water and section her hair into ponytails away from a half inch gash. Its starting to clot, but bleeding pretty good. I clean it up. Hold gauze on it for a minute and it seems to be slowing. I think she'll live. She wants to go show Sophia- sure- be back for dinner.

When Phil gets home I tell him to check her nugget out when he gets a chance. That is Phil and Jen code for - DO we really have to make another trip to the ER? We check it out over dinner. I don't think it needs stitches. But then we notice there's still blood running out of it-oh bugger. Phil makes that face. That face that means - I hate to disagree with you my love but my opinion varies from yours significantly. I do a quick internet search to compare gashes, lacerations, depth and need for stitches. At a minimum she should have some dermabond glue applied to prevent infection- infection on the cranium=bad. Ok I relent. He takes her to the acute care clinic. Less than an hour later- he calls to report they are on their way to get ice cream- her noggin has been glued back shut and she will in fact live. Didn't I say that like 3 hours ago??? This is why I send him- he always gets out of there in less than an hour- I end up sitting there for 3-7. Phillip has been pacing and fretting since they left- he feels responsible. He sighs. What have we learned? No wrestling. More importantly- No wrestling by the bricks. I told her to come tell you. As it turns out he said "go" tell mom and she knew they were busted so she hid in her room for awhile. Crazy kids. Another uneventful night in the Mallory house.