Boys

My mother watched my 3 nieces and 2 nephews for my sisters while I was growing up.  What I remember most from growing up with them was my dad yelling "IN or OUT" because they were forever going outside, changing their minds and then going back in.   Back and forth, back and forth, and I can still see my dad cringe every time the door slammed... every 2 minutes.  What I also remember most is my two nephews and how much trouble those boys could get into.  They were constantly falling down stairs, throwing things at each others eyes, sword fighting with any sticks they could get their hands on, scraping knees, knocking out teeth and wrestling with each other.  They are both all grown up now, one in college playing baseball and the other one in the army.  It's pretty amazing to see the men they've become.  And at the same time it makes me want to cry because it feels like just yesterday they were these little babies with bruises asking their Aunt Mandi to sword fight with them.

Tear.

So, anyway, Miles has a lot to live up to when it comes to bruises and injuries.  But it seems he's up to the challenge.  On Friday my mother called me at work and all I heard in the background was screaming.  "Mandi, the baby's been hurt.  His eye is bleeding."  Now, I know my family.  If my sister Rosie had called with this message I would have said, 'Oh really?  His eye?  I'll be there when I get there.'  But my mother has watched so many kids grow up, she knows the difference between a little bruise and something worse.  If she's worried about an injury, I need to take it seriously.

I've never driven so fast in my life.

On the way, I called Tony because he was closer and I told him to get home as fast as he could.  Miles was hurt and I didn't know any details because I couldn't get my mom back on the phone.  Needless to say, she had her hands full.  We both drove home praying that his eye wasn't seriously hurt.  Tony got there a few minutes before me and when I walked in the door Miles had stopped crying.  But his eye was still so bloody that I panicked.  It honestly looked like he was crying blood. 

Daddy and this toothbrush make things better!

Thankfully he calmed down enough for us to see that the cut was just near the eye and not on it.  It was such a close call.  He had followed my mom into the bathroom and tripped and smashed his face into the metal trash can.  I was just so grateful that his actual eye wasn't injured... just right next to the eye. 

Sleeping picture, the only way to see it well.

Now my beautiful baby boy looks like a drag queen.

Who does your makeup?  It looks fabulous.

My poor mother though... talk about a horrible feeling.  My heart broke when I saw his swollen, bruised eye.  I cannot imagine being there when he fell and seeing blood come out of his eye.  I would have freaked out.  My mother was so shaken and scared.  She really handled it like a pro, better than I ever would have. 

Thank goodness for Grandma's!

Cuddle bugs

No pictures please!