Lessons: Take 2

They always say that it gets easier as you have more kids. I’m not certain what “it” is, but in many ways this is a true statement. One of the things that I’m thankful I learned with kid number one is that the amount of blood that can gush out of a person’s mouth is not proportionate to the magnitude of the injury. It appears to be far, far worse.

I’m extra thankful that I learned this lesson when Jon was home and I wasn’t alone. When she was a year and change, Kate managed to fall flat on her face on the kitchen floor while still strapped into her space saver high chair seat. On Mother’s Day. Just a few days after we had arrived home from the hospital with kid number 2. This was the first time we’d experienced a massive amount of blood with a child, and it made us awfully nervous. My parents came over to be with our newborn and we whisked the big sister off to the pediatrician. No major injuries, probably just a quick meeting of her teeth and her upper lip. With the instructions of “Give her popsicles to help with swelling,” we headed home feeling a little sheepish about busting down the door of the doctor for what was essentially nothing.

Fast forward two years and a few days to a running, jumping, skipping, hopping, anything but walking 2 year old boy. And a face plant and skid on the front sidewalk of our house. While Daddy is at a meeting. I’m not a big fan of blood, but I’m pretty okay with it if it isn’t flowing from a gaping wound or something. I braced myself as I scooped up the screaming bundle of energy and it all started coming. Big sister quickly unlocked the front door and ran inside to grab some tissues. Some apple juice, anything cold he’d let me get near his mouth, and 20 minutes later, the bleeding was finished, too many Wiggles songs had been watched, and we were all ready for bed.

I’m so glad I learned the nasty bloody mouth lesson with my firstborn. It saved me energy that I already didn’t have and kept me calm, knowing that it wasn’t nearly as bad as it seemed.

What lesson have you learned with one child (yours, or someone else’s!) that saved you with the next (or your own) child?