Smooshed Fingers

Tuesday night the kids were all in the back of the house playing. One of the big kids had to go to the bathroom. Grace tried to follow said child. The kid wanted some privacy, so slammed the bathroom door. The only problem was that Grace's fingers were in the door. Her fingers got smashed up pretty good. Her older sibling was devastated as we watched Graces fingers swell to twice their size. Grace cried and couldn't comfort herself because it was her left hand, her thumb sucking (and occasionally finger sucking) hand. I couldn't tell exactly what the damage was but nothing seemed broken so I put her down for bed.

In the morning I could tell the skin on her ring finger had been peeled down to the base of the fingernail. I covered it up and called the doctor. We decided to watch it and if it didn't get worse to keep her home. So of course it got worse. Despite my best efforts to keep it covered she managed to catch her fingernail on something while I was making dinner and lift it most of the way off. Another call to the dr's office and we headed out the door to see the after-hours pediatrician. Michael was helping a neighbor move so I loaded all four kids up and went. The doctor looked at Grace's finger and told me she wasn't comfortable giving Grace a digital block and taking the nail the rest the way off. So she sent us across the street to the ER. Me and all four kids. In the ER. With a sad Grace. And I had forgotten Sam's sling. And his pacifier. It was an experience I will never fully be able to block..er I mean forget.

After fifteen minutes in the waiting room (not too bad), being checked in, another 15 minutes in the waiting room (still doable), 1/2 an hour in the ER room (shoot me now), an X-ray (really, she's fine, it's just the nail) the doctor came in. Grace was sucking on her injured finger. He looked at me and told me I needed to keep her finger dry and covered. Cue maniacal laughter from anyone who has ever been the mother of a 16 month old, babysat a 16 month old or even been in the same room as a 16 month old. I managed to keep it together enough and not laugh in his face. It was hard but I persevered. He then numbed her finger, pulled the nail the rest of the way off and put a band aid on her finger. This did not make Grace happy, especially considering it was 2 hours past her bedtime and she hadn't had dinner yet. It took all of five minutes and we were done. And Grace had her new band aid off before the doctor left the room.

She should start to grow a new nail in 6 to 8 weeks. In the meantime my house is littered with used band aids I faithfully put on her and she promptly rips off.

Sun Valley - The Recreation

We only managed to swim Friday night. Michael was working on Saturday and I came down with a horrible, nasty stomach virus. That was not the highlight of the trip. Being stuck in a hotel room with four kids while I kept making mad dashes to the bathroom was not part of the original plan. Ethan and Libby contented themselves with watching cartoons that were simply horrible. The pool was simply lovely Friday night, though. The evening was cool so I was a little worried but the pool was heated and felt wonderful. It felt absolutely decadent to be swimming in the warm pool on a cool evening. We all wished we could have went swimming more.

Isn't the pool pretty?

Michael came back to the hotel room around lunch time on Saturday and found a half dead wife. So he packed all four kids up and took them out to eat lunch. I climbed in the extra long tub and accidentally feel asleep. At the restaurant the gal who was bussing the tables gave the kids stale bread to feed to the ducks. This was definitely a high point of the trip.

Sun Valley - The Inn

Michael was asked to go to Sun Valley to video record a cardiology conference. We decided it would be fun to go up as a family. On a side note, if there is a next time we decided it would be much more relaxing to go without the kids. Not that we don't love our kids and all but a break every now and then is nice. Back to the narrative - the original plan was the kids and I would stay at a house his grandparents have owned up there for eons and Michael would stay at the hotel. Well, the people at Michael's work decided to put us all up at the Sun Vally Inn. I haven't even been in a hotel since I was 17 and never in one that was so fancy (and hecka expensive) as the Sun Valley Inn.

Sun Valley even has its own coat-of-arms or emblem. These were everywhere: on doors, in the sidewalk, on walls. The kids kept asking me why they were there. I tried to explain it but I think they are still confused.

Yep, I did. I took a picture of the front of the Inn and I know how cool that makes me. I had to, though, because this is the fanciest place I have ever stayed or probably ever will stay.

The room. To be honest I expected a bit more...something. Maybe some gold-plated faucets, diamond door handles, Tiffany Glass, something. The colors and details did make me feel like I was in a 30's movie. I just needed a long sweeping night gown with a sheer robe to complete the feeling. Alas I only had the hotel standard issue terry bath robe.

The housekeeper did come in and turn down the bed for us. She put a box of chocolate on each bed and then she noticed the kids (who had been checking out the bathroom). She smiled and put an extra box on each bed. The kids only managed to smear a little chocolate on the white bedding. Like I said, next time they are staying with their Aunt.

Sam's Baby Blessing

Isn't he stylin'?