That Kid

When Ella was one, going on two Kevin and Debbie sent up a Musical Chair as a Christmas gift. Ella loved the chair. Upon putting bottom in seat the chair would sing and lights would flash, there was a talking clock and book attached. Shortly after receiving it Debbie called to say that she had been notified that the chair had been recalled because a child had gotten their head wedged in between the chair and the desk attachment. You could order a special bar from Fisher Price to block the space to prevent this from happening. After carefully observing Ella with the toy I was confident that there was absolutely no possibility that she could/would want to stick her head in that small space.

3 afternoons a week Ella has preschool and I am home with Keaton. This used to be his nap time but now he only naps once a day and this gives us some quality time – together alone. He is at a really great stage where he doesn’t need my constant entertainment, he plays with his toys, walks around checking things out, brings me things to discuss and off he goes again. He jabbers to himself the whole while which makes it very easy for me to keep track of him. When I don’t hear anything is when I know he is up to no good.

We had one of those moments today. I was watching the US Airways plane being towed out of the Hudson when I realized Keaton was silent. And before I could turn around I heard a deafening MAMAMAMAMA. I whipped around prepared to see a severed limb on the floor. Nope, just Keaton with his head stuck in that chair! I could tell immediately that he wasn’t hurt or in any danger, he wasn’t particularly scared either. He was MAD! I seriously contemplated making a run for the camera but I figured I should heed Bob Saggot’s advice and “put down the camera and save the baby”.

It was then I realized that I was going to be the mom with “that kid”. You know, the one that at any given time will have a broken bone, stitches in their head, missing a tooth that was never loose etc. Not a naughty kid, just a fearless one.