When
my boys were very little I had 4 under 5. I was grateful they were healthy. I
was also very tired and many days only grateful for sleep. The year my
oldest was 5, my twins were 3 and my littlest was 1. I was particularly
exhausted. Many days were really about survival. One particular
morning I had locked myself in the bathroom to splash my face and
brush my teeth.
Like
any other day Justin (who was three) knocked at the door,
”Mama!!!
Mama!!!”
Let
me state here my twins were speech delayed - they loved
cooing to each other but had trouble with everyday words. I breathed deeply and
probably was a bit cross,
”I’ll be out in a
minute!”.......
Was a minute too much to
ask???.........
“MAMA!!! MAMA!!!”
He was getting cross with ME!
“Just a minute – please!!!".
Justin wouldn't take no that
day, “MAMA!!! POISON!!!”......
My heart sank - I knew immediately
something was terribly wrong.
I flung open the door and Justin
raced ahead to our dining room where Devin (who was one at the time) sat
in the corner eating out of a bottle of Ibuprofen. As I grabbed him and pulled
what I could out of his mouth I could feel my entire body shaking. I must have
gone on automatic pilot as I rinsed out my baby's mouth and dialed poison
control.
My prayers were answered that day by
the lovely lady on the other end. I knew the bottle was almost empty. I had
pulled 5 or 6 out of his mouth. He would have to have eaten over 25 to require
a trip to the emergency room. Did I mention this was a few days before
Christmas that year?
The nurse on the other end said,
“Merry Christmas Mom - he'll be ok.". Other than a bad diaper or two he
was fine - I however - was a mess.
I will forever be grateful for a
three year old Justin, who barely spoke, but on that day knew the word
"poison" and knew he had something important to say. I remind him now
and again that he saved his brother from getting very sick. Of course these
days they fight constantly and he might like to forget!
What are you grateful for?
_____________________________________________
You can learn more about Patty Gasparino on her blog, My Life Under The Bus
17 comments:
Ah, you made me teary eyed this morning! What a great story! What a great reminder too for me to enjoy every minute of the day! Thanks for sharing Patty!
Wow, what an experience! Those heart-stopping moments as a mom are some of the most memorable for me. When my son was 3, we lost him at the beach. I'm forever grateful for the nice family who found him wandering and held onto him until we could locate him.
What a great story Patty. Have a wonderful day!
WOW! Those moments that take your breath away stay forever in your mind. Thank goodness for the happy ending...Karen
Oh MY! That is a true testament to the power of words. That Justin knew exactly what to say at the moment that it needed to be said is like an angel guiding his words. I have chills reading this and find that I am grateful for the gift of my children. Thank you for sharing this! Enjoy the day!
Erin
Oh, I know that heart stopping moment! I walked into the bedroom to find my son sitting on the floor, surrounded by a pincushion and a pile of straight pins. Not seeing any signs of trauma, I still rushed him to xray. Thankfully, no pins made it inside him! I had many opportunities to be grateful for support and love while mine were little. And I only had 3 under the age of 5! :)
Oh Patty, what a story! It made me cry, because it is so unbelievably intense and also beautiful at the same time. Thank you!
Oh what a scare you had! Being a mother, I know the worries never end, even when they go off to college or get their first apartment and big girl job.
Right now I'm most grateful for the time I spent with my mom. She passed away this June, but I have a lifetime of wonderful memories with this courageous, fun, loving woman.
What a wonderful & inspiring story to share with us! Thanks Patty!
{{Hugs}} My friend, you were certainly blessed that day!
What a story! Sent shivers down my spine and reminded me about sibling love. Although they might not realise it, I am sure they love each other and will help each other in life. Thank you for sharing, Patty!
Patty, I can't even imagine. My heart is thudding just reading this. I am so grateful for Justin! Thank you for sharing.
That story made me cry. Some days I felt like I had twins and I don't know how you did it.Thank you for sharing.
Definitely a moment to be thankful for and something we moms can relate to. I'm thankful for my bloggy buddies! XO
Patty, what a memory! You surely have your share of these stories with those 4 boys of yours! As much as they may fight with each other at times, they really do look after each other. I'm so happy that Justin understood that something serious was happening and that he was able to get your attention! I had a great big sigh of relief at the happy ending to this story!
Goodness, how terrifying.
Yes, there is a lot to be grateful for in this story!
Thank you so much for sharing it. I can't wait to hear more of your stories and method for grateful living.
Ahhh, that was a great story - one that could have easily been told by me. Oh, the details would have been different, but with having three boys under the age of 4, we had some "moments" that only a mother can appreciate.
Thank you so much for sharing that story.
What a little trooper your sweet boy was - the hand of God.
Blessings, Jan
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