Stapled (again)

Andrew is such an active 5-year-old. He runs, jumps, bounces and hops his way through life. We are constantly telling him not to run in the house, but alas, he cannot do it. Well, actually, the only time he DOES slow down is when we want him to do something, like put on his shoes to go somewhere or get jammies on for bed. Then he is quite the turtle.

Last Wednesday I heard a crash from the hallway by the bedrooms and immediately Andrew was crying. No one saw it, but we think he was running out of his room, slipped on the wood floor and hit the strike plate of the door jam on the side of his head. I put an icepack on it and cuddled him, then when I moved the icepack I saw the blood and the gash.

JB (just like last time with Max's gash) knew it needed staples.  Sweet and concerned Max offered to go to the InstaCare with me to help. I think deep down he was quite curious to see what it looked like to have the staples put in.

We waited something like 45 minutes for the numbing gel to really take effect -- or they forgot about us in that little area behind the screen, which I find doubtful because Andrew chatted away the whole time. Remember the line in Anne of Green Gables about her fall off the roof not affecting her tongue? Yeah. Same thing here.

Then they wrapped him all up in a sheet like a burrito so he wouldn't wiggle -- which he didn't by the way, he was so good -- and he was so cute. He got 8 staples close together on his right temple.

He took the doctor's words very seriously and was super careful all week. If James started to wrestle with him Andrew would yell, "James is trying to hurt my staples!" He also worried about washing his hair.

Yesterday we went back to get them out (another long wait). Max walked over to the side to watch again, and the nurse asked Andrew if he wanted to hold his brother's hand. So all three brothers lined up and held his hands! I melted. Then I grabbed my phone to take pictures.

Ben is closest to the front in red, Max in the middle, and the little blue hood on the end belonging to the tiniest hand is James.

This care for their brother is just the sweetest thing. Boys can be so rough and tumble, but so tender-hearted. The two olders want to make sure he stays safe, because they've had plenty of tattle-tale moments this week making sure the parentals knew "Andrew is running again! Andrew, you will crack your head open again!'