Baby Wars.

Sam's been through the war lately.

Yesterday his leg was caught between the bars of his crib.  I didn't hear him with all the LIFE going on downstairs.  We were headed out the door to football games when I asked Lincoln to get Sam out of bed.  Have you ever seen a baby who's been crying for who knows how long?  Swollen, panicked, darting red eyes, bobbing shoulders with each breath, desperation in ALL its forms.  So sad--sad enough that even I got tears.  

Sam's never had a moment like that before (the truth of the matter is it was only a matter of time).  There's always been too many eyes watching over him.  He was beyond consolation.  That about made my mama-heart break.  We're supposed to have magic hands.  At that moment--realizing how human and capable of making mistakes I was--the only thought that came to mind was, This stinks.  Helplessness stinks.

(And this was just one incident.  There were other sad moments, like choking on Rice Chex.  That wasn't fun, wasn't fun at all.)

Babies are so willing to forgive, bless their little hearts.  That's MY only consolation.  Babies WANT to be happy.  Before long he was wriggling out of my arms ready to conquer the world, and I was thinking, please forget, please forget...

There's no way around it, being a parent knocks you around a bit.  There will always be bumps and bruises on the heart because you messed up or you weren't there or you didn't listen.  It seems like I'm regularly apologizing to my kids for one thing or another.

All I can say is I'm so grateful they love me, that they'll readily forgive, that they're willing to forget.

** In other news: Annie asked Ben why he pinched my bum all the time.  Brigham said, "Because he likes her."

Hopefully Brigham will remember that we "pinch" within the bonds of matrimony...or at least wait until you're dating.  A pinch should be mutually appreciated or at least accepted with mild annoyance because you really love that guy and realize that he does it because he can't keep his hands off you!