Rough and Tumble

Dear Lila,

We have a large curved staircase in our house and it's one of the most beautiful features in our house. Visitors always comment on it when they see it for the first time and I remember one of my friends asked if any of you kids had ever fallen down it since it is so large. At the time, the answer was a lucky no. That answer changed today, though, when you were coming downstairs with your water bottle and tumbled almost all the way to the bottom :-(

I was cleaning up dishes in the kitchen when it happened so I didn't see you fall but I heard you fall and the memory of that sound keeps making me chest tighten. All three of you kids have slipped on the stairs at some point but you've only ever slipped down one or two steps before landing on your butt or catching your fall. This time, you told me that you were a quarter of the way down when you lost your footing. I heard a thump on the stairs . . . and then several more thumps followed. I ran to the stairs and you were sitting near the bottom. You said you had hit your head, your arm and your leg and you said they all hurt a lot. And you were wailing in such a way that it made me start to cry. Daddy and GuhGaw were out at the time but DiDi was downstairs and he picked up your water bottle and said, "I got you water bottle!"

I carried you over to the couch and DiDi ran and got the ice pack out of the freezer for you. You were shaken for awhile but there were no visible bumps or bruises. I kept asking you throughout the day if you had a headache or if you felt dizzy or nauseous but you said you were fine. Oh MAN. Thank goodness you didn't get seriously hurt!

Love,
Mom