Baby's First Boo Boo

Above - the sympathy balloon!!!!

I guess I should be thankful I went 9 months and 10 days without having to kiss a single boo boo. I am VERY thankful that I was able to cure his first real boo boo with kisses (and a guilty purchase totaling $8.29.

Yesterday I took the baby out for a little adventure - lunch with Uncle Dave and Auntie "K" (thats Keri) and then had planned on spending some gift cards at the mall - I call it "free shopping".

Before heading out, we stopped at the grocery store. Daniel had fallen asleep in the car, so I gently scooped him out, made a bed in the grocery cart out of my jacket and his big blanket. He woke a little, but snuggled down to the corner and closed his eyes, content to just relax in the basket. I checked him a few times - out like a light. Then he startled awake, and quickly tried to sit up, and quickly fell back down, hitting his head pretty darn good on the cart.

The immediate silence before he cried scared the shit out of me. I quickly scooped him up and comforted him and he stopped crying immediately. It was little red, but didn't look horrific or anything. I moved him up to the seat and buckled him. As moved down the aisle, I reached behind his head to see if I felt a bump. WHen I brought my hand around, there was a drop of blood. Okay, a speck of blood. But really, ANY amount of blood would have sent me into the tizzy that followed. I panicked. WHat did I let happen to my baby! There was a scratch, almost an inch long, on the back of his head. I felt the blood drain from my head and for a second thought I would pass out. I panicked - I'm not going to lie. I flipped out, and ran back to the baby aisle, looking for some mom (preferably one smarter than me!) to assess our head boo boo. NOBODY! I'm still panicking, but the baby is laughing - probably had something to do with the speed at which I was pushing him through the store.

As I ran my options through my head (call doctor, call 911, go to urgent care, cry...) I realized there was a pharmacy isle. I headed over and busted open the Neosporin right off the shelf and slathered his head in it. Then I called Aunt Dana. I must have sounded really panicked because she kept asking me if the wound was gushing. "Gushing? No! It's not even bleeding," I said. Then came the laughter as she assured me he was fine. She had me put him the phone so she could ask him what happened. He listened intently, and when she asked if his head hurt, he shook his head 'no'. Good enough for me!

As we head towards check out, I feel like everybody is staring at the bad mom who's kid has a boo boo. I felt bad, so I thought I'd buy him a balloon. One of those impulse buys they put by the candy so your kid screams bloody murder until you buy them crap. He loved the balloon, and was smiling and pulling at it. It rang up over $8. I wanted to rip it out of his hand and steal one of those "buy one get one free balloons" I saw by the mac and cheese. But alas, he was all smiles, and if nothing else I felt better because I bought him a balloon.

As we headed out, people were still staring, but now there were staring because he was yelling and laughing and being super cute. (or maybe there were staring at the clumps of Neosporin globbed on his head)

PS-for any who thinks my balloon purchase will lead to a horrific baby-spoiling trend, I'll have you know this balloon has come in quite handy - he plays with it while we do diaper changes. YESSS!!! No poop on the carpet from a squirmy baby in 2 whole days!!!