Alright, now that I'm finished crying I can post a couple more updates. I'll start with yesterday and work my way back...

Tuesdays are dance/gymnastics days so I was getting ready to go while Madeline watched a bit of TV in my bedroom. I typically close the door while I blowdry my hair because if I don't, Madeline will. She doesn't like the noise it makes obviously. Well, yesterday I was blowdrying my hair when I hear a loud crashing sound right outside the bathroom door and an instant cry from Madeline. I ran out to find Madeline under my chest of drawers (tall 4 drawer dresser with a TV on top) and the TV right next to her head. I instantly pulled the dresser off of her and got her out of there. She was very upset, as was I, so we just sat for a minute while she cried. Come to find out, she was more scared than hurt. I'm not sure how, but she came away with only a few scrapes and bruises. All of the weight of the dresser wasn't on her, thank goodness, so she has a couple bruises from the drawer pulls. Nothing broken. Of course I had to confirm this with her many times before I believed her.
Side note: When I was 4, I attempted climbed up a tall gravestone that ended up falling on my leg and creating a hairline fracture that we weren't aware of until much later in the day.

We got all calmed down, checked her over, made her walk across the room a few times, then decided if we were going to continue with dance class or just stay home that day. She said she wanted to go to class, so I put the dresser back, moved the TV out of the way, blotted up the coffee that was on the dresser, and finished getting us ready to go. No, I didn't finish blowdrying my hair.

If you're wondering how it happened... Madeline had pulled out the bottom drawer, then the next one, then the next one and wanted the top one to come open. It was caught on some clothes, so she gave it a good yank thereby opening the drawer but bringing the dresser down as well. We are very thankful that the TV didn't drop on her head, or she was crushed under the dresser, or ... I did my best to tell her how the dresser came off balance so hopefully she won't do that again. We can only hope and be better prepared.

Of course, I went out yesterday afternoon and bought a lower, wider dresser. So, maybe with a new dresser and a little bit of knowledge, this particular incident won't be repeated.

We went about our day yesterday, and if I didn't tell you about our morning, you never would guess that's how it started. She has either forgotten all about it or has chosen to push it away for now. I told her that now she has her own story like Mommy. She's not ready to tell it.



Last week was her 4 year checkup with the doctor. We had been getting Madeline ready for this appointment, telling her about the TWO shots she was going to get, how they wouldn't hurt for more than a second, and everything would be fine.

Well, let me tell you, this was a very brave girl. She somehow had come to believe us that the shots wouldn't hurt much and went through the appointment procedures like she did it everyday. She is now 40 1/2" tall, weighing 36 pounds. Her bloodpressure was 84/52 I think, which is apparently normal for someone her size, and her eyesight is 20/30 with impeccable hearing. She did a really great job with the vision and audio machines.

When it came time for the shots, the nurse told her to sit up on the table with her legs off the end and she did just that. She was ready. She laid down, I leaned over her to chat and hopefully take her mind off of things a little, then the first shot came. That was the end of her composure. She looked at me as if to say, "that didn't hurt a LITTLE! that hurt a LOT! and why did they hurt me?" Well, this went on not one more time, but twice more in her left leg and once in her right. Yep, FOUR shots! One being a tetnus that apparently stings like mad. So, we sat for a minute and cried, got ourselves together and went out to the front to get her tattoo for doing such a great job.

We sat in the waiting room deciding what we were going to do next. See, this was last Tuesday right before dance/gymnastics and the plan was to go right from the doc to class, then out to lunch whereever she wanted to go. Well, she said her legs really hurt (can't imagine why!) and said she really didn't want to go to class that day. Of course, I didn't force the issue and we headed home.

We went home and I gave her some Motrin and that made her feel instantly better. She felt good enough to walk (no bikeriding today, she said) to the Coney Island behind our house. We sat at the counter, which she really likes to do, and ate our lunch. Madeline's favorite diner food is french toast & sausage with milk to drink. She did a great job, and we even took more of a walk to Target to get some things, then headed home. Her legs were a bit achy for a couple days, but she's fine now. Tuesdays have not faired well lately, hopefully next Tuesday will be better. We need to break this streak of Tuesday luck.