On Pain

Last time we were at Totland, John ran right under the big boy swings as a 5 year old was vigorously swinging and got kicked right in the mouth and knocked down. He was really crying and bleeding from his cut lip and gums (his pumpkin pacifier got kicked into his mouth). I mopped him up with my sleeve and consoled the kid and his mom. It wasn't really their fault. The older boy couldn't stop, he was in mid swing. The mom wasn't right on her boy because he was a big boy and could swing all by himself. So I quickly wiped up John and rocked him until he stopped crying. He got over it and went off to play, but was sensitive to every time he fell.

John is usually a tough little guy. Once, when were were at the smaller baby park, he was all sweaty and wet and playing in the sand. Then he decided he wanted to go up the slide. He started to climb up the slide, slapping down his sweaty hand and pulling himself up by the traction of his wet hand, like a lizard. He made it halfway up when he slid down. I picked him up then I noticed that he had sand stuck to his wet hand and he had ground it into his hand climbing up like that. He was bleeding and he showed no sign of noticing! He'll run into things with his head and not cry, too. Other parents comment on this at the park.

on Monday, we took our walk down to the mailbox. I had the doggie harness on him. He wanted to cross the street so we went over to the neighbors driveway. It is a very steep concrete slope with rocks. He tried to go up it with his treasure bucket. The slope was too much for him and he fell flat on it and slid down a little. He dropped his bucket and all his nuts went rolling down into the street. Then he started really crying. I thought it was from loosing his nuts, because he didn't fall far, he was pretty much crawling up the slope. When I picked him up, however, he was just covered in blood! Way more than when he got kicked in the face. I couldn't really mop him up, because he kept bleeding. I rocked him and when he settled down some, I carried him (and the half empty bucket) back up our driveway. By the time I got to the house, he felt better and was playing even as I was getting some wet paper towels to clean him. He wouldn't let me look in his mouth much, I was worried about his teeth. He seems to have cut he gums but his teeth looked ok. I gave him a cold bottle and he eventually went to sleep.
At least I know he can feel pain, I guess.