"Mommy, my fin'dger is gone!"--Hailey

Dave and Hailey watching the elephants walk down the street!

Well the day started off fun and then ended on a not so high note...this morning Erica Allen called and asked if we wanted to meet them at Wheeler Farm, so I quickly got the kids ready to go, this whole process only took an hour and 15 mins and we were on the road! (why it takes so long I will never know, the time goes too quickly when you are trying to leave!) we got there and as soon as Deon (her 2 year old) saw us, she came running to greet us. (It makes me miss living in PG so badly!) The girls just picked up right where they left off and had a blast just being back together! They had brought bread to feed the ducks and lets just say these ducks are not stupid, they know what food is and they understand the pecking order of things, if you are in the front closest to the source of food, you get more. It was nerve racking, this cute experience of feeding the ducks bread, freaked both of the girls out! They were clinginng to our legs and we were sorrounded by ducks that were honking at us, it was loud. We got a nice tip from a passerby telling us the pond is fenced and it keeps the ducks at bay.The girls loved being free to roam, we walked all over and in circles around the farm. It was great to catch up with Erica and just meander around following the girls.

At McDonalds both Erica and I needed to nurse our babies, so the girls played close by. They combined their strength and pushed open the door to the mens bathroom and quickly slipped in! I go in to retrieve them and put Hailey in time out, since I told her not to go in there, when she tells me that she is poopy. I try to sit her down for time out,but her diaper is so full she cannot sit! I am still trying to nurse and get her to listen! Then as we are leaving , I am carrying Preston in the car seat, the diaper bag and Hailey's drink from her happy meal. Deon runs and Hailey bolts after her. Hailey heads straight for State Street, a busy 7 lane road that is 40MPH. At first I am calling her in a normal, but stern tone, but then it turns frantic as I have to set down Preston and sprint after her, she thought it was just a funny game! We went and got Dave from school and get stopped becasue the Circus is in town and the elephants are walking down the road right in front of us. Dave got Hailey out and took her over for a closer look, she loved it. It's not everyday you see elephants tail to trunk sauntering down the middle of town! We now have tickets to the Circus tomorrow.

Then after dinner Dave and I go into the U of U Alumni center for a pre-interview reception for KPMG. There is so much hubbub associated with all of this MBA job interview stuff! We left the kids home with my parents and about an hour into this reception Dave's phone rings while we are talking to Grady (one of the associates at KPMG and also my cousins hubby), he sees the number is my mom and hands me the phone. She tells me that she is taking Hailey into the hospital to get stitches! I ask her is she is for real, she tells me that she wouldn't joke about something like this! As I am asking which hospital and edging towards the door, Dave picks up on the conversation and we start racing to the car. My parents call while we are on the way and tell me that she cannot be treated unless we are there to sign for her. My heart is racing and I am thinking; "why do I ever leave the house?" I get the rest of the story as we are driving to the hospital. Apparently the dog got into the garbage after dinner and pulled a tuna can out and left it in the hall, Hailey picked it up and the lid sliced her pinky finger really deep. (I can hear her screaming on over the phone and Preston has joined in the chorus, he didn't want to be left out) As soon as we pull up, I jump out and rush in, telling myself to breath and not go into hysterics, everything is okay, if there is anyone I would want her to be with when she is hurt it would be Grandma and Papa. She is sitting at a small table with games, and Grandma is holding her hand in double thick washcloths, there is blood on her shirt, pants and saturating the cloths that are on her finger. I quickly give them my signature and get her to the back. The staff was wonderful. In order to get her laceration washed off they put a small rubber duck in the bottom of a basin filled with warm water and bubbles and hold it under the water so she cannot see it, then the nurse asks her to find the ducky. She loved the game and it took her mind off her owie. They tell me it will need 4 stitches and explain the procedure to me. I am not sure if I am really ready for this, but I sit in my assigned chair and talk to Hailey about our day, the ducks, elephants, the circus we are going to tomorrow, anything I can think of! They wrap her tightly in a sheet, Dave held her body down, the nurse takes her hurt hand, and the doctor is prepared to suture her finger.My job is to hold her head and sing to her. The nurse sticks her with a numbing medication and I know it has to hurt, she opens her mouth wide with pain, her eyes brimming over with tears and yet no sound comes out! I am trying to hold back tears myself, but sing "I love to see the Temple" instead! She cried the whole time, but still held her little hand out for stitches. I tried to comfort her, but to no avail, she had big alligator tears rolling down the sides of her face! After is was all over they wrapped it in a pink gauze and that is when she told me;"My finger is gone, the lady wrapped it." Oh the joys of parenting, it could have been so much worse, just a few stitches was all! I am glad it is bed time, after cleaning up her, the floors, the car and the emotional roller coaster of it all I am beat! Good Night!!