A torn "frenulum labii superioris"

Well, it's hot down here in Vancouver, WA... like REALLY HOT!!! Especially for those of us PNW natives who expect to put their sweatshirts on around 9pm (even in the summer!) because it gets "too cool" for the tank top and shorts we've been sporting all day. But even now at 8:45pm it's still 84 degrees - there will be no sweatshirt tonight!

Anyway, due to our fabulously hot and sunny weather our little house here in Vancouver has gotten quite hot and stuffy, and frankly unbearable for this momma who is experiencing 1st trimester "all day sickness" and all the while wrangling 2 kiddos alone since John is working on becoming the best Army Chaplain he can be at Ft. Lewis for 30 days. So today at about 3pm I had decided I had had enough of the hot and stuffiness so I decided to take the kids to the cool air conditioned library. We could kill a ton of time there - Lydia LOVES going to the library! Micah I was sure would enjoy "reorganizing" all the books in the children's section (job security for those librarians!) :) and I would just enjoy going to an air conditioned place where my children would need to be somewhat quiet.

So sweating like crazy we were all loaded in the car with the deal that we could go to the library first and then to the local Walgreens to pick up a few much needed items after our library fun. When we walked into the library it was blissfully cool, blissfully quiet, and blissfully cool. We walked to the children's section and Lydia and Micah headed straight for the large wooden box of toys and the lego table. In between pulling books to check out Lydia would go back and play with various toys inside the large wooden box.

Then it happened... I had my back to both children (VERY DANGEROUS) because I was perusing a shelf of children's books (I love, love, love children's books!) and then I heard it... A huge CRASH and then a SCREAM!!! (All in the cool, quiet, calm library!) I whipped around and saw Lydia on the floor blood pouring out of her mouth. My worst fear was that she had knocked teeth out or up or that she was going to need stitches. Librarians came running and immediately asked me if I wanted ice - I said sure, Lydia screamed "NO!!!!" So over the screaming I said, "How about a few tissues?" In between screams of "NO MOMMY DON'T TOUCH MY MOUTH!!!" and "MOMMY THERE IS BLOOD!!!" I was scanning the room for a mischevious Mr. Micah who was, at this point, helping to reorganize the children's book collection. (I love being a momma!) In the meantime the sweet librarian checked my books out for me, I calmed Lydia enough so she could walk on her own and so I could snatch up Mr. Micah.

Fortunately Lydia did not knock teeth out or up or even need stitches. Her lip did however swell quite a bit, she had dried blood smeared on her face, and her eyes and cheeks were totally tear-stained. So, when we ran our errands at Walgreens I felt like everyone was staring at me like I was some child abuser mother who just whacked her kid for mouthing off. Needless to say we went in and out of Walgreens rather quickly. Oh and on the way out - we made sure to swing by the "frozen" section of Walgreens and buy a box of popsicles. I figured popsicles are as good as any ice pack!

So 2 popsicles, lots of COLD juice, and a cool bath later Lydia finally let me look at her lip. Turns out she tore her "frenulum labii superioris" - whatever the heck that is right? Well, that's the official name for that silly piece of skin that holds your upper lip to your gums and the rest of your face. Under much diress she also let me take pictures of her new fat lip. (What kind of a momma would I be if I didn't document this and share it with the world?!?!)

So here she is. My gorgeous, beautiful girl, who just a week ago, was a gorgeous, beautiful flower girl in a wedding - thank goodness the fat lip didn't happen just before or during the wedding!