That's My Girl

As most of you will know, this young lady is the lovely Jaimee (not sure why she looks cross-eyed in this pic, must've been the photographer!) If her parents weren't around so often, I would attempt to claim her as mine, but alas, they won't go away. Both my boys are of the impression that Jaimee's needs and wants come above and beyond theirs' in this house, even when she's not here.

There are certain bits and pieces that I'll buy for her in the grocery shopping, and should I see one of the boys reaching towards them in the pantry, I'll always point out..."Oh, I got that for Jaimee, she loves those museli bars...please don't eat them." or whatever it is. Generally this gets the response of "Oh, right, yes of course, I see how it is."

Yesterday I answered the phone to hear a rather high-pitched Anna... "Jaimee's fallen at kindy, are you able to go and get her?!" Friday is my day off, I had climbed back into bed earlier to read my book and fallen asleep...the phone woke me at 11.35am. I know, lazy bitch, but it's my day off, bite me.

I rushed into the kindergarten...no way I could've missed her...she was sitting on a caregiver's knee, and most of the kids were gathered around. She had an icepack against her nose and the teacher was trying to keep her awake. "Hello my little darling"....She reached for me and I picked her up....her arms snaked around my neck and she slumped against my shoulder.

I rang Anna while I carried her daughter out to the car and said I'd meet her at the doctors office. Unfortunately, I didn't have Jaimee's carseat. A slight pang of guilt later, she was buckled into the back seat. I gave her the icepack and asked if she could hold it against her nose. I also asked her to try and keep awake so we could go and see "Dr Penny, or Dr Richard or maybe even Dr Sally!". Hell I didn't know who it was going to be, I was talking non-stop regardless.

I've gotta hand it to that little girl and her determination. I spoke to her constantly, I sang really loudly (yeah, I know)...I slid the window open so the wind could blow in her face. And I kept glancing back watching her....she held the icepack against her nose the entire way. And oh my god, she fought against going to sleep to the point where her eyes were rolling up and back down again as she struggled to keep awake.

Then she started making really weird gurgling sounds, I turned back to see her, eyes as big as saucers, looking straight at me. The thought went through my head "Oh fuck, she's going to vomit and start fitting"...that's when I almost lost my cool. Thank God the doctors were less than 10 minutes away. I was actually going to work...Jaimee is a patient at the medical centre I work for. I have to admit the thought also crossed my mind "Aw man, my work colleagues are going to see me dressed like this and crying at the same time if I don't pull my shit together." Because of course, this was all about me *snort*

"You are such a brave girl Jaimee JimJam, and we're almost there...I need you to stay awake ok?...I keep seeing sooooo many yellow cars* and you KNOW you have to see them before Daddy does, right?" She grunted. That's the only time she actually 'spoke' to me. For someone who is generally so devoted to chattering full-steam-ahead, she didn't say one word to me at all. I have to put that grunt down to the competitive nature coming out of her...not surprising given her parents.

ANYWAY...she didn't vomit, or convulse, thank goodness.....I got to work, ran in the door and took her straight into the treatment room. The nurse came for a gander, the doctor turned up 10 seconds later and while they poked and prodded, shone lights in her eyes and ears, and up her nose, my heart rate started to go back to normal (don't forget, it's still about me). I couldn't have appreciated the staff and the swiftness with which they moved more than I did right then. They were brilliant.

She was good...well not good as such. But she was ok...very sleepy after bashing her head like that....very swollen down one side of her face, to the point where we thought she'd not be able to see out her left eye later...but besides the shock of the fall/pain, she was doing ok. (God, ya know, noone even asked how I was doing? What's up with that??) Later that afternoon her face had puffed up so much she didn't even look like herself...but she was pretty much back to normal after a short sleep (with us poking her to make sure she would stir)...Jason did it so often, she actually took a swipe at him in her sleep lol.

Jaimee actually fell last week too...damaged a different part of her anatomy. And the kindy has only just done this big revamp outdoors, laying down all that lovely spongey stuff to avoid the children hurting themselves if they fall. My little darling has managed to fall twice in one week, and make a good job of it by hitting her body against something on the way down to that lovely spongey stuff.

Bet she just wasn't watching where she was going cos she was busy being bossy and telling someone else what to do...she's so like her Aunty Lisa.