Jacob's Big Boo-Boo

Around 6:30pm on January 4th Jacob climbed up on the couch as I was feeding Anna. He wanted to jump on the couch but obviously that is not allowed because that's how one breaks his leg. :) I took one of the pillows from the couch, threw it on the floor and told him he could jump on it instead. He's done this several times and was having a good ole time until he suddenly fell on the floor and started crying. I assumed he was just fine and being dramatic because he was tired. However after 10 minutes of crying I was concerned and called in the reinforcements (my parents) since Jimmy was out of town.


Jacob calmed down a few minutes before they arrived and started acting more "normal". Therefore, I decided to give him his bath and put him to bed. He fussed when I touched his lower leg and wouldn't walk on it, but since he wasn't crying I was hopeful that it was a minor injury that some extra attention and a good night sleep could solve. He went to sleep easily but woke up at 10pm. I calmed him down but decided to pack some bags and head over to my parents' house as I was now concerned that I might have to go to Vanderbilt ER. I really didn't want to go to Vanderbilt with two kids in the middle of the night; it was tough enough taking just Anna a few weeks before. Thankfully, Jacob slept through the night and I got an early appointment with the pediatrician.


Fortunately, my mom took the day off to help me go to the pediatrician (in addition to Jacob's appointment, Anna had her 2 month appointment), imaging center, and orthopedic doctor. We decided it would be easier to eat lunch in the car since I needed to feed Anna, it was raining, and Jacob's leg was fractured. Mom and I laughed a lot as we fed children, changed diapers and crawled from the front seat to the back seat squeezing between the kids' car seats. Ah, fun memories!


It was definitely tough to see my sweet child in pain holding my hand tight and looking at me with his big blue eyes. However, Jacob did fantastic at all of his appointments and received many compliments. While we were waiting at the orthopedic office, Jacob noticed a skeleton on the counter. Jacob looked at it and said "eyes, bye-bye". It was so funny and cute. The doctor concluded Jacob needed a traditional hard cast for two weeks. He fractured the lower part of his leg but because he is so young the doctor casted it from above the knee to his toes! Jacob chose a blue cast for himself and for his bear. It took Jacob no time to figure out how to get around scooting on his bottom. He loves to be chased with his lawn mower and didn't let his cast stop this game. It was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S to "chase" a child with a lawn mower as he scooted on his bottom. He just giggled and giggled as I said "Oh wow, you are so fast! How am I going to catch you?" You have to love the spirit of a child - PRECIOUS! During the second week he figured out how to walk on the cast and was even walking up the stairs!After two weeks in a hard cast we went back yesterday and had it removed. His fracture has healed nicely but now he has to wear a walking boot for another two weeks. We are so thankful that his leg is healing and that if he had to fracture his leg he did it in cold, snowy January!