October 4, 2012

Too Much Red Stuff

This week was pretty uneventful I suppose.  Not too many kids running in and out of my house.  This is not always the case however.

We live across the street from a nice large park.  And this spring, summer and fall there have been a lot of kids at the park between the ages of 6 and 12.  My kids' age range.  And so there is not a lack of playmates for my children.  That is good.  I know I complained about lack of friends and play-dates before, but we certainly don't have that problem anymore.

Those kids who play at the park, well their houses are not across the street from the park.  And the kids seem to gravitate to my house a lot.  There are mainly 4 families including mine that make up this gang of kids, with some other kids thrown in here and there.  I am happy that my children are entertained and not sitting in front of the TV but there are times that it gets to be too much. There are times when I want to hang a sign on the door:
       
        DO NOT KNOCK ON MY DOOR! 
        MY KIDS CANNOT PLAY RIGHT NOW
        YOU CANNOT USE MY BATHROOM
        YOU CANNOT HAVE A DRINK OF WATER
        I HAVE BAND-AIDS BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW
        WE OUR OUT OF OTTER-POPS DESPITE WHAT ANDY SAYS
        WE MOVED

I am happy that the kids like our house.  And our trampoline (we bought a new one--I just can't be a mom without a trampoline).  and our backyard and climbing the tree in our front yard.  Yes, I am too nice but I do send them back to the park whenever I want.  And I don't give them otter-pops, Andy does.  And I started making them get a drink out of the hose. (I drank out of the hose when I was a kid and I am fine, I think).

A few weeks ago though there was blood. Twice!

First of all, I come home from somewhere and there are boys running through the house being chased by my son with a cordless drill.  Which he is turning on as he chases.  And Janessa is in the mix too.  I get upset, send Andy to time-out and send everyone else back to the park, but not before I lecture them that "TOOLS ARE NOT TOYS" and did nobody think that was a little dangerous?!?  I make sure Andy says that "tools are not toys" like 20 times and tell him that him and his friends need to stay out of the garage. (by the way, my hubby was home but downstairs I think).

Not 10 minutes after I send them all out of my house they come back.  One kid's head is bleeding and he is screaming out of control because his hand is covered with the blood so he is freaked out.  His brother is crying because he was the one that threw the item that hit the bleeding kid so he is feeling bad.  However, the bleeding stops, both boys are consoled by my husband and after washing him up I drive the hurt one home.  The sad thing about this story is the parents weren't home and neither boy knew their parents' phone number.  What if it had been a bad injury?  moral of the story--I made sure all my kids know our phone numbers.

The next incident was on a Saturday not even two weeks past the first one.  Boys again.  a different group this time.  Hubby is gone and I am parked on the couch because I had just had surgery 3 days before (another story for another day).  I think Andy is at the park but a kid comes in "Can you help my brother."  I am thinking no, I don't want to get off the couch and go outside. "He is bleeding." great. more blood.  Where?  "In the backyard.  He stepped on something".  My older son goes out to help and I manage to finally make it out there.  Apparently he stepped on something in our grass and cut his foot.

I go outside.  The sun is very bright.  There is blood everywhere on the cement and his foot.   The kids are chattering away. One has the hose on wondering if he should wash the blood up or wash the foot.  I am overwhelmed.  I feel like I am going to pass out. Luckily I had my cell phone in my hand so I quickly texted my neighbor who came right over.  She took care of everything ordering kids to get paper towels and whatever.  I did bring gauze and tape out but didn't have the presence of mind to do anything with it.  and Andy had bandaids.  The cut again wasn't bad but deep.  He didn't need stitches.  He did know his phone number and his big sister came and helped him home.

Yes I love living by the park.  I love the view from my window.  I love how nice the city keeps it.  I love watching people.  I love having close access.   Yet, every once in a while I think maybe we should move.





     

2 comments:

Emily Berkley said...

I am glad I am not the only one that gets sick of neighbor kids. Sometimes you just want your family to enjoy each other and play alone for a day or two. Sorry about all the blood too. No fun.

tonya said...

oh yes, I miss you and your family! You are a seriously awesome mom and neighbor lady!