Last Sunday I heard Noah cry "Owie, mommy, owie, owie..." from just outside, jolting Todd and me off the couch to meet him at the garage. His screams didn't abate but grew louder when we opened the door. I saw his hand and neck covered in blood. What happened? He said his friend Z from next door was throwing rocks even though he told him to stop. A visit to urgent care and 1 staple later, Noah was calming down with a popsicle and agreeing that he and Z needed some time apart. It turns out it wasn't a rock. They were in Z's backyard and he had broken a patio brick in pieces against the cement. Noah says it was a medium sized piece that hit him. I know, totally irrelevant, but it's all I could do to gather details of how it happened. I asked if Z was angry when he threw it, but Noah didn't think so. He was just digging for worms. Maybe Z didn't feel like digging with him and was bored.
I'm still dealing with my own reaction to the whole thing. Z is not a bad kid, but he definitely needed to get the message that he did something really, really bad. We haven't spoken to his parents about it, partly because there's a language barrier and partly because we spent most of the week so angry about the incident. We didn't want to end up intimidating the neighbors. I can't really justify my thought process there but I've just been trying to focus on my own house. I think Noah telling him to go home each time he tried to come play this week was pretty effective. He apologized sincerely when Noah told him, "friends don't throw rocks."
Today was a really good day for Noah and I'm glad because he could enjoy the first sunny, 70 degree day in months. And, when I brushed against the staple, I could tell the bump on his head had gone down because he didn't flinch at all. He was in a pretty good mood also because we let him play for a bit with Z. I realized it was tough for both of them to be apart.
In between play times, Noah worked on a couple of art projects while I got some homework done. We listened to an archive of Kina Grannis doing a radio interview and live set. I think I replayed it 3 times. I have to say her beautiful singing was appropriate for the day. Noah was out rescuing worms again and it made me think of how Kina likes bugs. So Kina, I dedicate the current refrigerator art exhibit to you!
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There were actually 3 spiders (one very poisonous), a grasshopper and a pincher bug in the rest of this collection.
Spiderman is kind of a huge influence.
3 comments:
Ah! Your son is too cute! Scary to hear he got hit by part of a brick though. It must be slightly terrifying as a mom to hear him screaming...
You guys seriously have to make it back down here soon, so we can meet and go to a Kina show!
Wow, what a scary moment. I'm glad he turned out to be ok. Have you still not talked to the parents? I'm thinking with all those times Noah sent him home, Z must have mentioned it to his parents by now.
@timmy, very traumatizing for the family indeed. you'd never know it to see them play yesterday. i guess i'm glad he hasn't learned how to hold a grudge despite friendship. and yes, a kina show is a must on my next visit. you'll hear from me :)
@jerry, good call. i think he's probably told his parents that i'm mad at him and that might be enough. they're recent asian immigrants and as it is, his mom doesn't make eye contact with me. i have this fear that they'll either over- or under-react and i don't know which i'd deal with worse. and then there's the question, how can that happen in your back yard without you coming to make sure he's ok? not sure i need the answer there either. time will tell... Z has Noah's forgiveness, therefore mine. but who knows how long probation will last.
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